Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, of the iconic 90s R&B girl group TLC, has been hospitalized for a “serious illness.” This, understandably, means she has to cancel tour performances, at least temporarily.
T-Boz and her TLC groupmate Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas have been on the It’s Iconic tour with Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. During a recent show, Thomas addressed the crowd, saying, “I want to ask each and every one of you to help me hold her down tonight. Thank you in advance for your support and understanding. This is T-Boz.”
Additionally, Page Six reports that a rep from Watkins issued a statement with a health update. “Tionne recently experienced a sickle cell crisis that required hospitalization, and she is currently recovering and regaining her strength,” the statement read.
Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins of TLC has been diagnosed with Sickle cell
“Because the ‘It’s Iconic’ tour is such an interactive show, we made the decision to continue with Chilli performing and receiving incredible support from Salt-N-Pepa, En Vogue and, most importantly, the fans,” the statement added
The statement went on to say, “The love shown for T-Boz has been overwhelming. Hearing audiences sing her parts, lift her up in prayer, and surround TLC with so much love has meant more than we can express.”
“Sickle cell is a serious illness, so we ask everyone to please keep the prayers coming as Tionne continues to recover. We are immensely grateful for the love and support,” the statement concluded.
TLC was forced to cancel concerts in 2024 due to T-Boz’s health
This is not the first time that T-Boz’s health has sidelined her performances. Back in 2024, TLC was forced to cancel shows due to the singer suffering a medical emergency.
In a statement posted on Instagram at the time, reps for TLC explained that Watkins experienced “sudden and severe nausea, vomiting and intense abdominal cramps.” She was treated by doctors and diagnosed with “severe abdominal blockage.” She could not perform because she was required to remain under “medical supervision.”
Soon, speculation emerged that she was taking a diabetes drug for weight loss, which she explicitly denied. “Everybody and every celeb ain’t on Ozempic,” T-Boz clarified in a post on Instagram.
She then added, “The ignorance is disheartening to me because I would just pray for people. Or if I have nothing to say, I would just shut the hell up and say nothing at all. But y’all don’t know how to f**king do that.”
At this time, it’s unclear when or if T-Boz will return to the It’s Iconic tour.
Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images
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