I never thought I'd say this about a Bone album, but I have a bad feeling about this

[Nella]

In regards to Uni5 that is.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that they went independent. A lot of it has to do with the things I've heard them say about "Strength & Loyalty".

When Bone releases big time, mainstream albums, we get "Creepin' On Ah Come Up", "E. 1999 Eternal", "The Art of War", and "Strength & Loyalty".

When they release low budget, independent albums, we get "Thug Stories", "Bone 4 Life", and anything attached to the name Caz.

I also think that Interscope was the only thing that stopped "Strength & Loyalty" from being a disaster. People say the album was mainstream like it's a bad thing, and as if Bone hasn't been mainstream before Bone has always been mainstream.

"Creepin' On Ah Come Up" was straight west coast gangsta rap, which in 1994 when the album came out, was all that mainstream rap was. "E. 1999 Eternal" had mainstream hits like "1st of Tha Month", and let's not even get started on "Tha Crossroads". "Days of Our Livez" was a big time mainstream hit. They had big mainstream collaborations with "Notorious Thugs", and "Breakdown". "The Art of War" had some mainstream style songs with "If I Could Teach The World", and the biggest hit from the album, "Thug Luv". Even "BTNHResurrection" had "Paper, Paper", "Can't Give It Up", and "Change The World".

Mainstream is simply put, part of Bone's style. What separates them, however, is by them putting their own twist on mainstream music, which they've done on all their successful albums. There's only really 2 songs on "Strength & Loyalty" which are straight mainstream songs without the Bone sound, and those are "Lil' Love" and "Candy Paint". Everything else on that album has some kind of Bone vibe to it.

But listening to the stuff that they wanted to do? Tracks like "When The Thugs Come Out", "Bone Thug Boys", and pretty much every unreleased cut that's not "Into The Future" or "Never Been Industry" is some type of generic garbage that sounds just like everything else that's out by everyone else, and not even as good. There's a few good tracks, "I Ain't Satisfied", "So Crazy", "Click Clack", and "Certified Thug", but none of those really have a Bone sound to 'em. It's really the same generic garbage that came off of "Bone 4 Life" and "Thug Stories".

Bone don't seem to like each other anymore. With Layzie's stated "desires" for what he wanted "Strength & Loyalty" to be, I really don't trust his judgment to 1.) Make good music, and 2.) Make the right selections for a good album. The first clip that we've heard already, the "Nuff Respect" clip, it's decent, but it falls right back down into the same "generic" trend Bone's music has been going into as of late, when they are independent and not signed to a big label.

I trust Krayzie Bone, he seems to still have the heart. He seems to put his all into his craft. Even though he's not my favorite, I even have faith in Flesh. I think he'll put in his all as well.

But Bizzy fell off a long time ago, and I don't know if he's going to get it back. I hope he does. Layzie I just don't trust anymore. I think he's more worried about fitting in with the crowd than being innovative.

It's just something I've been thinking about lately. I just don't have the same faith in this album that I once had. The moment they went independent, I think I realized they didn't really care about making this album epic, andhigh quality, but rather just pushing something out with the Bone name on it. By being independent, they can have the freedom they want to be something they aren't, which is what they seem to do when they are indie is to make music that isn't Bone Thugs music.

Hopefully, come March when this first single releases, I'll be proven wrong. Hopefully it will have a strong Bone vibe to it, and hopefully it will be a big radio hit. And then come June, hopefully the album becomes one of Bone's most definitive albums, which is what I think this album should be, given the historical context of this album to Bone's career. Not just some afterthought that the mainstream Hip Hop world (and music world in general) can just ignore as a nothing release.

[moe1]

too much shit to read......

fo real=9

[bizzyseventhsign]

1. Bone Thug Boys is not classic. It's pretty damn near garbage.

2. None of the Bone Brothers albums were good. Between them there's about 3 good tracks, and one of them was a cut from "Strength & Loyalty" with a Bizzy verse added on.

3. I wouldn't take "Call Me" over "Lil' Love" at all.

BB3 had more than 3 good tracks on its own

Bone thug boys is nothing close to garbage or being a classic either
its just an alright track imo

[EXECUTIVE]

they will have their bone vibe and hit mainstream through the fact their bone and they are all back...independant was a smart deal cuz they know they dont need em with all 5 thugs!! thats their promotion!

just get some hot music out, make a video, and a distribution deal is all they need...

[Nella]

they will have their bone vibe and hit mainstream through the fact their bone and they are all back...independant was a smart deal cuz they know they dont need em with all 5 thugs!! thats their promotion!

just get some hot music out, make a video, and a distribution deal is all they need...

How'd that "They're Bone, and that's all the promotion they need" work for "Thug World Order" and "Thug Stories"?

[Bishop]

I agree with some of what the TS posted. People heavily blame Interscope for the tracks that made it to Strength & Loyalty yet fail to metion Bone did worse independently with Bone 4 life and Thug Stories. Bone had 2 perfect chances to release the album they claimes the labels always prevented them from releasing, yet they ended up releasing the same music if not even worse. Comparing Interscope to TS and Bone 4 life and it's easy to see who released the better album. That's why I can't say it's perfect that Bone is independent because truthfully Bone has failed to show any difference from the mainstream music they blame on the labels.

I would hope they finally release this rap album that truly shows that the labels were holding them back. Now I just think that Call Me, Don't Stop, She Got Crazy, etc are the songs they truly want to do but just end up blaming the labels when the fans aren't happy.

[CuttenHeadz]

Bone gotta stop being lazy, alot of their shit the last couple years sounds recycled and like........... generic

im really just checkin UNI5 out cuz Flesh is back and in my opinion he made BTNH-Resurection what it is. cuz after Art of War, they seemd to be at a creative stand still like they stopped elevating. i remember waiting like 4eva to cop bone album soon as it came out cuz i knew it was gonna be some next level shit, not knowen what to expect. but after awhile that feelin went away (no homo lol).

just b sound like ''no frills'' lately. same concepts, similar lyrics,etc.

i just wanna see them keep growen as ARTISTS.

they gotta be like 30-35 by now....that sellin drugs and gun bussin shit aint gon cut it forever you feel me. talk bout more real life stuff, political stuff, spiritual thangs, etc. but thats just me tho...im more for content than flash

[jyounggin]

In regards to Uni5 that is.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that they went independent. A lot of it has to do with the things I've heard them say about "Strength & Loyalty".

When Bone releases big time, mainstream albums, we get "Creepin' On Ah Come Up", "E. 1999 Eternal", "The Art of War", and "Strength & Loyalty".

When they release low budget, independent albums, we get "Thug Stories", "Bone 4 Life", and anything attached to the name Caz.

I also think that Interscope was the only thing that stopped "Strength & Loyalty" from being a disaster. People say the album was mainstream like it's a bad thing, and as if Bone hasn't been mainstream before Bone has always been mainstream.

"Creepin' On Ah Come Up" was straight west coast gangsta rap, which in 1994 when the album came out, was all that mainstream rap was. "E. 1999 Eternal" had mainstream hits like "1st of Tha Month", and let's not even get started on "Tha Crossroads". "Days of Our Livez" was a big time mainstream hit. They had big mainstream collaborations with "Notorious Thugs", and "Breakdown". "The Art of War" had some mainstream style songs with "If I Could Teach The World", and the biggest hit from the album, "Thug Luv". Even "BTNHResurrection" had "Paper, Paper", "Can't Give It Up", and "Change The World".

Mainstream is simply put, part of Bone's style. What separates them, however, is by them putting their own twist on mainstream music, which they've done on all their successful albums. There's only really 2 songs on "Strength & Loyalty" which are straight mainstream songs without the Bone sound, and those are "Lil' Love" and "Candy Paint". Everything else on that album has some kind of Bone vibe to it.

But listening to the stuff that they wanted to do? Tracks like "When The Thugs Come Out", "Bone Thug Boys", and pretty much every unreleased cut that's not "Into The Future" or "Never Been Industry" is some type of generic garbage that sounds just like everything else that's out by everyone else, and not even as good. There's a few good tracks, "I Ain't Satisfied", "So Crazy", "Click Clack", and "Certified Thug", but none of those really have a Bone sound to 'em. It's really the same generic garbage that came off of "Bone 4 Life" and "Thug Stories".

Bone don't seem to like each other anymore. With Layzie's stated "desires" for what he wanted "Strength & Loyalty" to be, I really don't trust his judgment to 1.) Make good music, and 2.) Make the right selections for a good album. The first clip that we've heard already, the "Nuff Respect" clip, it's decent, but it falls right back down into the same "generic" trend Bone's music has been going into as of late, when they are independent and not signed to a big label.

I trust Krayzie Bone, he seems to still have the heart. He seems to put his all into his craft. Even though he's not my favorite, I even have faith in Flesh. I think he'll put in his all as well.

But Bizzy fell off a long time ago, and I don't know if he's going to get it back. I hope he does. Layzie I just don't trust anymore. I think he's more worried about fitting in with the crowd than being innovative.

It's just something I've been thinking about lately. I just don't have the same faith in this album that I once had. The moment they went independent, I think I realized they didn't really care about making this album epic, andhigh quality, but rather just pushing something out with the Bone name on it. By being independent, they can have the freedom they want to be something they aren't, which is what they seem to do when they are indie is to make music that isn't Bone Thugs music.

Hopefully, come March when this first single releases, I'll be proven wrong. Hopefully it will have a strong Bone vibe to it, and hopefully it will be a big radio hit. And then come June, hopefully the album becomes one of Bone's most definitive albums, which is what I think this album should be, given the historical context of this album to Bone's career. Not just some afterthought that the mainstream Hip Hop world (and music world in general) can just ignore as a nothing release.

Whats funny now the water is under the bridge it turned out to be the WORST selling bone album and I ain't gonna lie I had the same feeling based on what u stated above lets hope the now stuff doesn't turn out like UNI 5

[AsWeRoll]

MY NIGGAS AINT NEVER BEEN INDUSTRYYYYYYY

[StixnStonz]

Holy crap a 3 year old resurrected NELLA thread. Never thought I'd see B-Boy again ("whoo whoo")

A decade later and I finally agree Thug by Nature is a good album and share the same thoughts on uni5.. Scary how time really does change things!

[jyounggin]

Holy crap a 3 year old resurrected NELLA thread. Never thought I'd see B-Boy again ("whoo whoo")

A decade later and I finally agree Thug by Nature is a good album and share the same thoughts on uni5.. Scary how time really does change things!

we'll see but I ain't gonna like in December of 2009 when warner bros did that 5 song snippet and i heard meet me in the sky the first thought that crossed my mind was epic fail I don't know what happened I remember they had the internet buzzing with niff respect ant the game aint ready I doubt I'll change my take on uni 5 and I always thought Thug by Nature was a good album and layzies best solo it sold like 225k copies back then what ever happened to baby s

[click2clever]

Did he really say into the future was generic garbage? Maybe I was reading it wrong.... That song is raw

[Elixer]

Did he really say into the future was generic garbage? Maybe I was reading it wrong.... That song is raw

That track is so raw raw for sure,one of my fav cuts from From S&L including We Working,Assurance and You And Me.

[Elixer]

I think the major thing breaking up Bone as a group is the mighty $--(maybe even the Kray-Bizzy beef)--.
thats why they splitin n comin up with new styles 'That Fans may love'.
They aint doin it for the name Bone no more,But for more cheeze.

[V.A]

Y'all people crazy. I bought every bone album and aint NONE of them wack..Yall just used to listening to the same shit and y'all expect something else when Bone drop an album. But when its not what u thought yall wanna say its garbage. UNI -5 Is a great album..probably the last with all 5.

[ripsta99th]

Cant believe uni5 has been out that long it would have good "if" they put the good songs on it like determination, the og rebirth etc. but Bone doesn't want to pay 4good beats and stuff sooo damn this thread is 3yrs old HA!

[jyounggin]

they better start cuz its their only chance to make a legitimate comeback

[Bone Hugs]

album needed better promotion, "Meet Me In The Sky" & "Determination" were both fantastic songs .... everyone loved those songs - even people who'd never heard of BTNH before

[Kahz]

Holy crap a 3 year old resurrected NELLA thread. Never thought I'd see B-Boy again ("whoo whoo")

ALL MY BALLAS IN THE CLUB GET IT BOUNCIN' BOUNCIN'
ALL MY BALLAS IN THE CLUB GET IT BOUNCIN' BOUNCIN'

Nella Nitram was a UBB legend

[Nella]

If the UBB had happened about 10 years later, I would have been a YouTube sensation.

[Johnny The Kid]

I was pretty disappointed with Uni-5 at first but it's actually a pretty decent album. Nothing I listen to on a daily basis but it's alright.