The Block Party (Lisa Lopes song)


"The Block Party" is the debut solo single by American rapper Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, a member of the girl group TLC. The track was written by Lopes, Salaam Remi, Maurice White, and Tracey Horton, with Remi providing production. The track was first released on July 24, 2001, to American radio as the only single from her first solo album [Supernova (Lisa Lopes album)|Supernova (Lisa Lopes album)|Supernova], which would only be released internationally. A sample of Earth, Wind & Fire's song "Drum Song" is played throughout the track.
The song received a mixed reception both critically and commercially. While it would crack the top twenty in the United Kingdom and the top-forty in Scotland and the Netherlands, it failed to garner any success in the United States, leading to the cancellation of a planned US-release of Supernova.

Critical reception

Colin Finan of Billboard gave the song a mixed-to-unfavorable review, criticizing the lack of a hook and the "sound of whining voices repeating."

Chart performance

"The Block Party" was a commercial failure in the United States, failing to enter any charts in the country. The track would experience its biggest success in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 16 on the UK Singles Chart and spent 5 weeks in total on the chart.

Music video

The music video was directed by Hype Williams and Lopes and was shot on July 10, 2001. Lopes said of the video, "We are in the wonderful world of Left Eye and it's in my galaxy, Supernova." Her adopted daughter Snow appeared in the video. The video was released in October 2001 on MTV UK and The Box. It was not released to North America.

Track listing

European and Australian maxi single
  1. "The Block Party" – 4:05
  2. "The Block Party" – 3:54
  3. "Friends" – 4:45
  4. "Tampered With" – 4:36
UK CD single
  1. "The Block Party" – 4:05
  2. "The Block Party" – 3:54
  3. "Friends" – 4:45
  4. "The Block Party"
UK cassette single
  1. "The Block Party" – 4:05
  2. "Friends" – 4:45

Music video

The music video was directed by Hype Williams and Lopes and was shot on July 10, 2001. Lopes said of the video, "We are in the wonderful world of Left Eye and it's in my galaxy, Supernova." Her adopted daughter Snow appeared in the video.

2009 version

"Block Party" is the second posthumous single by the late singer and rapper Lisa Lopes and is the second single from her first posthumous album, Eye Legacy and her third solo single.

History

The song was originally recorded for Lopes' solo debut Supernova and was released as the album's first and only single. The song was reworked and remixed for her first posthumous album, Eye Legacy, and features Lil Mama. After the first single "Let's Just Do It" failed to chart in the United States, "Block Party" was announced to be released as the second single after its positive critical reception. The song was not released as a single, but rather as a ringtone, along with all the songs of Eye Legacy.