Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is a U.S. rap group from Cleveland, Ohio known for their quick-tongued rapping style and harmonizing vocals.
Formed in the early 1990s, the group was originally known as B.O.N.E.Enterpri$e and consisted of Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Wish Bone and Bizzy Bone. They recorded the album Faces Of Death under this moniker in early 1992. Soon after, Flesh-N-Bone (Layzie Bone's brother) was added to the group.
Their career took off in the early 90's after heading to Los Angeles on a Greyhound bus in search of N.W.A member Eazy-E. They auditioned over the phone to him in hopes of securing a record deal, but Eazy-E's promise to call them back went unfulfilled. Discovering that Eazy-E was peforming back in Cleveland, the group rushed back to audition in person, where they (without Flesh-N-Bone) were promptly signed to a contract with Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. Eazy-E suggested the group rename themselves "Thugs-N-Harmony", but the group wanted to keep the name "Bone", so "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony" was settled on.
Bone Thugs N Harmony's first release on Ruthless Records, Creepin On Ah Come Up (EP) was released in June 1994. After a slow start that saw the album's success limited to within the gangsta rap scene, it broke through to the mainstream with the release of the singles "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" and "Foe Tha Luv Of $", the second of which featured a guest rap by Eazy-E. Recorded during the "golden age" of West Coast rap music, the album's production draws heavily upon it, with beats supplied by Yella of NWA fame, Rhythm D and newcomer DJ U-Neek (who would later become Bone's partner in production).
Shortly before the release of their first full album E. 1999 Eternal in 1995, their mentor Eazy-E died of AIDS-related complications. A new song dedicated to Eazy-E entitled "Tha Crossroads" was featured on the re-release of the album, and, upon its release as a single, in 1996, earned the group a Grammy Award and tied The Beatles' 32-year record for fastest-rising single. This, along with welfare-anthem "1st Of Tha Month", rocketed the album's sales past five million.
