TLC - No Scrubs

What this video is

Released February 2, 1999 as the lead single from TLC's third studio album FanMail (LaFace/Arista), 'No Scrubs' arrived at the apex of late-90s R&B commercial dominance. The song popularized Atlanta slang term 'scrub' globally and was received as a landmark of girl-group empowerment, described as a 'scathing critique on men at the bottom of the dating pool' (Vibe). It became the first song to peak with over 140…

Why it matters

A defining artifact of late-90s Atlanta R&B and hip-hop pop crossover. Produced by Kevin 'She'kspere' Briggs and written by Kandi Burruss and Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle, the track bridged the R&B and hip-hop formats through a dual-version release strategy. The music video represents the pinnacle of Hype…

The director

Harold 'Hype' Williams (born August 1, 1970, Queens, NY) is an American music video director, film director, producer, and screenwriter. He attended Adelphi University and began his career as a graffiti artist before transitioning into music video…