Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s Krayzie Bone is well on the mend, and ready to resume performing with the group, just months after he was placed in a medically-induced coma to address a ruptured artery in his lung.
Spin’s Kylie Eustice caught up with Krayzie for his first interview since news of his hospitalization in September drew prayers and well-wishes from across the hip-hop community. The rapper shared details of the serious health scare (whose severity took him by surprise), his recovery, and his plans to rejoin Bone Thugs for his first performance since his brush with death this coming weekend, Dec. 16.
Krayzie Bone (center), with bandmates Layzie Bone and Wish Bone in 2005.
“Man, the main [takeaway] is to never take life for granted,” the rapper told Spin. “I went to the emergency room just expecting to have a quick checkup, fix whatever the problem was and go home. It ended up I didn’t leave until 10 days later and the condition I went home in was crazy. Just seeing how fast everything could change is definitely eye-opening. I don’t take anything for granted. Cherish all the loved ones you have.”
The 50-year-old rapper had been diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis back in 2016, and checked himself into the hospital in Los Angeles on Sept. 25 after coughing up blood. He later learned an artery in his lung had ruptured, though had no idea how serious the condition was until after he had undergone surgery. As he told Spin: “We had a show that weekend in Las Vegas, so I texted my people and told them, ‘Yo, just letting y’all know I was coughing up blood and they gotta put me under to see what the problem is. I’m just letting y’all know just in case I don’t make the show this weekend.’ After that, I woke up 10 days later.”
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are scheduled to perform at The Bellwether in Los Angeles on Dec. 16.
Founded in Cleveland, Ohio, by Krayzie, Bizzy Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Layzie Bone and Wish Bone, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony were among the best-selling hip-hop groups of the 1990s. First signed by Eazy-E, the group’s 1995 album E. 1999 Eternal and 1997’s follow-up The Art of War both topped the U.S. album chart, and both went quadruple platinum. The group’s signature 1996 track “Tha Crossroads” topped the Billboard singles chart for eight consecutive weeks, later winning the Grammy Award for Best Hip-Hop Performance by a Duo or Group. Bone Thugs returned to the top 10 of the singles chart a decade later, when their Akon collaboration “I Tried” reached No. 6. Continuing to tour and record throughout the past decade, they most recently made a return to the charts, of sorts, when their Notorious B.I.G. collaboration “Notorious Thugs” was sampled by Nicki Minaj on her Pink Friday 2 album, released last week.
Krayzie has released a number of albums as a solo artist, though his most successful work outside of Bone Thugs came with his guest appearance on Chamillionaire's "Ridin'," which won a Grammy in 2006 for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group.
