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CNN Live Today

Huge Crowd Gathers For Lopes Funeral in Atlanta

Aired May 02, 2002 - 10:36   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The funeral gets underway just, like we said, about an hour and a half from now, noon Eastern, for Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, one-third of the girl pop group, TLC. One of the most popular and most successful girl groups of all time. Thousands of fans from around the country have gathered at the church outside of Atlanta. Lopes' funeral has also brought media from around the nation to Atlanta.

With us now is Sway, a correspondent with MTV News. With is out there amongst the crowd there gathered this morning.

Thanks for taking time to talk with us today, we really appreciate that. Let's start off, first of all, how did you know Lisa?

SWAY, MTV CORRESPONDENT: Well, I met her years ago through radio. I also worked in radio, and I had a chance to interview the group TLC in the 90s, and since I have been at MTV, obviously, I've been really versed on her career, and I had a chance to meet her personally at a few concert events.

HARRIS: Was that radio gig here in Atlanta?

SWAY: No. I wish it was. No, no.

HARRIS: I was going to say, it a pretty good -- this is a good scene to be in radio here in this town, I can tell you that. Well...

SWAY: No doubt.

HARRIS: Share with us your thoughts this morning as -- before you head inside the church.

SWAY: Well, you know, it is like I have been out here since earlier this morning, and literally, there are thousands of people who have been out here just to pay their last respects to Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. You can feel like the community really came out to support. She was a very admired young lady, she was a tremendous artist, and it is a tragedy that she had to lose her life that way, and they always say the good die young. You know, and as people -- like people who have never even met her before, are here just to have a glimpse or just pay tribute to what she brought to their lives through this music industry, and as a humanitarian, a person with a great big heart. And it is good to know she left this good legacy. HARRIS: Yes. Let's talk about that legacy, and also what you just mentioned there, about the good dying young. Talking only about those in the music world of late, Tupac Shakur, Aaliyah, and now Lisa. How would you put -- what would you say her legacy is going to look like down the road when you compare the three of those?

SWAY: Well, you know, I think each of those artists you named is something tremendous and affected people's lives in a big way through music. And then it is ironic that you usually find out other things they did as people outside of the music industry only after their death. Personally, I didn't know all the charity events she did for kids, I didn't know that she bought land in Honduras so that kids all over the free world could come and have a really positive experience. I mean, she donated a lot of her time to charity, and to me, she was a wonderful person. And I wish she could still be here with us today, and with more people like that, and hopefully, when people go to buy her music, the effect that she has through her music will affect them in a positive way, and hopefully the good don't have to die so young.

HARRIS: I have heard what you have just said there, I have heard that echoed through -- I can't tell you how many different publications and from how many different people. I know I myself have interviewed at least three people on this topic, and they've all said the same thing, all positive things, but I have to ask you, because this is the thing that people say to me when I leave the studio -- is all of this positivity going to be enough to make people forget that one crazy incident, with the burning down of Andre Rison's house?

SWAY: That's the duality of two lives when you are a celebrity. You know, you are a celebrity, you're a singer, you are an artist, but you are also a person, and those things happen. Yes, she had a troubled childhood. She suffered from neglect. Her father was killed at the same time she signed her first record deal, she had the arson incident with Andre Rison, but I think the story in all of that is how she prevailed and overcame all those adversities and obstacles and evolved into the woman that she became. We all gone through things, Leon. I'm sure you have got, you know, a tainted past that we wouldn't know about unless we dug in and did some good research.

HARRIS: Amen, brother. Amen.

SWAY: But what you are today -- what you have become today is what is really important, and that's what I choose to remember personally about Lisa "Left Eye"'s legacy. She was a tremendous artist, she overcame a lot of obstacles, and she gave a lot to the community, and I think that's what is important.

HARRIS: Well, look, I'll say the same thing about you. Good to see where you are right now yourself, Sway. Good luck and thank...

SWAY: Hey man, we are just trying to eat, trying to eat. Be sure to watch TRL today this afternoon. We are also going to have an update as well on everything that's taking place here today.

HARRIS: You have got it, on MTV. What time now?

SWAY: 3:30.

HARRIS: 3:30. Got you. Sway, thanks, appreciate it, man.

SWAY: Eastern time.

HARRIS: All right. Eastern.

SWAY: OK. Thank you.

HARRIS: Take care. Get inside. We know the crowd is moving you along.

SWAY: OK.

HARRIS: Thank you very much for taking your time to talk to us. Appreciate it.

SWAY: OK. Thank you.

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