ORCHIDX Celebrates The Life of Lisa "Left-Eye" Lopes (

Mourners gather for Lopes services; updates, developments Reception menu UPDATE: 6:02 p.m. Any Occassion Catering owner Sammie Davis Jr. said the reception menu included a field green salad with either Greek vinegarette or three-peppercorn Ranch dressing. Entrees were Southern fried chicken, marinated grilled chicken breast with a tropical fruit sauce on top and vegetable lasagna. Sides were mashed potatoes and a vegetable medley of broccoli, carrots, roasted red peppers, yellow squash zucchini and mushrooms. Dessert was peach cobbler, sweet potato pie and pecan pie. -- Gracie Bonds Staples Performers wave to fans at reception UPDATE: 6:02 p.m. A catered reception for about 350 family and friends was held at the New Birth Family Life Center on the church grounds in Lithonia. Those who attended included TLC member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and her husband, rapper Mack 10; TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and singer Usher. R&B singer Kelly Price was also there. The food was traditional Southern fare -- fried chicken and mashed potatoes. When they left at about 4:15 in the same limosuine, they paused briefly to wave to fans who had lingered. Pastor: 'She found rhymes in her spirit' UPDATE: 5:56 p.m. Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, delivered the main eulogy. After joking about his name in regard to the length of his sermons, he said Lopes "found her words in her spirit. She found her music in her spirit. She found her rhymes in her spirit." Then he asked questions often voiced in relation to the senseless deaths of young people. "Why? Why now? Why so young? Why with so much left to give? I do not know." Another preacher close to the Lopes family, Sherman Washington, revealed that Lisa called him a month ago and said she was planning a trip for the whole family to South Africa. He had personal messages for her sister, Raina, and brother, Ronald. And to the remaining members of TLC, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, he said, "Take what she gave you and use it so that people will know you're a product of three. Lisa gave you more than she gave anyone." Funeral concludes; fans blocked at cemetery UPDATE: 3:38 p.m. The funeral ended around 2:30 p.m. Then, about 200 people gathered across from the cemetery on Hillandale Drive as the funeral cortege pulled up. Mothers with children and baby carriages, as well as older folks wielding umbrellas under the punishing mid-afternoon sun, pressed into the street as Lopes's family and friends arrived at Hillandale Memorial Gardens for the burial service. A heavy police presence pushed them back. Cries of disappointment rang out when a white executive tour bus was parked between the gravesite and the street, thus blocking their view. One bystander, Donna Reddick, 46, said, "People want to see the stars. That's why these folks are gathered here." Nearby one man disputed that notion. "This is just to show love," said Leonard Kenyon, holding a blue baseball cap over his heart. "I feel there's a part of me over there." Referring to the assembled crowd, he said, "This ain't no hoopla. This ain't no show. This is just love." -- Bo Emerson Details of the service, opening with 'Hosanna' UPDATE: 2:36 p.m. The funeral service for Lisa Lopes began about 12:20 p.m. Thursday with a rousing rendition of "Hosanna" that brought the audience to its feet. "It would be a mockery of her life if we didn't celebrate," said Bishop Eddie Long. "And so we come to celebrate with this family. What allows us to celebrate is God through the spirit of Christ. Despite the situation, God is still worthy to be praised." At the request of Lisa's mother Wanda Lopes, the gospel duo Mary Mary sang "Shackles (Praise You)." The service turned reflective and somber as several family and friends paid tribute to Lopes. Her aunt, Pamela Young, remembered her niece as "a lionhearted little lamb," adding that Lopes "was at once worldly and streetwise but sweet and loving." In one of several references to negative images of Lopes in the media, Lisa's brother Ronald Lopes said it would be easy to believe those things if you never had the chance to know his sister. Lopes alluded to the healthy lifestyle Lopes pursued in Honduras where she frequently vacationed and recently bought land. He said she had many many life changes before she died. "She had an understanding of life. She had knowledge," he said. "She knew the essence of living. She cleansed her body. She cleansed her mind. She had clear thoughts, and that's what comforts me now." -- Gracie Bond Staples and Sonja Lewis Next TLC album will include her tracks UPDATE: 2:32 p.m. The unreleased TLC recordings that include Lisa Lopes rapping will be released as part of a new TLC album that will be dedicated to her, group spokesman Rob Goldstone said. Four or five of the cuts on the album will feature Lopes. Lopes had selected a name for the CD -- she has been behind the titles for other CDs and songs -- but the label will not release the name yet. Goldstone also said pop star Whitney Houston and her husband, Bobby Brown, were so touched by the wake Wednesday night that they decided to come to the funeral today as well. Goldstone noted that Houston belied her diva reputation by requesting no special security or arrangements. -- Richard Eldredge 'The creativity never stopped,' L.A. Reid says UPDATE: 2:19 p.m. Arista Records President Antonio "L.A." Reid wore sunglasses and a dark suit. His voice was clear and firm as he talked about a woman whose passion garnered her many titles: creative, bold, innovative, difficult. They all fit, he said. "She was difficult for the right reasons," he said. "Her creativity never stopped." All of her ideas from fashion to marketing were good. Many were great and other people just needed time to catch up, he said. "Lisa, your exhuberance will be missed. Your passion will be missed." The media mischaracterized Lopes as reckless, he said. Family and friends know she was "a wonderful person. She's a giving person. And the creativity never stopped." -- Sonja Lewis Brother recalls her dying UPDATE: 2:13 p.m. Her brother, Ronald Lopes, described to those assembled how the sister that comforted him in a sometimes chaotic household calmed him at the time of her death. "I was holding her head and her hand waiting for the first signal of a pulse," he said. "I just kept hearing Lisa in my head: 'Energy doesn't die, it just transforms." There were nods and approval from fans and family. "She had an understanding of life. She knew the essence of life and she wanted to teach everybody," he said. "That's what comforts me." -- Sonja Lewis Mary Mary performs, DeKalb leader speaks UPDATE: 2:10 p.m. After Long said some words and the fans joined in prayer the lights were dimmed and Mary Mary sung, "Shackles,'" a Lopes' favorite song. "This is a celebration y'all, so put your hands together," a member said. People jumped up from their seats and started clapping to the beat. The four projection screens showed people with their hands raised as their bodies rocked and swayed to the uplifting song. DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones was the first to speak in a parade of family and friend "reflections." "This multi-talented DeKalb County resident was the L in TLC," he said. "She was the best type of sister friend to the helpless and hopeless." He recalled running into her at the airport and asking how she could< walk on such tiny feet. She turned and asked him how he could walk on such big feet. They are big, he told the crowd, and she embarrassed him. But her vibrancy and honesty made it hard for him to hold a grudge. -- Sonja Lewis Celebrities include TLC survivors, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston UPDATE: 1:26 p.m. Among the celebrities attending Lisa Lopes's funeral service at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia: -- Surviving TLC members Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas, accompanied by R&B star Usher, and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, attended by her rapper-husband Mack 10. -- Janet Jackson, who arrived with So So Def label chief Jermaine Dupri -- Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown -- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds -- Record label mogul Suge Knight -- R&B singer Alicia Keys, on crutches due to an ankle injury. -- R&B performer Monica -- Arista Records president Antonio "L.A." Reid -- TLC producer Dallas Austin -- R&B trio Blaque Producer recalls early TLC days 'This is what people want' UPDATE: 12:28 p.m. At an emotional press conference held before the funeral service, TLC producer Dallas Austin talked about the trio's early days. "When I first started working with the group Tionne [Watkins] was like 15-years-old and Lisa liked to hang out. She was a home boy, just one of the guys. Talking about her in the past tense is hard. With TLC, you always talked in the future tense. When we started, the music business wasn't about business for us. It was about having fun. We were too busy dressing each other and Lisa was always tying a Gap bag on her head or something." Austin also spoke of the many times Lopes would make the press think the group was splitting up. "Whenever she would say something crazy we'd be shocked and say, "Why did you say that?' And she would say, 'Y'all don't get it. It's not that serious. This is how it works. This is what people want." Friend Brandi Williams, of the girl group Blaque, said Thursday that Lopes' main frustration was with the opposite sex. "Lisa was so frustrated with men," Williams said. "Another frustration she had was when she wasn't sure whether the fans really knew her or not. We would come home late at night after going out clubbing and I would go to bed and Lisa would go to the computer to check out the website. She would tell me: "Gotta see what the fans are saying today." -- Richard Eldredge Church filled to near capacity UPDATE: 11:50 a.m. All of the public mourners waiting on line to enter the church for the funeral service have made it inside. The sanctuary is filled close to its 10,000-seat capacity. Gospel duo Mary Mary, scheduled to perform during the service, has arrived and everyone is just waiting on the Lopes family. -- Richard Eldredge Mourners hushed as casket arrives UPDATE: 11:30 a.m. Inside the church, mourners see a sanctuary decorated in deep jewel tones of blues, violets and mauves. The sanctuary is massive, with two levels of seating and overhead video monitors. Ushers help people find seats. Once seated, the crowed of mourners is mostly very quiet, with only a few low murmers heard. At the center and bottom of the circular sanctuary is a large altar. It is awash in candles, hundreds of them, many forming decorative arcs of light. The casket arrives at 11:15 a.m. It is white with engraving in gold script. The engravement contains this passage from TLC's hit song, "Waterfalls": "Dreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming true; believe in yourself, the rest is up to me and you." On the altar is a large, square flower arrangement that spells out "Left Eye" in red roses on a bed of white carnations. A satin sash at the bottom says, "Rest in Peace." -- Sonja Lewis and Craig Seymour Suge Knight, entourage arrive at church UPDATE: 11:25 a.m. Controversial record label mogul Marion "Suge" Knight arrives inside the church with his entourage, prompting a swell of murmurs among mourners. Head of Tha Row Records (formerly Death Row Records), Knight worked with Lopes on yet-unreleased solo tracks and was in Atlanta last week when word broke of her death. -- Richard Eldredge Hillandale workers prepare grave UPDATE: 11:10 a.m. As mourners gathered in the church, workers at Hillandale Memorial Gardens in Lithonia were busy placing turf and trimming lawns and bushes around Lopes' grave as three helicopters circled overhead. Family friends inflated black and white helium balloons stenciled with musical notation which they tied in bunches and arranged inside the white tent that sheltered the burial site. Lopes' grave is located in a new area of the cemetery and will be marked by a traditional standup gravestone not yet in place. "Hillandale is fixing to get well-known," said Linda Belcher, a Lithonia resident who takes exercise walks in the cemetery each morning. -- Bo Emerson Mourners to include Combs, Houston, Usher UPDATE: 10:50 a.m. TLC spokesman Rob Goldstone says celebrities scheduled to arrive for the funeral service include singer Whitney Houston, hitmaker Sean "Puffy" Combs, Arista Records President Antonio "L.A." Reid, TLC producer Dallas Austin. TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas is expected to be accompanied by R&B star Usher. Five banks of candelabras and flower assortments favoring yellow, pink and white dominate the altar area. One large white flower arrangement is capped with red letters reading "Left-Eye." Two large video screens hanging above the altar will show video clips and close-ups of speakers. -- Richard Eldredge Crowd enters to TLC music UPDATE: 10:20 a.m. At approximately 10:10 a.m., a mix of Dekalb County police officers and private security employees begin scanning mourners with detection wands and allow them to enter the church. TLC songs, including the hit "Waterfalls," along with gospel music by Yolanda Adams, are being played inside the sanctuary and piped outside through loudspeakers. There is some pushing and chants of "Move Up!" as fans enter, but police quickly quiet the crowd. -- Richard Eldredge Traffic jam clogs Woodrow Road UPDATE: 10:15 a.m. A white hearse carrying Lopes' casket arrived at the church at 10 a.m., preceded by a hearse filled with flowers. A massive traffic jam has clogged Woodrow Road, from the church to I-20, roughly a quarter-mile away. -- Richard Eldredge Up to 5,000 people already at memorial site UPDATE: 9:50 a.m. At 9:35 a.m., eight Dekalb County police motorcycles left the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to go escort the family from their homes to the funeral service. Two lines of mourners, a total of up to 5,000 people, had already gathered on the massive lawn at the church. At least ten TV news satellite trucks had arrived on site, as well as reporters from BBC, Reuters, the Philadelphia News and various tabloids. -- Richard Eldredge Fans start arriving, lining up for service UPDATE: 8:15 a.m. The first fans arrived at around 7 a.m. About two dozen people gathered in a parking lot adjacent to the church. Some formed small groups, hugging and crying, others waited in their cars. Many were students from area schools who had taken the day off to attend the service. Shara and Natalia London, 18-year-old fraternal twins from Heritage High School in Conyers, drove in with friend Nadine Vanderhall, 16, and Vanderhall's mother, Colleen. "We just wanted to pay our respects to her," said Shara. "She was a loving person and everybody related to her songs." Nadine considered Lopes a positive rapper. "She kept me away from scrubs." Willie Traylor, 19, of Chattanooga, drove down last night to stay with his sister, Katrina Patterson, a junior at Chamblee High School. Both arrived early because they wanted to make sure they got a good seat at the service. "We always wanted to meet her," Katrina said. "It's just so horrible we have to meet her at her funeral." The siblings said that they especially liked Lopes' "creative style" and Traylor said he had all of TLC's albums, knew all of their birthdays and dreamed of working with them one day. Older people, including Adriane Smith, 43, of Lithonia, were also on the scene. Smith is a member of New Birth and was interested in hearing the sermon. "I'm hoping that a lot of people will give themselves to the Lord," she said. Smith said she appreciated that the Lopes family asked that donations be made to a charity dedicated to fighting multiple schlerosis. Smith was diagnosed with MS in 1989. Pamela Brown, 32, of Decatur, also wanted to pay her last respects. She said she loved Lopes' songs and just wanted to be at the service. "It's heartbreaking, but I know she's in a better place," Brown said. "She was the type of person who gave from her heart and will be missed by a lot of people." Brown, a nursing assistant at Grady Memorial Hospital, said she had to be at work at 3:30 this afternoon but she didn't want to miss the service, so she brought her work clothes with her. About 50 Fans started lining up at about 7:50 a.m. on the sidewalk adjoining the parking lot. Some were neatly dressed in black mourning clothes, some in casual wear, including jeans, baggy pants and big shirts. Two girls, Nicole Kern, 19, of Bergenfield, N.J., and Blair Wiggins, 20, a student at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, shared a tearful embrace. They said they met through TLC at a book signing for group member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins. "I love her, and we're going to miss her," Kern said. "But we're not going to say goodbye, because she's still here through her music, through us, her bandmates and her mom." Kern took a bus to Raleigh, then the two drove down for the service. Other mourners traveled from from Maryland, New York, and Michigan. -- Gracie Bond Staples Funeral time moved to noon UPDATE: 7:20 a.m. The funeral for singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes has been moved to noon. The New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia in suburban Atlanta will open its doors at 10 a.m. for friends, family and fans. The church holds about 10,000 and the crowd inside the church will be limited to no more than 12,000. Last night, church officials closed some of the gates leading to the church to keep fans from camping overnight in the parking lot. -- Associated Press Rison: Lopes 'an angel' UPDATE: 6:20 a.m. Andre Rison, the former boyfriend of singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, calls her his "heart" and says her legacy will live on. The former Atlanta Falcons receiver told WSB-TV that Lopes was "my heart. We're going to let her fly with wings like angels do. She's truly and definitely an angel." Lopes died in an automobile accident last week in Honduras. The member of the Grammy-winning trio TLC was 30 years old. In 1994, Lopes pleaded guilty to arson in a fire that destroyed the million-dollar mansion of Rison. Lopes was sentenced to a halfway house and five years' probation -- plus a $10,000 fine. Lopes admitted she started the fire after an argument with Rison. The two later broke up, only to reunite and break up again. Last year, they announced plans to marry, but her publicist says they were not dating when she died. Thousands are expected for Lopes' funeral today at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia. -- Associated Press Despite solemn occasion, life, workouts continue UPDATE: 5:45 a.m. It's pre-dawn on the day of the Lisa Lopes funeral, and it's quiet as a mouse outside the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, except for the steady humming of media vans and the occasional swirl of members coming in for their workout at the church's family life center. Early-arriving fans have been few -- security guard Charles Bates said one man arrived at about 11:30 Wednesday night, driving a motor home with a Gwinnett County licence plate. The man parked in the church lot and had already drawn the curtains for the night when Bates knocked on the door and asked him to leave. He complied. Bates also said he will start letting media into the church at 8 a.m. The public will be let in at 10 a.m. -- Gracie Bond Staples Wednesday's updates Lockdown possible UPDATE: 10:05 p.m. "From our standpoint, when that lot [at New Birth] gets filled, we'll have no choice but to begin turning people away. But bear in mind, that parking lot is massive," said DeKalb County Police Sgt. Randy Moore. The police's primary responsibility, he said, is to escort the family to the service and to the grave site, at Hillandale Memorial Gardens, 6201 Hillandale Drive in Lithonia. Other notables attending wake UPDATE: 8:05 p.m. Other notable people attending the wake included former TLC manager, Perri "Pebbles" Nixon, and her husband, former Atlanta Braves player Otis Nixon; and Bryant Reid, brother to Arista Records President Antonio "L.A." Reid and a former executive of LaFace Records. Family and friends arrive at wake UPDATE: 7:55 p.m. Early Wednesday evening, family and friends began arriving at the Gregory Levett & Sons funeral home in Decatur. Security was tight, with many DeKalb police in evidence. The force had 12 motorcycles out, including a phalanx of six that were parked in front of the funeral home. Traffic was so slow on Flat Shoals Parkway that people were rolling down their windows and asking if this is Lisa Lopes' wake. At about 6 p.m., a Capital Executive Limosuine Bus dropped off a bunch of people. Men in dark suits of black, blue or brown; women were in dark or somber-toned dresses. As of 7 p.m., the wake hadn't started as the crowd awaited the arrival of the other members of TLC, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas and Tionne "T- Boz" Watkins, said Rob Goldstone, a spokesman for TLC. The funeral home is perched by Cobbs Creek, which winds through southern DeKalb County. There were dozens of cars in the parking lot, and black and white limousines arrived periodically to let passengers disembark. Producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds had arrived. At one point, a green van rolled up into the parking lot and attempted to shoot vidoe footage, but a funeral home representative came out, gave the slashing motion across her throat, and police asked them to move on. "The service Thursday will be a pretty amazing thing. The family was very keen to have the fans give a proper sendoff to Lisa. There is going to be an amazing gospel choir performing -- as well as friends, well-known in the music industry, who will perform something." "It's a way for the family to thank the fans for being so wonderful." -- Richard Eldredge and Sonia Murray Wake attracts fans and stars UPDATE: 7:50 p.m. The wake drew attention from local television stations -- and even a reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News. Record producer Dallas Austin drove up in a gray Mercedes Benz; Arista Records President Antonio "L.A." Reid drove up in a black Mercedes Benz, escorted by two police on motorcycles. Although private, the wake attracted the late performer's fans. "Lisa's raps were inspirational, especially her rap on 'Waterfalls,' " said Jarred Crower, 16, who lives nearby the funeral home. "She was saying to young people, 'Don't just give your life up to anything.' Adults don't like gangsta rap, but Left Eye's raps were different. I've been though some tough times in my life, and her raps have helped me. I wanted to show my respect tonight." Tiara Rolle, 15, said she saw a parallel between Lopes' death and the death of the singer Aaliyah eight months ago. "They were two different people, but they have the same message to young people: 'Be positive and have goals.' Lisa had a unique voice, she was real, and she didn't hide who she was." -- Richard Eldredge New Birth pastor previews sermon UPDATE: 7:10 p.m. New Birth pastor Bishop Eddie Long said Lisa Lopes' service is called a LISA "LEFT EYE" LOPES LYRICS A New Star Is Born I believe when someone passes away Either a star is born, energy so pure That it creates new worlds Or as the soul releases Shatters into pieces Becoming free flowing thoughts For my mental thesis Maybe we just don't understand The spirits that still walk the land Or whatever the case I believe that we all still remain To share the same space So dad, I know you're listenin' How you been? Oh, I'm doin' fine, just passin' time Submerged in sin sometimes I take a bath And just get all dirty again I try to cleanse my mind, cleanse my soul and get in Into that place you've been No, I'm not tryin' to rush anything I just wanna visit you because I miss you So what you tryin' to say? My imagination been wild since I been a child And since you're laughin' then I take it that good things are happenin' The day I learned you were gone A new star was born Distant voices fill my mind Said look up in the sky And when I did there you were Well, I'm sure you already know this I'm a big pop star And my pops is a star (ha ha) No, you really are Sometimes I feel like an anus I kinda made you a little famous Always spillin' my guts Explainin' to these people who think I'm nuts Told them how you and moms knuckled up My excuse for being such a disrupt Yeah, they sure did They called you an abusive drunk Sorry, I didn't realize the media wou ld run with it But now I know and sometimes I try to have fun with it The day I learned you were gone A new star was born Distant voices fill my mind Said look up in the sky And when I did there you were What did you say you wish to be free Been here all this time because of me And on August 16, 2001 Anything that I wish to release Release? I see. First of all I give you my thanks for preparing me To be open and free I release my mind releasin' my soul Release the courage to break the mold Release my record 20 million sold Release my pops you're free to go Create a new galaxy, yes dad You'll still be right next to me The day I learned you were gone A new star was born Distant voices fill my mind Said look up in the sky And when I did there you were The day I learned you were gone A new star was born Distant voices fill my mind Said look up in the sky And when I did there you were