I like TLC. They may not have sold as much sex as Rihanna, but they certainly sold their physical attractiveness. One can say they started out with the whole tomboy, baggy clothes image, but it was still wrapped up in them being pretty women. And they might not have been wearing those baggy clothes if that wasn't the fashion trend in hip hop of the day. Remember, Aaliyah and others started off wearing baggy clothes. But frankly most of these popular artists are successful partly because they are seen as physically attractive. TLC and Rihanna are all pretty people whom many don't consider to be the most talented in the music industry, but who were allowed a chance to succeed in part because they are pretty. I don't think Pebbles and L.A. Reid would have put TLC together with three girls that weren't cute and didn't have fit bodies that looked good showing off a little cleavage and midriffs, which is exactly what TLC did, and a little bit more. TLC were not much different from Rihanna when it comes to selling image.