Chili Performs Solo as T-Boz Battles Sickle Cell Crisis: What TLC Fans Need to Know

TLC fans got emotional news as the group’s“It’s Iconic”tour wrapped on October 11. T-Boz hasn’t performed since August 28, when a sickle cell crisis landed her in the hospital. Chili stepped in for every remaining date, and the tour went on with one of music’s most iconic voices cheering from the sidelines.

In Las Vegas on October 9, Chili addressed the crowd directly, explaining that T-Boz had a crisis and is taking the time she needs to get back to 100 percent. She asked fans to help hold it down for her bandmate. The moment landed hard, especially since T-Boz has been silent on social media since August 24. Her representative confirmed she’s recovering and regaining strength, but fans have flooded the comments with prayers, and many pointed back to the loss of Left Eye, writing that they aren’t ready for another goodbye.

T-Boz has lived with sickle cell disease since she was seven years old, and doctors once predicted she wouldn’t survive past thirty. Her career, her motherhood, and her decades on stage all happened against that prognosis. It’s also worth noting how far treatment has come, with research showing bone marrow transplants can cure sickle cell disease in the vast majority of cases. For now, T-Boz is resting, Chili is holding the fort, and the TLC tribe is doing what it does best: showing up with love. What’s your favorite TLC song of all time? Drop it in the comments.