Faces of Death
1993 · Stoney Burke
Before the platinum records and the Grammy, there was this: a raw debut from five teenagers out of Cleveland, released on a small independent label run by a local record store owner. Recorded under the name B.O.N.E. Enterpri$e, the album introduced what would become one of hip-hop's most distinctive sounds, rapid-fire flows woven into layered vocal harmonies, blurring the line between rapping and singing in a way nobody had heard before. The story of how it led to their big break is the stuff of legend: Krayzie Bone recited a verse over the phone from their 1991 local radio single 'Flow Motion,' impressing Eazy-E enough to invite four of the five members to audition in person, ultimately landing them a deal with Ruthless Records and changing hip-hop history.
"I hope you get smoked. I put a gauge to your throat, and it is murder Bizz wrote."
— Ganksta Attitude