THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

802-Bone Thugs-n-Harmony-”Tha Crossroads.”

1996-Number 8 single.

Best Bit-At 3.12. ‘Well your toe bone connected to your foot bone, your foot bone connected to your heel bone, your heel bone connected to your ankle bone,your ankle bone connected to your leg bone. Ezekiel connected dem dry bones.’

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony were formed in 1991, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, originally calling themselves ‘Band Aid Boys.’ They then formed ‘B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e,’ and recorded their debut studio Album ‘Faces of Death,’ in 1993, but their big breakthrough occurred when they signed with ‘Ruthless Records,’ in late 1993, and began working alongside that labels co-founder Eric ‘Easy-E’ Wright (1964-1995) (see also best songs 564 and 128) There have been five members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, who at the time of writing remain active, they are, Bryon McCane, (Bizzy Bone) Charles Scruggs, (Wish Bone) Steven Howse, (Layzie Bone) Anthony Henderson, (Krayzie Bone) and Stanley Howse (Flesh-n-Bone.)

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, who record in the genres of ‘Hip-Hop,’ ‘Gangsta Rap,’ and ‘R&B,’ have released 11 studio Albums between 1993-2017, and 36 singles, as either the lead, or featured artist, between 1994-2023, there are also four official compilation Albums available. In America on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, seven of their songs have made the top 40, with ”Tha Crossroads,” spending eight weeks at Number 1. In the UK, they have charted within the top 40 on five occasions, with ”Tha Crossroads,” peaking the highest at Number 8. All five members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony have also released solo Albums of their own as well.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, who ‘MTV’ called,’The most melodic Hip-Hop group of all time,’ first issued ‘Crossroad’ on their second studio Album ‘ E. 1999 Eternal,’ in July 1995. The track was released as the Albums third and final single in April 1996, a year after the death of ‘Eazy-E.’ The original Album version had been dedicated to the groups friend ‘Wallace Laird III,’ but following the death of ‘Easy-E,’ many of the lyrics were changed, and the song was released with several remixes, and was also dedicated to his memory as well. ”Tha Crossroads,” has song writing credits given to the groups members, as well as Tony C, and Tim Middleton, who works under the name ‘DJ U-Neek,’ he was also the songs producer. Middleton who had also worked on the groups debut Album, continued to work with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and their solo projects, through until 2013. ”Tha Crossroads,” also samples The Isley Brothers 1993 track, ‘Make Me Say It Again Girl,’ although none of that group receive official writing credit.

”Tha Crossroads’,” critically acclaimed music video gives plenty of clues as to what the song is about. The main focus of the video is an imposing man, with sunglasses and a trench coat, who represents the ‘Reaper.’ Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are among the few who can see the Reaper, and watch him as he gathers Souls of various individuals who are marked for death, such as a young man, who leaves his distraught mother behind, presumably having died after entering life as a gang member. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s friend Wally, along with Wish Bone’s Uncle Charles, Eazy-E, and a newborn baby, which had possibly died from a childbirth complication, are other significant figures taken by the Reaper. The Reaper then leads the Souls, with the baby in his arms, up a mountain, where he reveals himself to be an angel, then takes the dead to Heaven.

”Tha Crossroads” is one of the best selling ‘Rap’ records of all time, going on to be the seventh best selling song in America on Billboard, and the best selling song in New Zealand, in 1996. In 2002 the English ‘Hip-Hop’ group ‘Blazin Squad,’ whose 10 members had an approximate age of 16, recorded the song for their debut single, with different lyrics, taking their version to Number 1 in the UK.

‘Let’s all bring it in for Wally, Eazy sees Uncle Charlie. Little boo, God’s got him, and I’m gonna miss everybody. I only roll with Bone, my gang look to where they lay, when playin’ with destiny, plays too deep for me to say.’