Bloodline Harmony: Next Generation Bone? A Deep Dive.

 

I recently got an invite to a couple Bloodline Harmony chat groups on Facebook that are actually run by 2 members of the band.  While this is highly flattering and not the first time I've been personally invited to one of their FB groups, I have questions.  Why do they have time be farting around on FB like this in the first place?  Where is their social media manager, and why aren't they busy working on something more important like their Spotify presence?   A little backstory for the uninitiated:

Bloodline Harmony is a rap group comprised of 5 of Bizzy Bone's sons (Bizzy Bone being a founding member of multi-platinum rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, my favorite group of all time).  Notice I said 5 of his sons.  Bizzy, aka Bryon McCane, had upwards of 10 kids at last count.  😳  To his credit, he's financially supportive of them all as far as I can tell, which is more than a lot of fathers-of-one can say. 

In recent years he's featured several of the Bloodline boys on his independently produced-and-promoted albums & taken the whole group out to perform at various venues with him, opting to tour with Bloodline Harmony rather than his much-touted original plan to tour with Bone for their 30-year anniversary in 2024.   That tour is happening right now, sans Bizzy.  After he suggested it and hyped it up for years on his Youtube channel.  How ever the fans and other Bone members may feel about that decision, there's no question he's doing right by his sons--the only question is, could the guys themselves be doing more to elevate their image & increase their success in this fickle industry where youth is worth nearly as much as talent & consumer attention spans are comparable to that of a common housefly's?   

Would I have asked if the answer was 'no?'  

Since they definitely didn't ask for it, here's my unprofessional & unsolicited advice as a random anonymous blogger: 


Clean Up Your Spotify/Streaming Music Presence

Step #1:  For the love of all things holy, get your Spotify game together, man!  I've never seen such a confusing rabbithole of dead end artist pages, & that's saying a lot because I spend a significant amount of time on the app.  For instance, they appear to have a 2021 album titled Bloodline Harmony (the band's name) but the artist credited is "The Harmony God".  Click that artist name & it takes you to a page with 5 Rugrat-esque cartoon characters that have a list of tracks under their name.  This is clearly the group now known as Bloodline Harmony, but why was a 5-piece rap group ever given a singular name like THE Harmony God (singular)?  "The Harmony Gods," sure.  But that's not what it says.  See for yourself:  

((Click to enlarge all pics))

A 5-member group called THE Harmony God?  Say wha?

Here's the album title, also the band's (current) name.  Confused yet?

To make matters more befuddling, one of the members is named "Cleve The Harmony God."  I just get more lost the deeper I go into their circular Spotify profiles.  Here are the pages for him:

A relatively active, professional-looking page...  

...until you see the "other" Cleve page right below it!  WHY?!

And it's the same story with member YBL Sinatra:

A whole Spotify profile just for 1 track?  Seems excessive but OK.  👌🏻

Ahhh, never mind!  A whole profile for TWO tracks!  Totally reasonable.   /s

And it doesn't end there:  So far we've only delved into the weird group page + 2 members.  There are still 3 more members to go.  And here are 2 of them:  completely blank with 0 songs, photos or info.  Have a little look-see since we're already here, why don'tcha:

One of the other 2 members, So Throwed.  More like 'So Cold & Lonely On This Empty Artist Page,' amirite?  💁🏻‍♀

Somebody send help:  I think I'm stuck in the Backrooms of Spotify.  🚪

That leaves only one member, Lil' Bizzy, and his page (singular!) is relatively normal so I won't bother reposting it here.  There may be a perfectly legit reason for the other guys to have claimed two--I'm not in the biz so there's a lot I don't know.  However, there's really no excuse for the contradictory spellings, confusing names & entirely blank pages this far into their careers.  How are (male) fans supposed to argue over who has the sickest bars if they don't know who's who & can't match a name to a flow?  How are (female) fans expected to gush over which guy is cutest if they can't put a face to a name?   It's not like these guys have easy-to-remember stage names like "(Bizzy) Bone" or "(Scary) Spice" so the hill will just be that much steeper to climb. 

(I recall being able to match a voice to each corresponding Bone member WITHOUT MTV or other visual aids--all my poor ass had was the cassette album cover to go by.  That's right:  not even the CD, the gatdamn cassette.  Still, just by looking at the cover I could envision which voice belonged to which member despite never seeing them perform live or in a music vid.  (I'll admit, I waffled between which voice was Wish & which was Kray for a hot minute, but.... never mind.  This isn't about that!)


Artist Development:  Personas, "Lore" & More

Which brings us to Step #2 in our little advice extravaganza:  the guys haven't done nearly enough to distinguish themselves as individuals within the group, Lil' Bizzy notwithstanding.  (His copycat name & the fact that he favors his father help set him apart early on--whether that's enough to carry him through a whole career on his own is another matter).  But what about the other 4 members?  Some things they could focus on to help in this regard would be:  Who's the oldest member?  The youngest?  Who's the rebel/"bad boy"?  Is there a group "leader"?  

That's roughly the formula behind bands like Backstreet Boys that helped the members set themselves apart in the eyes of fans, & it worked for all of Lou Pearlman's other boybands that followed.  Give each member a role or persona & ride it til the wheels fall off.  You can even see a bit of it in Bone Thugs:  Krayzie's the old wise "Granddad"; Layzie's the media mouthpiece & peacemaker; Bizzy's the baby/wildcard; Flesh is the prodigal son and only actual ex-con in the band, having served 8 years behind bars & Wish is the mysterious street cat who always looks equally ready to announce his long awaited solo album or throw dem bows at you for asking when it's coming out.  Either/or. 

Some other tidbits of info to give would be:  What are each of your Zodiac signs, favorite colors, musical inspirations, favorite foods, TV shows, non-musical hobbies?  It may sound silly but fans want to know these things!

Ahh, yes:  that time 6th member "Bone Thug" caught a case.  Figures... they found him on Wish.com.  😛 (In case it's not clear, the 'Thug' in question is Flesh lol).

Step 2b:  To add depth to each persona, simply focus on sharpening a natural skill or honing a talent you already possess, whether it's super fast rapping, smooth singing, music video directing, giving interviews, graphic design for album covers or what have you.  Pouring your energies into this one thing will help cement your image as master of that "thing" and an indispensable piece of the puzzle.  This is how celebrity & athlete "machines" work:  everybody has one thing they excel at.  Doesn't mean that's all you ever do, but it's something you do so well the group would struggle & fans would miss you if you suddenly weren't there.  (i.e. The "Where's Bizzy?" Effect).   Make yourself truly indispensable.  

Think of it like superheroes (Thundercats, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles or Transformers): their powers are much greater when combined, but they each have to be able to stand on their own too.  That's how fans look at rap groups.  Each member has to be bringing something unique that contributes to the whole.  If not, they can be replaced or dropped.  No one member is bigger than the group, but neither can any member lean too much on the group to hide his weaknesses.  (Lookin' at you, Goldee & So Throwed).

Step 2c:  Finally, a compelling backstory (or "lore" as it's known in nerdspeak) is always helpful for drawing fans in & keeping them there.  With Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, it was the one-way greyhound tickets to find Eazy-E in LA.  Obviously not everyone has such a dramatic all-or-nothing backstory but everybody does have highs & lows in life.  Has anyone in Bloodline Harmony overcome mental illness or addiction?  Been shot or shot at?  Recovered from a harrowing physical illness?  Lost a close loved one to violence?  Struggled with learning disabilities, incarceration, chronic illness, racism, discrimination... anything whatsoever that's made life more challenging for you than your peers?   Opening up about these things gives fans something real & tangible to grab onto, making you both more likable and more memorable in their minds. Even an incredibly rare stroke of luck or a lifesaving twist fate can make for a compelling story.  The important thing is that it appeals to emotion, is relatable & shows your vulnerability/human side.

Bizzy, left.

Bizzy overcame incredible odds before he even started running the streets or making music with Bone.   When he was about 4 years old, Bryon "Bizzy Bone" McCane & his 2 sisters were kidnapped by former NFL player Byron McCane (who was either Bizzy's bio father or stepdad).  His picture was shown on the inaugural episode of America's Most Wanted & he was found because of a tip turned in to authorities by someone who recognized him thanks to John Walsh, who had recently lost his son to kidnapping and murder. 

Years later after gaining fame in BTnH, Bizzy had a chance to go on the show as an adult & discuss all the awful things that happened while he was on the run, from begging old ladies for food & living in cars to lying about his identity & being molested.  That openness has gained him a countless number of lifelong, ride-or-die fans who can relate to his hardships whether they talk openly about their trauma or not.  He didn't owe us that story--lord knows it was not a thing for men--especially Black men in the rap world at that time--to talk openly about sexual abuse at the hands of men.  #MeToo wouldn't happen for almost 30 years.  He didn't tell the story as a ploy for sympathy or a cheap gimmick--it was from the heart.  It's just a bonus that the fans love connecting with celebs like that.  


Putting the "Harmony" in "Bloodline HARMONY"

BLH go hard... but can they live up to their name?

Step #3:  The main glaring issue I see here is that, despite having "Harmony" in the group's name, these guys don't really harmonize like that.  Even Layzie's Mo' Thug group Havik does more with their voices than Bloodline HARMONY.  They have the fast staccato rap thing down pat, but as for sing-song rapping or harmonizing with each other, I've yet to see it.  As actual blood brothers & sons of one of the most harmonic members of Bone, I'd like to see them work more on sharpening those skills because I think they have the ability to do it; it's just a matter of putting in the effort.  Again, that's an area where each individual member would need to pick a vocal lane & stick with it, one going low (a la Krayzie Bone), one going high like Bizzy & the other 3 sticking to varying middle ranges like Wish, Flesh & Lay. 

Instead I'm hearing most of them try to pull off a higher/nasally/"thinner" range like Bizzy (they don't hit those Michael Jacksony notes, obviously, but you get what I mean by "high" range).  Don't copy Bone's style by any means, just do a little "oooh/ahhh" on one or 2 slower songs.  You could even add some subtle harmony by backing the last word or two in a verse on certain songs after recording them--say, have Goldee & Lil' Bizzy go back & "sing" the last word in Cleve's verse & then have Cleve & So Throwed do the same on YBL's.  Y'ain't gotta be Boyz II Men, nor do you have to do this on every song--just sprinkle it in here and there on some slower songs, weed songs, etc. 

I would advise being open to taking singing lessons though.  The other obvious option would be to remove "Harmony" from the band name, but they're kinda deep into the game to change names (again).  They started out as S.T.I.G. (So Throwed In The Game) before switching to Bloodline Harmony so another name change would just be... yeah, please don't at this point.  I can kinda work out what these overlapping names are supposed to be today, but it's hurting my head.  And the typical consumer doesn't have the attention span.  (I saw one Facebooker acting shocked that Bizzy had more than one son when he saw a pic of Lil Bizzy, thinking YBL was his only son lol).   

To review:

Step 1:  Urgent Spotify repair

Step 2:  Develop individual personas + hone a skill + "lore". 

Step #3:  Sprinkle a little Harmony in with the Bloodline brand. 

Finally, and I hope this doesn't come off snarky because that's not how I mean it:  I kinda just wish these guys would take some time out and go to rap boot camp for a minute--maybe for a whole summer.  Somewhere they're totally immersed in the craft with rap legends and college-level professors of the written/spoken word & left to sink or swim with other peers in the rap game.  No weed, no booze or cigarettes, no girls or social media/cell phones as distractions--just healthy food, ample exercise, predictable routines & time to focus on their actual careers.  Rap battles, the whole 9.   Make these kids fight for their moment in the sun like their fathers and forefathers had to do.  Sorry, no Bone Thugs or Mo' Thugs allowed.  This has to be a STIG-only venture and, on a more micro level, something every member must do for himself.  Prove yourself continuously or somebody who is hungry for the opportunity will take your spot.  This would make a good reality show now that I think about it lol.  Like a mashup of The Challenge, American Idol, Celebrity Rehab & Marriage Boot Camp.  Bizzy has done a fabulous job with them so far but now they need to step out from under his protective wing & challenge themselves even more.  That's how growth happens.

Ideally I'd like to see this with ALL rappers--all musicians--under 35 if it were possible.  With very few exceptions, this generation hasn't had to struggle through the same tribulations as those coming up in the '80s & '90s, and it shows in their immature behavior, over-reliance on cheap gimmicks like face tats, repetitive catch phrases & clownish public scandals to sell music.  It's not that being broke & abused is a virtue, but as they say, pressure makes diamonds and we're witnessing the opposite effect with these kids--extreme lack of pressure.  A prolapse, if you will.  And it's making whatever the opposite of diamonds are.  

By no means am I calling Bloodline Harmony shit-diamonds--I was thinking more of coddled pop twats like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Harry Styles, Billie Eilish & all these other rich kids who never had to work a day in their lives prior to becoming the industry plants they are today.  That makes for a very different sound than the creative wailing of '70s, '80s & '90s when totally innovative genres like Grunge, Trip Hop, Roots Reggae, Punk Rock, New Jack Swing, Golden Era Hip Hop, Riot Grrrl, Funk, Electro & Neo-Soul came into existence.  In those heady creative days, you either had to have a DAMN good voice, write standout lyrics, play an instrument or all 3.  Now all you need are youth, good looks & connections--Autotune & filters will take care of the rest.  

This is also why the industry has been overtaken by absolute dope fiends in recent years.  This trend started around the year 2000.  I recall "Sippin' on Some Syrup" by BTnH rivals Three 6 Mafia being one of the first popular songs to ever BRAG about taking hydrocodone & other opioids recreationally.  Fast-forward a couple decades & Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca & Lord Infamous of the Triple Six are all dead of drug-related/cardiac events, and Pimp C of UGK who also appeared on that track OD'ed on codeine cough "sizzurp" as well.  And they're far from anomalies. 

Random viral "Worst Rappers" list.  Notice most are from the 2000's on.

In no way do I make these claims about Bloodline Harmony--I know Bizzy wouldn't put up with that.  He's a strict vegan & doesn't tolerate drug/alcohol abuse in his circle.  But it's a whole mood... a vibe that these Gen Z kids came up under that hangs thick in the air like the smell of stale dumpster juice outside a school cafeteria, leaving its stank on everything this generation touches.  That cheap Lil Pump, Tekashi69, Tom MacDonald, Island Boyz, Iggy Azalea, Soulja Boy desperation that screams "My daddy left to get cigarettes when I was 3 & never came back.  Will you be my daddy?" These types are a flash-in-the-pan:  here one day & erased from public consciousness the next.  If they're remembered at all, it's as one of the Worst Rappers of All Time 15+ years down the line.  No substance, no staying power, no intention of playing the long game... just get in, get out & live for the moment.  

Whether Bloodline Harmony will go the way of the Bone Thugs-n-Harmony & become true legends or a name on one of these Worst Rapper lists remains to be seen, but merely being born of the same generation as these fuckwits makes it harder to be taken seriously because they're surrounded by utter refuse.... hot garbage.  They'll have to fight harder to overcome the stigma with true hip-hop fans and those older than 30, putting in overtime to make a name for themselves and then riding that name til the wheels fall off once it's established in the industry. 

They can't ride their father's coattails or get by on their youth, good looks, affinity for smoking weed (there's absolutely nothing unique, edgy or cute about smoking weed anymore guys, sorry.  You were born about 25 years too late) or any of that "affiliation" shit.  We know you're adjacent to Mo' Thugs, Havik, Bone & the prestigious AC Killer (lmao sorry).  You gotta come with your own solid catchy hooks, hard-hitting beats & meaningful verses if you want to stand out in this game.  The ugly truth is, people call guys like you "Nepo babies" whether you're talented or not so you're starting out behind the 8-ball even though you have that push from Bone & your dad (or maybe because of it). 

General advice for any young aspiring performer including BLH:

Always have your hair done, your face shaved & be ready to give a bright-eyed interview or drop a freestyle verse on a moment's notice.  Because that's what stars do.  And it beats the hell out of working a 9-to-5 in retail or construction unless those things are your passion.  Intoxicants like weed and especially alcohol should be reserved for special occasions after your work is done.  Practice having discipline & use things like sex, partying & unproductive relaxation as rewards for a job well done.  Learn to say no to things that are bad for you, because a lot of bad shit will be on offer in the music/entertainment world.  It's best if you never try things with immense abuse potential like coke, meth, opiates & benzos.  That's a bell you can never unring.

Develop a democratic system of voting with your brothers to make decisions within the group to help avoid big disagreements, and never let industry slimeballs come between you.  Because they WILL.  It's a certainty that some guy in a suit will approach one of you at some point whispering in your ear that you "don't need" the other 4, that you could have an amazing solo career if you dump them... whatever.  It's a LIE.  The truth is they just don't want to pay a whole group of 5 people or deal with 5 diverse personalities/opinions.  One person is a lot easier to control.  Don't.  Fall.  For.  It.  Your relationship with your family is more important than any potential career.

So let's see some action:  Hire someone to manage your social media and streaming pages while you get to work immediately honing your image & craft.  No off-season or holidays.  Get in the gym (*ahem* Lil Bizzy with the love handles) and get in shape.  Practice dropping your fastest, most furious verses while running full-speed on the treadmill.  Project, enunciate & take vocal lessons if necessary.  Record yourself & listen back to your voice in isolation--the way you pronounce words, all that cringey shit.  Is it something YOU would wanna listen to through headphones, let alone pay hard-earned money for?  That's how you prepare for a grueling tour or upcoming album. 

And to Bizzy:  if they can't show the required level of discipline I'd advise you to let them go work in the exciting fast food industry for a while!  True, they're grown men who can make their own decisions, and they're your kids that you love.  But love & enabling are two different things, and nobody's entitled to a shot at stardom on your dime.  

And now since I've ripped them a new asshole, here's my paltry attempt at profiles on each member:

G🪙LDEE

Remember when I said the thing about the "bad boy/rebel" of the group?  That would be Goldee.  I wish I could say more about his actual talent or style, but he unfortunately doesn't have many prominent verses or songs available to dissect.  What he does have are some disturbing drunken vids on Instagram (one in which he takes a giant hit of weed while distracted-driving down what looks like the freeway) that remind me of Bizzy at his worst.  It's a shame because he's a nice looking guy & could definitely be one of the "out front" members of the group if he'd put away the intoxicants & get in the studio.

When you have addiction in your family that hardcore, you should do everything in your power to avoid going down that path, but clearly these guys didn't get the message judging by their proud vaping, guzzling of hard liquor & weed-smoking vids.  And when an addict has access to money and resources as these guys do, they tend to self-destruct harder & faster than your typical low-to-moderate income druggie or alcoholic.  I really hope that's not what's in Goldee's future but genetics foretell it if he doesn't make a hard U-turn and fast.  If I had to guess I'd say he's probably on the bipolar spectrum like his dad, and of course failing to treat that will give him the perfect excuse to chase mania and drug-induced highs on a loop until he ends up like old Eddie Kane.   😔🌙

On a side note, I heard some of his solo work ("Hello") on Youtube and actually think he might be the most promising member of all, or at least the one with my fave style.  I think he could pull off a sort of chill surfer vibe a la SlimKid3 from The Pharcyde & it would serve him well.  I prefer the flow and lyrics over some of the others, and that's the best damn hook I've heard from this group yet.  That's usually how it goes though:  the most creatively gifted are saddled with the most demons.  We'll be pulling for him.

YBL Sinatra

This guy has a future in music if he wants it.  And thankfully he appears to.  YBL has been featured on Bizzy's Carbon Monoxide, War of Roses & I'm Busy along with brother Lil' Bizzy, and he was the only Bloodline Harmony member to make an appearance on 2023's Tha Wastelands with his father.  His flow is well-defined & unique, and you can tell he's serious about his craft.  I'd like to know more about the origin of his stage name--it isn't every day a Gen Z rapper references Ol' Blue Eyes as part of his stage persona!--but for now it seems he isn't elaborating.  Probably for the best:  a little mystery keeps fans guessing & coming back for more.  Also:  his hair is giving old school Wish Bone and I'm here for it.  🦴

Cleve The Harmony God

If I had to designate a de-facto "leader" of BLH, it would totally be this guy.  Like Layzie who has been chosen to lead & serve as peacemaker within Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Cleve just has that serious, diplomatic look about him like he's always on some other shit & is plotting the group's next money move.  He's even turned up in pics with Lay on Instagram.  His flow is somewhat reminiscent of the Migos (sorry, that's the only "young" rap group I even know) & has an Auto-tuneish flair to it.  Definitely nothing like Bizzy's so at least you know he's not biting or coasting off his dad's sound.  It should be a hit with younger crowds as it sounds a lot like the "new" shit they're into for lack of a better comparison.  He also has a solo album out which shows a solid work ethic.  I haven't had the chance to listen yet but I plan to soon.  

While I can kinda see why Goldee and others haven't turned up on more of Bizzy's albums, I'm a bit lost as to why Cleve isn't featured more.  Maybe because his sound is so far removed from the typical Bone style, but then I listen to songs like "100-K" off 2013's WWIII Bone album and think, "Nah, that ain't it."  He genuinely looks like the most business-minded of the entire band & I have to give him props for the humility & AMAZING GRAMMAR on his Facebook page.  He's an excellent written communicator, the best I've seen anywhere in ages and certainly in a young person.  And his love for the fans is definitely felt.  ❤

So Throwed

So Throwed seems... semi-enthused to be rapping & conscious in general.  I saw him in the muted vid above & was excited because his style of dress & physical gestures gave the impression of serious lyricism but... it's mostly typical "bitchez" and "hoes" fare.  Bummer.  The raw talent is there if he keeps working at it & maybe tries to muster some more oomph or fire behind it.  And enunciation.  And of course less misogyny for misogyny's sake.  Save the woman-bashing for female politicians & others in power, not generic nameless "hoes".

That said, I prefer his flow to that of Cleve the Harmony God's because it's more organic & less Auto tuned/robotic.  It's also a bit more versatile & not so mumble-rappish.  The raw talent is there if only he'd dig deep for some more meaningful content.  And I must say I'm digging the backpack look.  Very underground rap scene NYC circa 2002.  This guy definitely knows his fashion lane.  Maybe try some more dignified lyrical content that better complements it?   🎒

Lil' Bizzy

    Last but not least we have fan favorite Lil' Bizzy, who came charging thru the gates early with the most momentum and something of a built-in following.  His light skin, wild hair & expressive face-pulls--which were a dead ringer for his old man's--were too intriguing to look away from, plus his single "Then Smoke" was a nice appetizer while we waited on something more substantial.  Unfortunately, we're still awaiting a full-length Lil' Bizzy album in late 2024.  From his social media photos it appears he's sort of fallen into a pattern of getting stoned & following Big Bizzy around all day and not doing much solo work, instead opting to indulge in the finer aspects of the celebrity life.  In fact he can hardly be called "Lil'" anymore, as he's now "bigger" than original Bizzy.  He wouldn't look out of place standing on the line of scrimmage, that's for sure. 

All jokes aside, if food is his only vice he'll be getting off light.  Lil' Bizzy has been featured on Carbon Monoxide, War of Roses & I'm Busy, which is nothing to "Shake That Stick" at.  (Only true Bizzy fans will get the reference).   😆 🏑

The Bloodline boyz when they were fresh-faced n00bs in 2021. 

Final Thoughts

I definitely think there's a place in the rap world for groups like this, and people are hungry for quality music.  Lord knows I am.  The mistake is branding them as the "next generation Bone".  They sound nothing like BTnH, and that's a good thing.  To quote Bizzy in "Shot Gun" off The Mantra, "Don't let my children get you twisted, bitch/There will never be another Bone Thug!"  He's so so right.  We learned this back in the '90s when Bone's intro into the music scene was followed by a parade of Bone Clones who jacked their style & got ripped to shreds for it.  I give Bloodline Harmony credit for NOT doing that; for making music that sounds as much like that of their Gen Z peers as their father.  It may not always be my cup of tea, but that's not the point.  They're being true to themselves instead of merely copying a style or sound verbatim, which would be the easy thing to do.  

If you have a chance to see them live or otherwise support their work, don't pass it up. They seem like genuinely nice guys & definitely appreciate their fans.  While I think they could use a bit more creative development & should knock off the partying, I also think they're doing a good job of securing a fan base that's somewhat of a cult following like Bone's, albeit smaller.  People in the chat groups rep hard for them; the next step would be doing the things I've laid out above & stepping out from under Dad's shadow to make a name for themselves.  Bone had to do it when Eazy died unexpectedly, and Bloodline will have to do it eventually if they want to remain relevant & grow their following.  Nobody can want it for you more than you want it for yourself.  🩸👊🏽

👨🏿‍🎤👨🏽‍🎤👨🏼‍🎤👨🏿‍🎤👨🏼‍🎤