Following the huge success of his THUG Mentality 1999, Krayzie Bone took another walk down the solo album road to release Thug On Da Line. Less heavier than THUG Mentality 1999, Thug On Da Line offers a deeper insight into what KB has to say on his situation after so much success as a solo Bone…

 

Yall Don’t Know Me 

This is the opening track beginning with a unique sound… unique because the acclaimed LT Hutton produced the beat to it. The song is a dig at how since his last release so many clones have come along and the attention from people he doesn’t know who see him on MTV and BET claiming they know him

Ride The Thug Line – ft The Gunslangers (Keef G, Bam & Young Dre) 

This is the first song on the CD to feature some of KB’s new Thugline artists. Their verses come off fine and the beat has a nice sound but coz KB is introducing his new clique you have to wait 3 verses until you get to hear him Dope sounds

Can’t Hustle Forever – ft Lareece & Young Dre 

The whole mood changes to something downbeat and slower, the intro of the song is accompanied by rain and thunder and the song tells about KB’s struggle as a thug, caught up where he cant give up otherwise he faces failure. Lareece and Young Dre also tell their thoughts. Song works out nice

Talk To Myself – ft Tiffany 

In my opinion this is the best track on the CD. Kicks in with an RnB feel and the chorus with Tiffany and KB. *****ing awesome! The song is very deep and the chorus is true Krayzie Bone soul as he tells of the loneliness of being a thug. The flow and the singing are balanced perfectly to make a class song. Great lead out to the song also.

A Thugga Level – ft Boss & Lareece 

This song turns up the tempo from the last as a great club banger. Both Boss and Krayzie tear up their verses as each contributes to theirs and finishes lines etc, although because of that its only two verses. A good duet.

Da Thugz 

Irv Gotti had some input in producing this track. You will either like it or hate is as “Da THUGS” is repeated after every bar, which makes it essentially a skipper track

If Only The Knew – ft Lareece

This gem of an RnB song uses Michael Jackson’s ‘Girlfriend’ as the chorus, but put to much better use. A harmonious flow from KB from the verses to the hook with Lareece makes this a very good song. As with stereotypical RnB this is a love triangle type story about creeping with someone else’s girl. At just above 3 minutes you’ll still find time to appreciate this song

I Don’t Give A ***** 

Good step to it with some brass loops accompanying The song is like and opposite to Y’all Don’t Know Me, now he doesn’t care anymore, biters and clones matter not. A good song

Time After Time

This is another deep song driven by a very simple beat. The message of the song is delivered through singing rather than rapping as KB questions life and prays to God about his issues including marriage Although the song is short it’s catchy and has an impact with another of KB’s harmony flows reminiscent of the solo songs he did on The Art Of War CD

Ride If you Like – ft Lareece, Asu & K-Mont 

The guitar is strung for an upbeat song. The song does more Thugline advertising but each manages to pull off their verse fine. KB does another fine job with his verse filling breaks in perfectly and referring to his bud smoking habits. That’s how we like it!

If You A Thug – ft Lareece, K-Mont & Asu

Its more use of line repetition as most lines begin “if you a thug…” Going out to all the fakers in the industry who try to be badass, brought to you by the Thugline rappers. The beat chosen has a Turkish feel to it mixed with light bass farting set to the drum rhythm

Hard Time Hustlin’ 

Using the same formula from songs like Dummy Man, Hard Time Hustlin’ is the tale of a teenager trying to come up when his mother and father have been laid off and his brother is locked down. The only way he can do this is by selling rocks on street corners to make money quickly. The success gets to him but he doesn’t heed the warnings his brother gives… Hook is provided by one of Krayzie’s favourite singers, Sade

Gemini 

KB’s conscience is having a struggle over the way the management is treating him and the stress its causing so the Good and Bad sides tell their view of how to deal with it, done by manipulating KB’s voice to sound higher and lower. Another unique track from LT Hutton

I Don’t Know What – ft Kelis 

From the start this is a very typical Neptunes produced song but the beat grows on you (even though the vocals and beat don’t really fit!) Clearly KB chose the Neptunes to produce this song for a fresh sound to fresh vocals, but the vocals are fresher. KB doesn’t take part in the chorus, surprisingly, it’s left to Kelis, but it works

Rollin’ Up Some Mo’ – ft Lareece, Asu, K-Mont, Boss & Keef G 

A humorous, blunted take of Mambo No. 5 which is slowed down to work with the subject matter KB’s voice works perfectly with this type of song but the other rappers ruin the mellowed out feel

Everybody Wanna Be Thugs 

This song has a hint of THUG Mentality to it A clapped out beat put to deep underlying bass and a xylophone look make a sweet beat KB protests that he was a thug since a child unlike studio gangstaz who claim the same but know it isn’t true. The verses come quickly but they could have left the beat play on a little longer as the song ends

Bloody Murder (skit) 

Brings you back to the days or Mr Ouija as KB sings us into the next track…

Kneight Riduz Wuz Here – (By Kneigh Riduz) 

Another freaky tune from the Kneight Riduz with their cartoony “thug pirate” vocals There is no KB on this song and you’ll probably skip because the cartoon vocals just sound wack

Ready For Combat (skit) 

Another sung-in intro for the next song. Less than 30 seconds but KB’s voice works well enough anyway. You might skip but its short enough that you won’t need to reach for the remote before it’s over

Thug On Da Line – ft K-Mont, Lareece, Asu & Wish Bone 

The final song on the album with a super funky beat provided by Super Sako This is the only song to feature another Bone in although Wish only sings a few lines before he’s out! The song tells that Thugline will be taking over in the near future (where are they now?) Verses are fine although when KB breaks into them it rescues what possibly would become boring verses as KB has the edge lyrically and vocally above any rapper other than Bone that appear on a track with him.

 

Conclusion: Although KB wanted to break into the scene after 2000 with Thugline, sadly the rappers are nowhere near what he can put down on a track in his Thuggish Ruggish style. Had their been less appearances from his own Thugline team the CD would be more personal to him. Although this CD is less hard than THUG Mentality 1999, Thug On Da Line is still an essential CD for any Bone, RnB fan, or someone looking for a good CD released after the year 2000. Overall, you can never resist the sounds of a Bone record, especially KB and the CD is worth: 4.5/5