1999 Eternal was made, and he's left and re-joined the group many times in the ensuing years. Runnings with the law and label issues culminated in him only being a bit part member of the group when E. Notably, 'East 1999' was the only single, and one of only a few songs on the entire album, to feature Flesh-N-Bone. “1st of Tha Month” is a story about the fun to be had on the day everyone gets their welfare checks-a feel-good track similar to Ice Cube's 'It Was a Good Day.”

If not for the fact Bone Thugs are from Ohio, you could be forgiven for thinking they were from Compton, South Central LA or the Bay Area, based on their sound. 1999 Eternal are some of the best west coast songs ever recorded by people who aren’t actually from the west coast. In fact, like ”Thuggish Ruggish Bone” from Creepin On Ah Come Up, “1st of Tha Month,” “East 1999” and other tracks from E. 1999 Eternal, albeit with less crossover appeal and more in-keeping with the west coast sound that Ruthless Records had helped create. '1st of Tha Month' was another big single from E. It was also a tribute to Eazy-E, adapted specially from an older version of the song that was simply called “Crossroads.” I’m not ashamed to admit “Tha Crossroads” is a secret guilty pleasure of mine. Those who can decipher the words will find heartfelt verses remembering lost friends, pets, and a heartbreaking number of family members young and old, including Layzie Bone’s son who died as an infant. It’s hard for the casual listener to work out what any of them are saying with so much high-speed tongue-twisting, and I’d wager good money this is probably one of the most misquoted songs ever. The harmonizing, unique fast style of rapping and dramatic imagery were Bone Thugs-N-Harmony hallmarks, and people clearly loved it.īig pop songs need to be easy to sing along to, and that makes the “Tha Crossroads” success even more impressive. “Tha Crossroads” is cheesy and over-the-top for sure, but few commercial rap songs have managed to cross-over as big as it did. 1999 Eternal has a lot more to offer than just one big single, but I’d be remiss not to first mention the song that made it sell so many copies. 1999 Eternal took them to a whole new level of success.Į. The group broke through with the Creepin On Ah Come Up EP in 1994, but E. Eazy-E saw the potential, and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony would go on to become one last success for Eazy-E before he died from AIDS-related complications in 1995.

They rapped about typical ghetto themes like violence and crime, but mixed this with talk about Ouija boards and the occult. They were tough guys from the streets, but they also sang harmonies. Signed to Ruthless Records, the label founded by N.W.A star and west coast gangster rap impresario Eazy-E, Bone Thugs were different than any other rap group. Two of their albums achieved quadruple-platinum status during this period, including their sophomore effort, 1995’s E. The group-made up of Krayzie Bone, Flesh-N-Bone, Wish Bone, Bizzy Bone and Layzie Bone- were phenomenally successful for most of the ‘90s. In-fighting and a ridiculous amount of prosaic group albums, compilations, splinter group albums, and solo projects since the ‘90s has weakened their brand, but it wasn't always this way. 1999 Eternal, originally released July 25, 1995.Ĭleveland’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony have never garnered a lot of critical acclaim, and today they have been a bit forgotten about. Happy 25th Anniversary to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s second studio album E.

Bone thugs n harmony albums