Perhaps the group's most important contribution to rap is their speedy, harmonizing flow. While fast rapping has always had a niche in the culture, Bone certainly brought the style to the forefront. In addition, the group's ability to harmonize whilst flowing at top speeds is truly remarkable. Not before nor since has a rapper or rap group sung an a cappella tune without loss of street cred.
Their albums have varied in subject material, with 1994's Creepin on Ah Come Up being heavily influenced by the G-Funk gangsta rap era. E. 1999 Eternal, the group's most successful album, focused primarily on violent criminal activity, but also showed Bone exploring themes of spirituality, and the introduction of the group's trademark "weed songs"-- songs devoted entirely to smoking weed. The group's 1997 album, the Art of War, saw Bone further explore a wide variety of subjects and styles, with even more focus on God and family and an overall more ambient, mellow sound. The group still found time for violent lyrics, though, 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. 2002's Thug World Order album saw a drastic change in subject matter and tone for the group. The lyrics were almost completely void of any violence.
Although 1996 was definitely the peak of their popular appeal, Bone still has a fairly large cult following. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are the only rap artists ever to have collaborated with late rappers Eazy-E, 2Pac, Big Punisher and The Notorious B.I.G.. Their latest release, Thug Stories, was released September 19, 2006.
Bone Thugs released their new album Strength and Loyalty on May 8, 2007 with production by Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, Lil' Jon, Three 6 Mafia, Big Boi of Outkast, Play-N-Skillz, Jermaine Dupri, Timbaland and Dr. Dre. It will be featuring guest appearances by Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Rowland, The Game, Lil Eazy-E ,Mariah Carey, Akon, Chamillionaire, Twista, Busta Rhymes, Stevie Wonder, Eve, Cassidy, Lil' Recka and DMX. According to the group they have recorded nearly 70 tracks and are in the process of deciding which tracks will appear on the album. Although producer DJ-Uneek helped to launch the band to stardom, he does not appear on the album; rather, handling the majority of the producton is Chicago native LT Hutton, with whom the band has worked on prior recordings. According to Bone, the album will feature all-new vocals from imprisoned member Flesh-N-Bone.
The first single, "Just Vibe", has been released on the radio in Southern California. Bizzy Bone will not be on the album. Bone says that this album will be their best ever. Swizz Beatz will handle most of the production, as the group signed in 2005 to Swizz Beatz' Full Surface Records, and in 2006 to Interscope Records.
As of 2006 to the present, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, especially Krayzie Bone, have continued their strong track record of collaborations and appearances on compilation albums. Krayzie appeare d on Duets: The Final Chapter by The Notorious B.I.G, the soundtrack from the Antonio Banderas movie Take the Lead and on DJ Khaled's new album Listennn... The Album (all of these appearances were credited as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on the track listings to show the loyalty of the group). Bone Thugs appeared with Lil Eazy-E on the soundtrack to The Game's debut acting movie Waist Deep, and on The Source Presents Fat Tape Vol. 1. The most successful was Krayzie Bone's appearance on Chamillionaire's #1 single Ridin'. Krayzie Bone is featured on the new 2Pac album Pac's Life on the song "Untouchable (Swizz Beatz Remix)," credited as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
No Surrender
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Crooked officer(fuck the police!)
You wanna come get me, but I'ma keep runnin' cause prison ain't for me
You know me no surrender!
I can break you off, fo sho
You better off dead, cause me in a cell will never prevail
You know me no pretender!
Me runnin' and duckin', evadin' the law, since I can remember
Tryna get paid, sellin' my yay, from January to December
In a gizzard, through the blizzard, on a porch when, it's scorchin'
Only fuck with, familiar, when I'm stackin', my fortune
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
So don't trust the police
Down here, get killed fuckin with the police
No love, no trust, no respect for us
And we will not surrender to the police
Nah, they do us raw
Pull us over, jealous of cars
Lyin witness, they'll shoot niggaz up, leavin families scarred
Nigga fuck the police, they get, behind me
Then fuck the police, I got, what they need
I'm legal, don't give 'em that reason just to fuck with you!
They hate when they can't touch you! And never ever give info to em!
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
We got some issues with the po-po!
They keep on killin us, why ain't nobody seein this? I don't know!
Even niggaz are the victim of the street
The black cop! Black cop, black cop, black cop!
Just like every other day the po-po kill a man
Unjustice, but trust me, don't nobody give a damn
So whatcha gonna do when they try to do you?
Would you pop-pop-pop-pop, pop, or let them shoot you?
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
The song "No Surrender" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is a powerful statement against police brutality and institutionalized racism. The lyrics are a direct indictment of police officers who abuse their power and take innocent lives, and the performers make it clear that they refuse to surrender in the face of this oppression. They reject the authority of the police, refusing to show respect to those who have proven themselves to be corrupt, violent, and unjust.
The opening lines make it clear that the performers have no respect for the police officers who have taken innocent lives. They repeat the phrase "still no surrender," emphasizing their determination to resist and fight back against this oppression. They reject the idea of being a "pretender," someone who would go along with the system and pretend that everything is okay, even when it clearly is not.
Line by Line Meaning
Mr. law protector, me don't respect ya
I have no respect for police officers
Ya took to many innocent lives (still no surrender!)
The police have killed too many innocent people, but we won't give up
It's all too familiar, license to kill ya
The police killing innocent people is nothing new
Seems we beat the rep every time (still no pretender!)
Despite their reputation, we will continue to resist the police
Crooked officer(fuck the police!)
I have no respect for corrupt police officers
You wanna come get me, but I'ma keep runnin' cause prison ain't for me
I will continue to avoid arrest because I refuse to go to prison
You know me no surrender!
I refuse to give up or surrender to the police
I can break you off, fo sho
I can defeat corrupt police officers
You better off dead, cause me in a cell will never prevail
I would rather die than be locked up in prison
Me runnin' and duckin', evadin' the law, since I can remember
I have been avoiding the law for a long time
Tryna get paid, sellin' my yay, from January to December
I sell drugs all year round to make a living
In a gizzard, through the blizzard, on a porch when, it's scorchin'
I am willing to do whatever it takes to continue making money, even in extreme weather conditions
Only fuck with, familiar, when I'm stackin', my fortune
I only do business with people I know when I am making a lot of money
So don't trust the police
The police cannot be trusted
Down here, get killed fuckin with the police
In this neighborhood, people die when they mess with the police
No love, no trust, no respect for us
The police do not show us any love, trust, or respect
And we will not surrender to the police
We will continue to resist the police
Nah, they do us raw
The police treat us unfairly
Pull us over, jealous of cars
The police pull us over because they are envious of our cars
Lyin witness, they'll shoot niggaz up, leavin families scarred
The police will shoot people and leave their families with emotional scars
Nigga fuck the police, they get, behind me
I have no respect for the police and will not let them catch me
Then fuck the police, I got, what they need
I have what the police are looking for, but I will not give it to them
I'm legal, don't give 'em that reason just to fuck with you!
I am not doing anything illegal, but the police will still harass me
They hate when they can't touch you! And never ever give info to em!
The police do not like it when they cannot arrest you, and you should never give them information
We got some issues with the po-po!
We have problems with the police
They keep on killin us, why ain't nobody seein this? I don't know!
The police continue to kill us, and nobody is doing anything about it
Even niggaz are the victim of the street
Even Black people are victims of police brutality
The black cop! Black cop, black cop, black cop!
Even Black police officers are part of the problem
Just like every other day the po-po kill a man
The police kill someone almost every day
Unjustice, but trust me, don't nobody give a damn
There is no justice, and nobody seems to care
So whatcha gonna do when they try to do you?
What will you do when the police come for you?
Would you pop-pop-pop-pop, pop, or let them shoot you?
Will you fight back or let them kill you?
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ADAM M. GIBBS, ANTHONY HENDERSON, CHARLES SCRUGGS, K. WILLIAMS, MICHAEL A. CHESSER, STEVEN HOWSE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind