E1999 Eternal - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony

Although not strictly the first album they released together, “E 1999 Eternal” (referencing the executive producer and record label owner Eazy-E who guided them through this before dying of AIDS earlier in the year) was the official debut from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony a rare Cleveland , Ohio rap group who chose to opt with the West Coast style as they performed with five of the area’s best MCs: Flesh-N-Bone, Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzie Bone and ...
...2. “East 1999”

To get things going properly, you have them dropping a track where they show their main influences by merging the West Coast g-Funk of around this time (although mainly prior to this), and from here, they also introduce a little Horrocore, a style which they chose not to associate with as they dissed Three 6 Mafia (one of the biggest acts in this style at the time).

**Four Stars**

3. “Eternal”
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Although not strictly the first album they released together, “E 1999 Eternal” (referencing the executive producer and record label owner Eazy-E who guided them through this before dying of AIDS earlier in the year) was the official debut from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony a rare Cleveland , Ohio rap group who chose to opt with the West Coast style as they performed with five of the area’s best MCs: Flesh-N-Bone, Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzie Bone and Wish Bone.

1. “Da Introduction”

2. “East 1999”

To get things going properly, you have them dropping a track where they show their main influences by merging the West Coast g-Funk of around this time (although mainly prior to this), and from here, they also introduce a little Horrocore, a style which they chose not to associate with as they dissed Three 6 Mafia (one of the biggest acts in this style at the time).

**Four Stars**

3. “Eternal”

Using the same title which was used for one of the last Eazy-E recordings (one which he never had the chance to complete), this one finds them going for raps which have them showing just how strong they all are with their speed-raps, and how strong they are able to work together with them all coming with similar styles.

**Four Stars**

4. “Crept And We Came”

Although I wouldn’t say that this one is particularly that weak, but it does highlight the fact that the production in their music is far beneath where it would ideally be, and it seems to hold back what they are able to come up with on this one. It has them bring flows which deal with a lots of the themes which have come through already, but with a lot more depth.

**Three Stars**

5. “Down ‘71”

Here you have them apparently losing their focus here as they seem to slip a little of the tune prior to it where it was obvious that they were being restricted by what they perform their flows on top of, and here it seems to go a stage further where you aren’t really that interested in what is done. Luckily,. This dip in standards doesn’t last for long, but it’s not a good thing to allow this clear drop seep through.

**Two Stars**

6. “Mr. Bill Collector”

They find what they are about on this one, and they show that they are worthy representatives of Ruthless Records on this one as they return to the hardcore rhymes where they are able to show what makes them so original in this game, and how well they can take on the West Coast style as another big Ohio act, Zapp did with their style of Funk being directed to this crowd. The pace is low, but as always, they go for the speedy raps.

**Four Stars**

7. “Budsmokers Only”

On this particular track, you find them directing their attention to something very specific for once, and I felt that this seemed to show that they are clearly rappers who are able to switch interchangeably between topics without getting unfocused and going off-topic. They explore this well, and fairly originally (considering how many tracks of this type are about).

**Four Stars**

8. “Tha Crossroads”

This one is the track which most know them for, and it has them performing what is know a classic tune from them as they perform a killer dedicatory recording for the late N.W.A member Eazy-E, who never got given a chance to see how things would progress for this group. It is a prime example of them at their best as they flip between the speedy flows, and the melodic work to show a potential new direction for rap in the latter half of the nineties.

**Five Stars**

9. “Me Killa”

This is a dark, and haunting track from them which really has them take things down rather significantly as they take on some creepy beats towards the start, but as you get through it and things progress you find that the funky synth, which was highly popular at the time, lifts it, and allows you to get into their smooth flows.

**Four Stars**

10. “Land Of Tha Heartless”

Here you have them going for raps which show their ruthlessness as they display just how much they are able to offer as they get into hardcore Gangsta Rap which at the time sounded like nothing else which was around. It is a banger of a recording from them, and is something which few others where able to do well with their unique style of approaching it and exploring it all.

**Four Stars**

11. “No Shorts, No Losses”

On this one you have them apparently getting back into the groove of things with them on top of some laid-back beats, and with the wah-wah guiding them along the way, they seem to know just where they are going with it, and have them opt for the exciting and unpredictable topics which vary as each of the MCs gets on top of the funky backing. Krayzie does his thing here, not that the rest haven’t got something special to show off.

**Four Stars**

12. “1st Of Tha Month”

Although not nearly as impact full as “Tha Crossroads”, this one is a heavy track, and a big single to come off the album as it has them performing an uplifting track which contrast greatly from the feel of all the others which you get here. It is very light on the ear, and it builds you up as they show that there’s much more to them than what all the other tracks indicate.

**Five Stars**

13. “Buddah Lovaz”

They perform a track very similar to one earlier on in the album here, and I would have to say that here they take inspiration from the track immediately before it to choose to go for one which has them slowing up the pace and going for something funky fresh. It is a spacey track which has you floating as you hear it, but I have to say that with them doing a lot more melodies, it appears that they are trying out actual singing, and of course this is a bad move.

**Two Stars**

14. “Die Die Die”

DJ U-Neek comes with some exciting beats in this one, and it seems to contrast quite considerably here, and I felt that it affected it in a positive way by coming with some Gangsta Rap which is done isn a funky way to show that they are able to come with variations in things which are all based on what could have been a fairly limited field.

**Four Stars**

15. “Mr Ouija 2” (Lude)

16. “Mo’ Murda”

With them providing a screwed hook top get it going, this is a very dark track from them which has them reverting to the kind of Horrocore things which was seen in earlier phases of the album. It is a haunting recording from them, and it really seems to show where they feel they associate themselves, and though they beefed with similar acts, they clearly show that they are right in with the colder hardcore style which was in its early stages here.

**Four Stars**

17. “Shotz To Tha Double Glock”

Ending the album off, you have them getting into a track closely-resembling what you get on the tune prior to it. I would say that with this particular track, ending the album off in a way which truly represents the record as best it could, it was a good choice and leaves you remembering them at their darkest, and it is quite shocking to the listener (something you get through the whole thing).

**Four Stars**

What is done by the group here was very original, and it meant that it really made you take notice of what they do with it, but with them switching so frequently with the standard Mid-West speed raps, and then throwing in a couple of melodies can mean that it is difficult to keep up with what is said, and it confuses you, so you need to really listen to it a few times to get out the real quality, but in general it is big and worth a listen.  

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