For better or worse, Bizzy Bone has always been the standout member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Pretty boy gone bad looks. Check. Rumored drug and alcohol abuse. Check. Deep religious afflictions. Check. Of every member of the group, he has long seemed like the one who was never really there. Regardless of the drama that seems to follow his every move, Bizzy has crafted an extensive solo recording career beginning with 1998’s Heaven’z Movie and now his latest, A Song for You (After Platinum Records). Intertwined in his swift harmonized flow lies deeper issues. The first of his life altering experiences was being kidnapped by his sister’s father as a child. According to published reports four-year old Bryon Anthony McCane II was led by his abductor to believe that his mother was dead. McCane was later reunited with his mother who worked with the FBI and America’s Most Wanted to bring him back to safety. Survive an ordeal like that and you yourself might start to question a few things. Though Bizzy has never publicly acknowledged it, there’s a good chance that his “strange” behavior is a result of his childhood. But this isn’t a therapy session and Bizzy Bone is not interested in discussing the trials and tribulations that led him on this journey. Instead he’s more comfortable talking about the here and now. AllHipHop.com: What prompted you to record a A Song For You?Bizzy Bone: Just working and trying to stay productive and different things of that nature. Just doing what needs to be done and of course having different things to speak to the world about. AllHipHop.com: What is the status of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony?Bizzy Bone: I don’t know. I think that Bone Thugs-N-Harmony can say that and talk about that more than anything else. Layzie and I, we keep a steady close relationship and as far as the rest of the members, they’re doing their own thing. We’re waiting on Flesh-N-Bone to get out of prison. Once he gets out maybe we can put the group back together. It just depends on how things go.AllHipHop.com: Your album is named after Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You””, why did you want to put you own spin on such an iconic song?Bizzy Bone: It was something that the record company, After Platinum, put together. It was a beautiful thing. Everything seemed to work out correctly. It was one of the first times that Hip-Hop actually took its presence in that. You know what I mean? It was more or less like Stevie Wonder remade it and now it was our turn to re-do it. A few other artists re-did tracks. It was basically our turn to do what needed to be done. And you know, the X-Man [DMX] put that polish on it and made it righteous. Chris Notes added the vocals and it was a beautiful ting. Everything came together like a well cooked meal. It was like eating a Thanksgiving dinner. [Bizzy Bone f/ DMX & Chris Notez “A Song For You”]AllHipHop.com: You and Twista collaborated on this album. Since you’re both known for your fast flow, what were the unique elements that you both brought to the table?Bizzy Bone: I think it was the West Side style. The Chi-Town style with just basically the fast flow. I put some harmony in it and put the sing-songy hook. Everybody was more or less like “Are ya’ll beefin’?” And that’s just the way it is. We cool so we had to put something together.AllHipHop.com: You also worked with Joel Madden from Good Charlotte.Bizzy Bone: Yes, he put together a track for me called “I’m the One.” It was really cool. He did the production on it as well as the chorus line so it added that rock appeal.AllHipHop.com: Aside from the album, you also worked on a tribute song with Biggie Smalls? Bizzy Bone: What happened was we were in New York and we had gotten word that they were putting together something for Biggie Smalls. I went in there and did what I had to do and it was a beautiful thing. One take, and dubbed it up a few times and everything was lovely.AllHipHop.com: What did Biggie mean to you?Bizzy Bone: You’re talking about more than a friend you’re talking about a family member. You’re talking about a close personal relative when you talk about him and his death. It leaves a bad taste in the mouth. You can’t blame Jesus for what happened and that’s basically how I look at it. There isn’t any hatred or nothing like that. I am at a place of serenity as far as that’s concerned. Once you understand that you can move forward.AllHipHop.com: On a personal note, I know that you were kidnapped as a child…Bizzy Bone: I don’t want to talk about that stuff. That’s over with.AllHipHop.com: How did the kidnapping change your view on child safety and what is or is not being done?Bizzy Bone: I don’t really have no opinions on it. That’s like personal stuff. I don’t really get into that. Once you get passed something you don’t like to re-hash it over and over again. Some people are blind and what they need to see is something that is well within them. I believe the children are out future and basically to be real honest with you just stay away from the devil and you’ll be alright and the kids will be safe. What prompts a person to do those things? That’s Satan. When Satan jumps into a body and tries to prompt somebody to do something to a child, that’s the devil all day long. You can’t even cover that up. You can’t put a bunch of perfume on s**t and expect it to smell good.AllHipHop.com: How did you get to this place of forgiveness and understanding? Was it religion?Bizzy Bone: I was watching TV about the anti-Christ. The anti-Christ is completely against everything that Jesus was for. So Jesus was good and the anti-Christ is directly the opposite. He’s not a savior. He’s not good. He’s bad in every way. So that’s basically how I look at that. Right is what’s right and what’s wrong is what’s wrong. A lot of people have to deal with it because they’re out here and they don’t have nothing to look forward to. If you’re called up into the rapture then you have to deal with it; and once you do get called up your body still stays here. You find out what your spirit and soul is really made of.
