Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins has been fighting sickle cell disease for nearly her entire life, and in 2026, the illness forced her off the stage once again. The TLC singer was hospitalized after a sickle cell crisis just as the group launched its It’s Iconic tour, leaving Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas to carry the shows on her own. Fans have been rallying behind the “No Scrubs” singer ever since.
Keep reading for the latest on T-Boz’s recovery, what sickle cell disease is and how she has battled it for decades.
T-Boz suffered a sickle cell crisis in late August 2026, right as TLC hit the road with Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue. She was hospitalized and missed shows in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York, and TLC representative Christal Jordan told USA Today that the singer was recovering and regaining her strength.
Chilli has kept the music going without her. At TLC’s sold-out Atlanta stop on October 2, 2026, she updated the crowd on her bandmate, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“She did. I can tell you, she is getting to 100% every solitary day. I will hold down for my sister.”
T-Boz has not yet rejoined the tour, but she has found ways to manage her health over the years. She credits CBD with helping her stay on her feet, and in 2019, she launched her own wellness line, TLCBD.
