Fri 6/7 @ 8PM
Cleveland Bone Thugs-n-Harmony came blasting out of Cleveland’s Glenville neighborhood onto the national scene in the mid 90s, almost behind the backs of a local music scene then obsessed with why none of the city’s white indie rock bands were getting signed and “making it” nationally in the wake of a national obsession with finding the “new Seattle.”
Bone Thugs were doing it, thanks to the mentorship of rapper/producer Eazy-E of N.W.A., who signed the group to his Ruthless Records and released their EP Creepin on ah Come Up in 1994. While Eazy-E died of AIDS in 1995, Bone Thugs kept on going, releasing their album E. 1999 Eternal that year, just months after his death. That album made them rap superstars with singles like “1st of tha Month” and especially the powerful, unforgettable “Tha Crossroads.” The group became known for their distinctive rapid flow, as well as their ability to find deeper meaning in gangsta-style lyrics about street violence, which were infused with spiritual angles (as well as lots of pot smoking).
The group has seen ebbs and flows since then, with members coming and going, releasing solo albums, getting in and out of legal trouble (and prison), and falling out (and making up) with each other. They’ve also collaborated with other artists and mentored some via their Mo Thugs collective. It’s head-spinning to try to keep up. The “group” released its latest album, New Waves, in 2017, featuring the duo of Krayzie Bone and Bizzy Bone, although the group’s other three members — Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone and Wish Bone — made guest appearances.
Bone Thugs will be making an appearance in their hometown only a few miles from where they began — the Agora. How many members will be there? Go see!
Tickets are $30-$55.
Cleveland, OH 44103