No Scrubs

“No Scrubs” is one of the first female empowerment tracks of the 90’s, giving birthing to the term “scrub, a derogatory term for a guy who makes little to no money and scrounges off others. TLC are known for their bad-ass female loving and empowering songs in the R’n’B world. The track is a cult classic for all women everywhere, and a reminder to all straight women the minimum they deserve from a man.

“A scrub is a guy that thinks he’s fly / He’s also known as a busta / Always talkin’ about what he wants / And just sits on his broke ass”. The song immediately opens up with the definition of what a “scrub” is, moving onto how none of the member of TLC want his number, to meet him or any of his time. They carry on describing the scrub’s actions such as his bad flirting skills, has no car and lives at home still. The music video and live performances of the song has a special addition – a rap verse by Lisa ‘Left Eye’ Lopes that is not on the album.

The music video features the trio dancing in futuristic style outfits and environments. It was released in 1999, and has over 130 million views on YouTube on the TLC Vevo channel when it was uploaded on the 31st January 2014.

Release Date: 2nd February 1992

Songwriter/s: Kevin “Shekspere” Briggs, Kandi Burrus, Tameka “Tiny” Cottle, Lis “Left.Eye” Lopes

Album: FanMail (1999)

Label/s: LaFace, Artista

Music Video Release Date: 2nd February 1999

Music Video Producer: Hype Williams

Chart Rankings, Certifications: It reached #1 in Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as #1 in the UK R&B Charts and the US Billboard Hot 100 Charts. Rolling Stone ranked it #10 in their list of the “50 Best Songs of the Nineties”, VH1 listed the song at #22 in their list of the “40 Greatest R&B Songs of the Nineties”, #2 in NME’s top tracks of 1999. It also received Gold certification in France, Sweden and the US. As well as going Platinum in Australia, Belgium, New Zealand and the UK twice.