Formed in 1991 in Cleveland, Ohio, the group signed with American rapper Eazy-E's Ruthless Records in late 1993 and made their debut with the EP Creepin on ah Come Up the following year.

Their song "Tha Crossroads", a tribute to their recently deceased mentor Eazy-E, earned them a Grammy Award in 1997.

In August 2013, Layzie Bone also announced a temporary departure to concentrate on his independent label, Harmony Howse Entertainment.

In the same month, BTNH signed a new deal with eOne Music (formerly known as Koch Records), with whom they had previously collaborated for the release of Thug Stories in 2006.

Like so many aspiring rappers around the country, they put in calls to executives at record companies, hoping to find someone who would listen.

In hopes of securing a record deal, the group was given an audition over the phone, receiving an unfulfilled promise from rapper Eazy-E to call them back.

They left for a three-day Greyhound trek and spent four months on the city streets, putting in frequent calls to find him.

The EP marked a major change in style for the group, as they now fully embraced the G-funk common in West Coast hip hop of the time.

Critics were particularly intrigued by the album due to Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's ability to reduce the banality associated with gangsta rap in their music at a time when the subgenre had become exceedingly cliché.

[16] A considerable portion of the album's concept was built upon violent subject matter, yet they also incorporated deeper themes, as its songs dealt with more spirituality and occult mysticism.

In 1996, due to their success, the Cleveland clan established their own label, Mo Thugs Records, and released the Family Scriptures compilation album to introduce many of the Cleveland-based and other artists whom they were developing.

There were plans for Bone Thugs-n-Harmony to collaborate with West Coast rapper 2Pac on a studio album titled One Nation.

The project brought hip hop artists from all areas of the American map such as Boot Camp Clik,[18] OutKast, Scarface, E-40, and more.

Bone explored a variety of subjects and styles, with focus on God and family and an overall ambient, mellow sound.

The group incorporated violent lyrics, however, with a large portion of the album dedicated to what they labeled "clones" who claimed Bone had stolen their quick-tongued rapping style and vice versa.

The group's promotional efforts were dampened by the absence of Bizzy Bone from the album's videos and from large portions of the ensuing tour and other public appearances.

Around this time, the lyrical content of some of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's songs came under scrutiny, with their music being involved in the criminal trials of Michael Tisius and Mitchell Johnson.

[14] The album contains guest appearances by Mariah Carey, the Game, will.i.am, Akon, Twista, Bow Wow, Yolanda Adams, and Felecia.

Producers on the album included Swizz Beatz, Akon, Pretty Boy, Bradd Young, DJ Toomp, Jermaine Dupri, will.i.am, and others.

Although the album embodies old tracks, there are some notable changes: new beats, distorted production, voice manipulation, and new song titles.

The sole single off the album was "Young Thugs", which was accompanied by a newly filmed music video featuring Krayzie, Layzie, Bizzy, and Wish.

In a video interview, Krayzie Bone stated that they all wanted to reunite, but that record label issues might prevent an official reunion.

The group put their differences aside to reunite and belatedly mark their 20th anniversary at the Rock the Bells festival series of summer 2012.

[37] During Summer 2012, West Coast rapper Game sampled Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's "1st Of Tha Month" on his posse cut "Celebration", with the group's blessing.

He then told XXL that he had approached the group about a reunion album in the middle of the previous year, and they had begun recording it at the end of 2013.

Krayzie estimated that Bone Thugs-n-Harmony probably recorded 75 to 100 songs since they began work on the album, which was planned as a double-disc project.

The second disc was planned to feature a large number of big-name guest appearances such as Mariah Carey, Kendrick Lamar, Phil Collins, Wiz Khalifa, Drake, A$AP Mob, and Linkin Park, along with beats from Dr. Dre and DJ U-Neek, who had each been tapped for the album.

[44] All five members of the group would appear on rapper Wiz Khalifa's 2018 album Rolling Papers 2, each providing a verse for the song "Reach for the Stars".

[citation needed] In early 2020, the group announced that they were changing their name to Boneless Thugs-n-Harmony in a promotion for Buffalo Wild Wings.

Bizzy was escorted off stage at one point for throwing a bottle at Juicy J, but soon returned and apologized as the show resumed without incident.