There’s a handful of artists that when you hear a song come on you immediately know who it is. Louis Armstrong’s gravelly croon, the wistful falsetto of Alt-J’s Joe Newman, the punch of Angus Young’s guitar, and Bob Dylan’s nasal pitch are all distinct calling cards. And in the world of hip hop, there’s nothing more instantly recognizable than the melodic a-cappella of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
Considering the number of bars they drop, it’s actually pretty incredible how on point Bone Thugs’ harmonies are in an era that predated pervasive pitch correction via Autotune and required single takes vs. punching in individual words or phrases. Their rhyming structure and emphasis on specific words is absolutely unique, effectively a math problem that still retains the soul 90’s hip hop is known for. That soul is evident on “Tha Crossroads”, a gripping tribute to former mentor Eazy-E who died unexpectedly from AIDS the year prior, as well as “1st of Tha Month” which chronicles the feeling of hope when welfare checks arrive. In the world of hip hop, no one is better at hitting those moments than Bone Thugs.
Standout Songs: “Tha Crossroads”, “First of The Month”, “No Shorts, No Losses”
