Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia is gearing up for a Verzuz battle, which should be another memorable event. Of course, what brings high expectations is what the two rap groups have blessed the game with. Horrorcore, a subgenre of Hip Hop, added another entity to the culture much like Horror did to the film industry. There were several acts that contributed. However, Bone and Three-6’s Creepin’ on Ah Come Up and Mystic Stylez, respectively, put both groups front and center of the subgenre.
Bone’s Creepin on Ah Come Up dropped first in 1994. The intro sounded like you were walking into a haunted house on Cleveland’s East side. It consisted of a spooky voice talking backwards, which many believe it was Satanic talk at the time.
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The album really got spooky when Krayzie, Layzie, Wish, Bizzy, and Flesh relied upon the infamous Ouija Board to tell them their fate in “Mr. Ouija.”
The group lightened up on the demonic themed cuts for a more commercial appeal on “Thuggish Ruggish Bone,” the album’s first single.
“You’re feelin’ the strength of the rump, step up,” Layzie spits.
“Hear the funk of the jump that the thugstas feel/Just be thuggin’, straight buzzin’/Lovin’ your peoples cause we so real/Chill, better bring your weapon when steppin’/Bring on that ammunition/trip and don’t slip — not to mention, never knew no competition.”
Bone would take a similar approach in “Foe tha Love of $,” featuring their mentor, Eazy-E. However, “No Surrender” and the title track were back to the spooky vibes.
Three 6 Mafia dropped Mystic Sylez a year later. They were very descriptive about the scary streets of Memphis in their first release. In fact, they make First 48 look like a Disney film. And the narrations make the late-Robert Stack equivalent to your kindergartner teacher.
Like Bone’s, Mystic Stylez intro was horror-themed. With the Vincent Price-inspired laugh and church bells incorporated in the production, it prepared your ears for what was to become.
Upbeat records like “Break the Law” and “In da Game” can be accredited for creating the subgenre, Crunk music.
Paul and Juicy is responsible for the sounds in terms of production, but it was Lord Infamous and Koopsta Nicca who took the scary flow to a Wes Craven level.
Though Gangsta Boo, aka The Devils Daughter, was the only female in the group, she held her own in tracks like “Live By Yo Rep” and the aforementioned, “In da Game.”
Ironically, Bone and Three 6 were at odds for a while. I’m still amazed at how similar styles caused the riff when there was clearly a difference — slightly, but different. Three-6 had the choppy flow over more spooky production. Whereas, Bone flow was choppy, but more melodic and they leaned more on the West Coast sound in terms of production.
I guess the silver lining in the beef goes to show just how big Hip Hop was on originality. Back then, having similar styles could cause a beef.
RIP Eazy-E, Koopsta Knicca, and Lord Infamous.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s ‘Creepin’ On Ah Come Up’ or Three 6 Mafia’s ‘Mystic Stylez’?
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Creepin’ On Ah Come Up – 67%
Three 6 Mafia – Mystic Stylez – 33%