Bizzy Bone: Forged Through Fire

There are situations in life that make you a stronger person. A loss of a pivotal family member, a tragedy, or even a joyous occasion invigorates a person to want to make a significant change for the better. In the early nineties, you could not deny the infectious harmonizing styles of Krayzie, Layzie, Wish, Flesh, and Bizzy Clevelands own, Bone Thugs n Harmony. With Flesh incarcerated, the rest of the group went on to amass success over the years. But as the saying goes mo money, mo problems and Bizzy Bone has had his share of them. HHDX.com sits down with Bizzy as he explains his feelings about the internal issues within the group, his new album Speaking in Tounges, the rumors of Bones reunion, and why he feels that they wont be remembered in Hip-Hops history books.

HHDX: Bizzy, first things first, man how are you doing? Is everything going well in your life?

Bizzy Bone: Yeah, man everything is good. I cant complain, man, Im still here.

HHDX: Talk a little bit about the upcoming album. When is it dropping? Who are some of the guest appearances?

Bizzy Bone: The album is going to drop on September 30th, or something like that. Its a very good album in my opinion. I have some beautiful producers on there, Eddie B., Corey and a few other cats on there. Some new talents, some new vocalists will appear on there as well. My new artist Bam will definitely be on there. Well be putting out this joint by the grace of God.

HHDX: You and your Bone Thugs comrades seem to have this on-again, off-again relationship? Other than whats being reported on the wire why do you think youve been kicked out, and then welcomed back into the fold?

Bizzy Bone: Its all a mirage. Its not so much us as its everyone else around the crew. The crew knows how important we are together. The demons are going to put the wrong people around us. When we were in LA, there was no one around but us. When we made a little bit of money, then we had people coming out of the woodworks. First, it was about help me, help me. Then they started talking about your homie behind their backs. Ive been surrounded by these demons my entire life. That entourage was the deterrent. The added new members messed everything up. Our goal is not everyone elses goal. Not everyone can be Bone, yet theyll try to make some shit up as far as a position to fill. I dont bring any dead weight. I dont have people around me. Its just me. Accept me for me and Ill do the same for you. When you making millions, you can go back to the hood and put people on, give a few new artists a deal. But you cant help no one if youre down to your five dollars and the hangers on will still try to get a piece of that.

HHDX: Since you guys have again reunited, youve all signed to J Records. Is there anything in the works?

Bizzy Bone: I havent been privy to that yet. Ive been trying to get in contact with them to tell them the same thing that Im telling you. Im trying to say that we need to get away from these dumb people and get back into the original recipe. We need to get Flesh out of jail. Everyone else is worried about their 10% -- theyre not worried about us. Im not singling anyone out, Im just saying that Bone needs to get back with it. And if theyre game, then Im with it. I cant deal with their friends, because Im their [Bones] friends. We need to stick together and look out for each other. Were crew we can talk about each other because thats what we are. Other people keep talking about us. I mean I see Swizz (Beats) in New York all the time, I respect Clive Davis and the J Records label, and I absolutely love Alicia Keys. Dont you think that if I had known something concrete about whats going on that I wouldnt hit up Swizz right now for a beat? But no one is talking to me right now and I dont understand why.

HHDX: What do you think is the allure of Bone Thugs n Harmony after all these years?

Bizzy Bone: Crew. Friendship. Music. But first and foremost, the blessing that God gave us to be with one another and to be an original family. Our union is nothing that is man-made or put together. God put us together. No one can put us asunder. You cant subdue me with a bottle of liquor or some weed. Ive stopped drinking and smoking by the grace of God. I can do that through Him. I think that its a lot simpler than what people are making it out to be. I believe in taking care of business and being a sound operation. I believe that Bone needs to do what Bone needs to do. J Records is cool, Swizz is cool, Clive is great, Alicia is my heart, and I would love to be a part of that family but they wont let me. It aint no mystery as to what Im doing and what Im thinking. Im not holding up nothing, Im walking in truth. So, if Im open and available and no one is getting at me whos bullshittin? Im walking in truth.

HHDX: Cleveland hasnt really be on the Hip-Hop scene since you guys came out and made an impact is there any reason as to why Cleveland cannot be successful?

Bizzy Bone: I think that a lot of artists leave Cleveland to become successful, then come back and then find that there is no way to help people out when they return. There is so much money in Cleveland to where people need to make it happen. People dont want to help one another out anymore. No one wants to invest in our talent at home. We have Bone, right there, OJays, right there, Men At Large, right here and very little people are able to make a success in the city because the investments arent there. We have Jacobs Field, The Gund [Arena], The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and no one can urge on their musical talent financially? Why?

HHDX: Aside from the upcoming album, Bones next project you have an online reality show, correct?

Bizzy Bone: Its supposed to be some webisode shit, its something thats supposed to be something thats just put together. Its an idea the record company came up with. Id love to do a reality show, like have MTV follow me like they would Martha Stewart and Lil Kim. But no one is callin me, I dont understand why? There is a lot of talk about a lot of things, and there are a lot of things that people arent putting their word behind. Im still waiting on the guys [Bone] to give me a call. The people doing the webisodes are just taking snippets from home videos Ive done and put it on the website.

HHDX: People would think that you get criticized enough just when you appear on radio, why would you think to do a reality television show?

Bizzy Bone: Like I said, the record label put that webisode thing together. I think that a reality show would give the people something to understand as far as whats going on in the world. I feel that people are trying to hold me back, so I am not able to tell people the real. I want to tell them to hold onto yourself and be real, carry your cross with you for life. You have to cherish your soul. Those are the kinds of things that I would love to talk about, but people are frightened by those things and a lot of people have been taken down when they start to speak out on these things. Hang on to who you are, never abandon ship. Keep it real, thats really all it is. Its very serious to me. We can always get a lot more in depth in it, but if people dont understand then Id be happy to clarify it for them.

HHDX: Your albums always seem to have some sort of religious symbolism to them that imply some sort of internal conflict do you feel as your life is a reflection of your work?

Bizzy Bone: I dont know if I ever felt that my life is a reflection of my work. I feel that life is life and that Ive held onto the things that have happened in my life. No matter what though, spirituality is the thing. It has always been about that. Thats what everything in my life is to me. Thats the only thing you need. You need friends and family, but if everyone is on the same accord then well have peace. People can breathe a little bit easier once theyve been forged through fire. Its really all it is. Im waiting for my crew to call me as we speak. I mean when they came out to Houston to see me, I wasnt ready. At different times, people werent ready when the opportunity presented itself. Everyone needs that same room, but at the end of the day well be able to get it together.

Ive put out my number to all the entourages that they have and for some reason they cant get in touch with me. The entourages have sabotaged the relationships. And when they get fired, they threaten some fatal attraction shit. They shouldnt let those people guide them, they should let God guide us, were supposed to be together and do this the right way. Let us get ourselves together by the grace of God. Then when its time, well be able to speak to the hangers on as a crew. But no one feels me on that, and people think that Im crazy. Ive been wild from jump-street. I had children at 14 years old. This was before we put out our first album. I have had responsibilities since the beginning.

HHDX: After more than 10 years in the Industry, both as a part of a group and solo what do you think youll be remembered for in Hip-Hop when its all said and done?

Bizzy Bone: I dont know if Hip-Hop will ever remember us. I see murals everywhere dedicated to Jam Master Jay, Biggie, and Pac and I dont think well ever see Bone on one of them. To make the impact that weve made that everyone has said that we have made, but no one is appreciative of that. Its going to continue to dwindle until we realize that we need to do what we need to do to get it going. Were not lawyers, but we can lawyer ourselves. We can build for ourselves to get this thing going in the right direction. Because when its all said and done, if Bone were to never have another hit, the hangers on are just going to leech onto someone else anyways.