Layzie Bone — a founding member of Cleveland's Bone Thugs-n-Harmony — will release a pair of new albums tomorrow, The Definition and The Meaning. The latter includes “The Game Ain’t Ready,” a tongue-twisting track featuring the other members of Bones; The Definition boasts cameos from Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, and up-and-coming Cleveland rapper Caine. Bone fills us in on the new albums. —Jeff Niesel
What inspired you to want to release two albums on the same day?
Initially, it was just The Definition. I kind of felt like I had to define what I meant about it, so it turned into two records. The inspiration came from just wanting to make more and more music. I cannot define the meaning.
Does writing come easy to you?
Everything don’t come easy to me. I am so group-oriented. A lot of my songs are a struggle for me. There are so many characteristics of myself that I’m trying to define and I want people to understand the meaning of what I’m doing. It’s all a push for Cleveland. That’s where I’m from. East 99 and 105 and St. Clair.
Explain their titles.
I’m just trying to define a place and time in my life where I’m making the solo push and I’m telling people that I can really rap good. I’m good with word play most of the time. I ain’t saying I’m perfect. With this new change with the Internet and all that, I feel like Bone Thugs can become an industry within ourselves.
You have a number of guests on these albums. Who was the hardest guy to nail down?
Nobody. There’s no process to the progress. Bow Wow called me. He needed me on a record, and I was like, “I need you on this record called ‘Every Night.’” We did a swap so quick. Bow Wow even co-directed the video for it. We got our Ohio thing swinging right now. Chamillionaire came to the table like a true champion. He rocked out. Too Short came to the table. He was probably the most hardest because he was on tour at the time.
He’s great. He’s been around as long as you.
As long? Try 10 years before me. That’s our OG. It was pretty much secure. My new management really digs me and they want to see my vision come through. That’s the difference between being a new artist and being 18 years in the game. Shout out to Knuckles Entertainment. I feel like we can’t do nothing but win.
