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The Art Of War
07/29/1997 3:00 AM, Yahoo! Music
Mike Lipton
The latest from Cleveland's multi-platinum, Grammy-winning, ex-drug-dealing
BT-N-H is an ambitious double-CD that takes the band's sometimes-incongruous blend of hip-hop, dancehall rap and harmony to an even more melodic level. Subtitled World War 1 and World War 2, the 29 cuts draw on the rap traditions of both Coasts with the Bones' ominous recipe of tough street commentary delivered with smooth, rapid-fire raps and slick, urban soul-styled harmonies. Newcomers will find R&B-tinged tracks like "Body Rott" and "Ain't Nothin Changed" surprisingly melodic, while the piano on the sparse, under-two-minute "Neighborhood Slang" has a decidedly renaissance feel. "Thug Luv" features an eerie cameo by deceased rapper Tupac Shakur with gun shots, ingeniously used as a percussion instrument, cracking in time to the track. Other standouts are "U Ain't Bone," which should give pause to all the Bone wannabes, and "All Original," with lyrics flying by at auctioneer speed. If you want to look the part, stay tuned for band's line of Thug Wear clothing, set to debut this Fall.
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