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The Art of War | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 29, 1997 | |||
Recorded | 1996–1997 | |||
Studio | U-Neek's Workshop (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 121:14 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Art of War | ||||
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The Art of War is the third studio album by hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony which was released on July 29, 1997. The album sold 394,000 units in its first week of release. The album was certified quadruple Platinum by the RIAA in June 1998. It was the first double-album from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The album included the platinum-single "Look into My Eyes", and the gold-single "If I Could Teach the World". The whole album is produced by DJ U-Neek.
A sequel to the album, The Art of War World War 3 , was released on December 10, 2013.
"Look Into My Eyes" was the first commercial and radio single from The Art of War. "Look Into My Eyes" had debuted and peaked to number 4 on Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs then was able to debuted and peak at number 2 on Hot Rap Songs and spent 20 weeks on Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and spent 35 weeks on Hot Rap Songs. Later, two more two more radio singles were released: "Thug Luv", which ended up charting at number 60 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay for 3 weeks, and "Body Rott", which didn't appear on any charts. The final commercial single off the album, "If I Could Teach The World" peaked at number 27 on Hot 100, at number 20 on Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and number 3 on Hot Rap Songs.
The Art of War had sold 394,000 copies in its first week and went along to debut at number 1 on Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[ citation needed ] It dropped to number two on both during the second week, after the release of Puff Daddy & The Family's No Way Out while selling 183,000 copies in its second week to Diddy's 223,000 copies sold.[ citation needed ]
The album was rumored to be called DNA Level C which is Cleveland backwards. The Art of War was created largely as a response to rappers deemed "Clones" (copycats) by the group. Such rappers included Do or Die, Crucial Conflict, Twista & The Speedknots & Three 6 Mafia.
In the wake of his father's death and Tomica Wright now heading Ruthless, Bizzy Bone was not happy, and thus did not appear for many shows or promotions. Now calling the shots, many tracks were altered by Tomica Wright, attempting to head the group into a new direction. Such tracks include Thug Luv with Sylk-E. Fyne, If I Could Teach the World, Friends, Ready 4 War, Handle The Vibe with Flesh-n-Bone and many others. While the group appeared at Sprite Nite on BET, Keenan Ivory Wayans (with Bizzy), and several other promotions, their tour began to lag without Bizzy.
In "Ready 4 War", Bone Thugs-n-Harmony (along with Maje$ty) called out Crucial Conflict directly by name, with Maje$ty even stating, "I'll watch you ride the rodeo straight to the bottom". The tracks "Handle The Vibe," "Look Into My Eyes," "Body Rott," "Ready 4 War," "Hatin' Nation," Wasteland Warriors," "All Original," "Whom Die They Lie" and "U Ain't Bone" can all be considered as diss tracks.[ citation needed ]
They also changed the name of "Friends" for the cassette version to "How Many of Us Have Them". 2Pac wrote his verse for "Thug Luv" in 1 minute and 51 seconds as confirmed by Bizzy Bone.[ citation needed ]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | B [2] |
Los Angeles Times | [3] |
Rolling Stone | [4] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [5] |
Smash Hits | [6] |
The Source | [7] |
USA Today | [8] |
The Art of War received mostly positive reviews from music critics, with some critics calling the album sonically superior to its predecessor, E. 1999 Eternal. While others criticizing the album for its length, including extended disses towards other rappers, leading to repetitive song play. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said, "While the group is capable of producing a catchy single, they don't have the personality to sustain an album, much less a double-disc set. By the end of the second disc, they have repeated all of their ideas at least five times apiece, and only a few of those ideas resulted in actual songs in the first place." [1] J.D. Considine of Entertainment Weekly stated, "Lest the smooth sound of 'Look Into My Eyes' leaves you thinking the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony are really just pop-friendly softies, this 28-song double disc, The Art of War, offsets its slow-and-sweet numbers with bloodthirsty workouts like the shotgun-spiked 'Thug Luv'. But after two hours of these singsong melodies, War seems more like a siege than a surgical strike." [2]
Krayzie Bone said in a 2015 interview with HipHopDX that The Art of War was Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's best album, even better than E. 1999 Eternal. Compared to Eternal, whose songs he claimed were planned and written years before they were recorded, The Art of War consisted entirely of newer material that he and the other group members created in the studio.[ citation needed ] Rapper Wiz Khalifa included the album in his list of 25 favorite albums. [9]
All tracks produced by DJ U-Neek
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Retaliation (Intro)" | Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, DJ U-Neek | 2:21 |
2. | "Handle the Vibe" | Antoinette Colandreo, BTNH, U-Neek | 4:40 |
3. | "Look into My Eyes" | BTNH, U-Neek | 4:19 |
4. | "Body Rott" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:01 |
5. | "It's All Mo' Thug" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:12 |
6. | "Ready 4 War" (featuring Maje$ty) | Maje$ty, Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer, BTNH, U-Neek, Cedric Feaster jr. | 4:36 |
7. | "Ain't Nothin' Changed (Everyday Thang Part II)" | Barry J. Eastmond, BTNH, U-Neek | 4:43 |
8. | "Clog Up Yo Mind" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:01 |
9. | "It's All Real" (performed by Krayzie Bone) | Krayzie Bone, BTNH, U-Neek | 5:08 |
10. | "Hard Times (Interlude)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 2:49 |
11. | "Mind of a Souljah" (performed by Layzie Bone) | Layzie Bone, BTNH, U-Neek | 4:39 |
12. | "If I Could Teach the World" | BTNH, U-Neek | 4:24 |
13. | "Family Tree" | K. McCord, BTNH, U-Neek | 5:49 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Mo' Thug (Intro)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 1:40 |
2. | "Thug Luv" (featuring 2Pac) | 2Pac, BTNH, U-Neek | 5:08 |
3. | "Hatin' Nation" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:12 |
4. | "7 Sign" (performed by Bizzy Bone, featuring Maje$ty) | Bizzy Bone, BTNH, U-Neek, Cedric Feaster Jr. | 4:48 |
5. | "Wasteland Warriors" (featuring Souljah Boy) | Souljah Boy, BTNH, U-Neek | 4:28 |
6. | "Neighborhood Slang (Interlude)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 1:29 |
7. | "U Ain't Bone" | BTNH | 5:04 |
8. | "Get Cha Thug On" (performed by Wish Bone, featuring Tre) | Wish Bone, U-Neek | 4:02 |
9. | "All Original" | BTNH, U-Neek | 4:58 |
10. | "Blaze It (Interlude)" | Larry Blackmon, BTNH, U-Neek | 2:08 |
11. | "Let the Law End" | BTNH, U-Neek | 3:36 |
12. | "Whom Die They Lie (Bonus)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 4:24 |
13. | "How Many of Us Have Them (Friends)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:10 |
14. | "Evil Paradise" | Tim Stahl, BTNH, U-Neek | 4:48 |
15. | "Mo' Thug Family Tree (featuring Mo Thugs Family)" | BTNH, U-Neek | 5:37 |
World War 1
World War 2
All samples here are as listed on the Art of War booklet.
The vinyl release omits the tracks 1, 6 and 12 on WW2.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [24] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [25] | Gold | 7,500^ |
United States (RIAA) [26] | 4× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
E. 1999 Eternal is the second studio album by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, released July 25, 1995, on Ruthless Records. The album was released four months after the death of rapper Eazy-E, the group's mentor and the executive producer of the album. Both the album and single "Tha Crossroads" are dedicated to him. Following up on the surprise success of their breakthrough single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone", it became a popular album and received positive reviews from music critics, earning praise for the group's melodic rapping style. The album title is a portmanteau of Cleveland's eastside neighborhood centering on East 99th Street and St. Clair Avenue where the group is based and the then-future year 1999.
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is an American hip hop group composed of rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone. Formed in 1991 in Cleveland, Ohio, the group signed to fellow American rapper Eazy-E's Ruthless Records in late 1993, on which they debuted with their EP Creepin on ah Come Up the next year. The EP included their breakout hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone". In 1995, the group released its second album E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "East 1999". Their hit song "Tha Crossroads", a tribute to then-recently deceased mentor Eazy-E, won a Grammy Award in 1997.
Heaven'z Movie is the first solo studio album by American rapper Bizzy Bone. It was released on October 6, 1998, via Ruthless/Relativity Records. The recording sessions took place at Ocean Way and at Groove Mine in Nashville, and at Music Grinder and at Studio 56 in Los Angeles. The production was handled by Bizzy Bone himself under his B.B. Gambini alias together with Mike Smoov, Johnny "J", Mafisto, Erik Nordquist, Cat Cody, Nina and Mike Johnson. It features guest appearances from Cat Cody, H.I.T.L.A.H. Capo-Confuscious and Mr. Majesty. The album reached number 3 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States, selling 130,000 units in its first week. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America a month after its release date. The album is dedicated to the memory of Byron "Big B" Carlos McCane.
Alpha and Omega is the third solo studio album by American rapper Bizzy Bone. It was released on September 14, 2004, via Bungalo Records with a bonus DVD that showed behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the album. Production was handled by Anthony M'Shala Moses, Darrell L. Johnson, Danny V. Jones, Paul Chase, Brian Lamb, Kevin Rowe, Llan, Kenny McCloud, Gary "Geewhiz" Greenberg, and Bizzy Bone himself. It features guest appearances from Prince Rasu, Big B, the late Adrian "Capo Confuscious" Parlette, King Josiah, Hollis Jae, Kevin Rowe & Llan (yon). The album peaked at number 152 on the Billboard 200, number 27 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 16 on both Top Rap Albums and Independent Albums charts in the United States. "I Understand" was released as a promotional single with a music video.
Creepin on ah Come Up is the debut EP by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The album was released on June 21, 1994, on Ruthless Records. In 1998, the album was selected as one of The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums.
BTNHResurrection is the fourth studio album by hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The album was released on February 29, 2000, on Ruthless. Sold 280,500 copies in its 1st week of charting on the billboard 200, it reached Platinum status within a month. Flesh-n-Bone was heavily featured on this album, appearing in 14 of the 15 tracks which was rarely seen on previous albums due to him not being signed to Ruthless with the rest of the group. This was Flesh-n-Bone's last appearance on a Bone Thugs-n-Harmony album until 2010 due to his conviction for assault with a firearm and criminal possession of a weapon in June 2000. Pleading guilty, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, and was released in July 2008, re-appearing on the group's album as a performer on Uni5: The World's Enemy in 2010 unlike his appearance on the last track A Thug Soldier Conversation with DJ Uneek on the Thug World Order album when Flesh was incarcerated.
Thug World Order is the fifth studio album by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released on October 29, 2002, and the group's final album for Ruthless Records. Singles released were "Money, Money", "Get Up & Get It", and "Home" featuring Phil Collins, which charted in the UK.
The Hard Way is the only album from American hip hop trio 213, which consisted of Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg. It was released on August 17, 2004, under Doggystyle Records, G-Funk Entertainment, Dogg Foundation and TVT Records.
Bone Brothers is the self-titled debut studio album by American hip hop duo Bone Brothers, composed of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony members Bizzy Bone and Layzie Bone. It was released on February 22, 2005 via Koch Records. Production was handled by Dwayne "Deenucka" Johnson, Self and Mauly T, with Bizzy Bone, Steve Lobel and Layzie Bone serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Kareem, Outlawz, Treach, and several Mo Thugs members, such as Krayzie Bone, Felicia, Skant Bone, Stew Bone and Wish Bone. The album saw its release after the dismissal of Bizzy Bone from the group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
"Tha Crossroads" is a song written and performed by hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released as a single in April 1996. The song is dedicated to the group's mentor, the late gangsta rap icon Eazy-E, and other family members. The song was the highest-debuting rap single when it debuted at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number one the following week and staying there for eight consecutive weeks. It also reached number one in New Zealand, where it was the most successful single of 1996. In 1997, the song won a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
Thug Mentality 1999 is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Krayzie Bone. It was released April 6, 1999, on Ruthless Records, Relativity Records and Mo Thugs Records.
Strength & Loyalty, originally titled The Bone Thugs Story, is the seventh studio album by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, released on May 8, 2007. It was Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's first major album after an absence of nearly five years. The album contains guest appearances by Akon, Autumn Rowe, Bow Wow, Felecia, Fleetwood Mac (sampled), Mariah Carey, Swizz Beatz, The Game, Twista, will.i.am, and Yolanda Adams. Producers include Akon, DJ Toomp, Jermaine Dupri, Mally Mall, Neo Da Matrix, Pretty Boy & Bradd Young, Street Radio, Swizz Beatz, The Individuals, Ty Fyffe, and will.i.am. The executive producer of the album was Swizz Beatz. Bizzy Bone was not featured on the album. Then imprisoned member Flesh-n-Bone was only featured on a track entitled "Into The Future" which did not make the album and also due to his incarceration did not make the album cover.
"Look into My Eyes" is a song performed by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, written by members Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Wish Bone, Anthony Eugene Cowan, and producer Tim "DJ U-Neek" Middleton. It was released on June 3, 1997, via Ruthless and Relativity Records as the third single from Music from and Inspired by the "Batman & Robin" Motion Picture and lead single from Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's third studio album The Art of War. Recording sessions took place at Studio Cat and at U-Neeks Workshop in Los Angeles. And Also, sold 129,000 units within it's debut week.
"If I Could Teach the World" is a hip-hop single released in 1997 by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. It appeared on their album The Art of War and reached number 27 on the U.S. Hot 100. The group also won an AMA for best hip-hop artist for this song.
This is the discography of American hip hop group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
"Home" is a song by rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released as the third single from their album Thug World Order. The song features samples from British singer Phil Collins' song "Take Me Home".
Uni5: The World's Enemy is the eighth studio album by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony released on May 4, 2010, on BTNH Worldwide, Asylum Records and Reprise Records. The mixtape, The Fixtape Vol. 3: Special Delivery features cuts from this album.
General Admission is the second studio album by American rapper Machine Gun Kelly. It was released on October 16, 2015, by his indie record label EST 19XX, distributed by Bad Boy and Interscope Records. The album was supported by two singles: "Till I Die" and "A Little More" featuring Victoria Monet.
I Told You is the debut studio album by Canadian rapper Tory Lanez. It was released on August 19, 2016, through Mad Love Records and Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place from 2015 to 2016. The production on the album was contributed by Lanez, alongside several other record producers such as Benny Blanco, Cashmere Cat, Frank Dukes, DJ Dahi, Pop Wansel and Noah Breakfast, among others.
New Waves is the tenth studio album by American hip hop group Bone Thugs. It was released on June 23, 2017, by Entertainment One Music. The album only consists of 2 out of 5 members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The album features a large selection of guest appearances, including Stephen Marley, Tank, Jesse Rankins, Kaci Brown, Jazze Pha, the other Bone members, Jonathan Davis from nu metal band Korn, Bun B, Uncle Murda, Yelawolf, IYAZ, Eric Bellinger and more.