East nineteen ninety ninety-nine-nine-nine…

T-dawg’s birthday gifts included two Bone Thugs N Harmony CDs; while not the kindest part of his gift, it’s the part that’s keeping me up and writing tonight when I want to be sleeping away the remainder of the week.

I loved the Bone Thugs when I was a kid, although I never owned any of their CDs. I remember recording “Crossroads” off the radio and playing the tape until it warbled. “East 1999” never played long on the radio, I remember; I liked it a lot, but didn’t hear it enough for my tastes. Then and now, the Bone Thugs’ style struck me as so different and much more creative than the rest of the shit on the radio. Rappers that harmonize? Gimme some of that.

To quote any older family member hearing music at a family reunion: “Aw, now this takes me back!”