Even though you may not have heard a new Bone Thugs-'N-Harmony song on the radio in a while, that doesn't mean they aren't putting in work. In fact, the group has overcome battles with their label, four separate solo projects, the loss of Bizzy Bone and the incarceration of Flesh-N-Bone to once again collaborate for what they say is their most impressive body of work.
“We got about 1,000 songs recorded together,” said Layzie Bone. “About 1,000 individually. We got heat!”
Apparently, the group has so much new and unreleased music that they are on tour promoting two new albums that are scheduled for release in 2006. The group's first album under their new label, J Records, should be in stores in July. They also plan to release an underground album sometime next year.
“We got so much music that the world ain't heard it's ridiculous,” said Krayzie Bone during a telephone interview as the group traveled from Phoenix, Arizona to Anaheim, California for another tour stop. “We were waiting to get out of that Ruthless Records deal so that we could put out the music that we never released. We didn't want to do it while we were still at Ruthless Records cause we really wasn't getting no money.”
While money is a surefire way to strain relations between artists and their labels, Bone Thugs-'N-Harmony have several reasons to be thankful they can move on from the era of Ruthless Records. In spite of the success of their debut album “Creepin' on a Come-Up,” the fact that they sold more than 15 million albums total and won a Grammy award for the single “Tha Crossroads” with Ruthless, they released three albums that failed to live up to the group's expectations.
The group also experienced the most personal turmoil among its members during this time. Flesh 'N Bone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for weapons possession and assault in September of 2000 and Bizzy Bone parted ways with the group three years later.
As Bone looks forward to making an impact in the future, they also want to prove its past success was no fluke and Bone is here to stay.
“I know we're going against a lot of negative talk. Everybody's saying 'Bone isn't going to be there because Bizzy Bone's not in the group' or we're played out. (The album) answered all them questions in a major way,” said Krayzie.
On the new albums, Bone says fans should expect their signature fast-paced delivery and harmonious hooks, but they should also be prepared to hear new things.
“The J Records album is going to have a lot of features, something we never really did before--a lot of big name producers,” said Wish Bone. “And we'll take it back to the basics on the underground album. Just straight gutter stuff.”
Fans also shouldn't expect a minor inconvenience like prison to keep the remaining members of Bone apart. Krayzie, Layzie and Wish say they have gone out of their way to make sure they can record with Flesh, and will continue to keep him included in whatever they do, locked up or not.
“We got a little hook-up where they can go in there and let him do things,” said Wish. “We'll just audio it up or add it to stuff. We're definitely going to try to have a couple verses with him on it on the new stuff. Hopefully, we can get him out of there soon.”
So when Bone Thugs-'N-Harmony brings their “Greatest Hits Tour” to Mr. Small's Theater in Millvale Dec. 17, they may not look like the group that was on top of the world in 1996. However, Bone says they promise to bring the energy and talent that made them successful in the first place and to combine that with the growth and experience they say will solidify their role as hip-hop legends.
“I think they should expect the past and something new,” said Layzie. “All we did was grow. We just got better. It's a fine like wine situation.”
“We got about 1,000 songs recorded together,” said Layzie Bone. “About 1,000 individually. We got heat!”
Apparently, the group has so much new and unreleased music that they are on tour promoting two new albums that are scheduled for release in 2006. The group's first album under their new label, J Records, should be in stores in July. They also plan to release an underground album sometime next year.
“We got so much music that the world ain't heard it's ridiculous,” said Krayzie Bone during a telephone interview as the group traveled from Phoenix, Arizona to Anaheim, California for another tour stop. “We were waiting to get out of that Ruthless Records deal so that we could put out the music that we never released. We didn't want to do it while we were still at Ruthless Records cause we really wasn't getting no money.”
While money is a surefire way to strain relations between artists and their labels, Bone Thugs-'N-Harmony have several reasons to be thankful they can move on from the era of Ruthless Records. In spite of the success of their debut album “Creepin' on a Come-Up,” the fact that they sold more than 15 million albums total and won a Grammy award for the single “Tha Crossroads” with Ruthless, they released three albums that failed to live up to the group's expectations.
The group also experienced the most personal turmoil among its members during this time. Flesh 'N Bone was sentenced to 11 years in prison for weapons possession and assault in September of 2000 and Bizzy Bone parted ways with the group three years later.
As Bone looks forward to making an impact in the future, they also want to prove its past success was no fluke and Bone is here to stay.
“I know we're going against a lot of negative talk. Everybody's saying 'Bone isn't going to be there because Bizzy Bone's not in the group' or we're played out. (The album) answered all them questions in a major way,” said Krayzie.
On the new albums, Bone says fans should expect their signature fast-paced delivery and harmonious hooks, but they should also be prepared to hear new things.
“The J Records album is going to have a lot of features, something we never really did before--a lot of big name producers,” said Wish Bone. “And we'll take it back to the basics on the underground album. Just straight gutter stuff.”
Fans also shouldn't expect a minor inconvenience like prison to keep the remaining members of Bone apart. Krayzie, Layzie and Wish say they have gone out of their way to make sure they can record with Flesh, and will continue to keep him included in whatever they do, locked up or not.
“We got a little hook-up where they can go in there and let him do things,” said Wish. “We'll just audio it up or add it to stuff. We're definitely going to try to have a couple verses with him on it on the new stuff. Hopefully, we can get him out of there soon.”
So when Bone Thugs-'N-Harmony brings their “Greatest Hits Tour” to Mr. Small's Theater in Millvale Dec. 17, they may not look like the group that was on top of the world in 1996. However, Bone says they promise to bring the energy and talent that made them successful in the first place and to combine that with the growth and experience they say will solidify their role as hip-hop legends.
“I think they should expect the past and something new,” said Layzie. “All we did was grow. We just got better. It's a fine like wine situation.”
