Bizzy Bone
Bizzy Bone - Live in Concert 2009
Background information
Birth name	Bryon Anthony McCane II
Also known as	Lil Ripsta, B.B Gambini, Gambino, Bizzy The Kid, Midwest Cowboy
Born	(1976-09-12) September 12, 1976 (age 35) Columbus, Ohio, United States
Origin	Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Ruthless (1994-2002) BTNH Worldwide (2009-presnt) Mo Thugs (1996-1998) Virgin Records (2007-2008) Bungalo (2003-2004) SMC (2005) Real Talk (2006-present) After Platinum Records (2006-2008) Hi-Power (2006-2009) Warner Bros (2010-2011) Sumerian Records (2010-2011)
Associated acts	Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Bone Brothers, Eazy-E, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, Mr. Capone-E, Twista, Jim Jones, Snoop Dogg, P. Diddy, DJ Quik, Sylk-E. Fyne, Immature, Bad Azz

Bryon Anthony McCane II (born September 12, 1976),^[1] better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper and the youngest member of the Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

Early life[link]

Bryon Anthony McCane was born to a half Native American and half African father and an Italian mother.^{[citation needed]} At the age of 5, Bryon and his two sisters were abducted by his stepfather. Both his sisters were natural children of Bryon's stepfather. He lived in many homes, apartments, cars and motels and was unaware at first that he had been abducted. He was told his mother had died. In 1983, he was living at a reservation in Oklahoma where his stepfather had dropped him off. A neighbor saw his photo at the end of the made-for-TV movie, Adam and called the police, resulting in his return to his family.^[2]

Thereafter, his childhood remained difficult. His mother remarried and Bryon's new stepfather physically abused him and his mother. Eventually, his mother divorced and put him and his sisters in a foster home until she could get her life back together.^[3]

When he was thirteen, Bryon went to live with his sisters and their father in Cleveland, Ohio. During this period he met Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone and Flesh-n-Bone. Bizzy Bone started in hip hop as a founding member of the group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, which was formed in 1993. This Cleveland-based crew first got the ear of N.W.A. member Eazy-E. In 2002, he appeared on the FOX series America's Most Wanted (hosted by John Walsh, Adam's father) ^[4] and he revealed his abusive childhood and molestation. Bryon also wrote and performed a song on the show entitled "A.M.W." in which he thanks Walsh and encourages abused children to come forward.

The ground-breaking rapper's accomplishments include numerous releases with Bone Thugs-n-Harmony as well as an extensive collection of solo releases.

Solo career[link]

Bizzy Bone started his solo career in 1998. He is best known for his style of combining rapid fire raps and double harmony choruses, with a soft-spoken and high-pitched delivery. His solo debut, Heaven'z Movie, was critically acclaimed and certified Platinum by the RIAA. Though the critical and commercial feedback was great, the album was unfinished and rushed by Ruthless Records owner Tomica Wright. Singles for Heaven'z Movie were Thugz Cry and Nobody Can Stop Me. The album didn't sound entirely unlike a Bone Thugs album, but it was obvious that on his own Bizzy felt free to explore his psyche and to go eccentric places his group just would not.

The Gift, released on April 7, 2001, peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Independent Albums chart. Many of the songs on the album dealt with his personal life and childhood. The Gift further divided Bone fans, with some seeing his confessional writing as riveting while others found it overly indulgent.

In 2004, Bizzy released Alpha and Omega which showed a change in his musical and lyrical content. Fans responded positively to the album. Bizzy followed up with the limited-edition internet album The Beginning And The End featuring many 7th Sign (Bizzy's own label) members.

He released other albums including Speaking in Tongues and For The Fans vol.1 in 2005, Thug's Revenge, The Story, Only One, Evolution of Elevation and The Midwest Cowboy in 2006, Trials & Tribulations in 2007, Ruthless and, A Song for You in 2008.

7th Sign Regime (Records)[link]

During Bizzy Bone's solo career, he also formed his own camp entitled the 7th Sign Regime, started with a vision & inspiration along side Tupac Shakur. While over the years many of the original members have come and gone it is still strong till this day. One of the original members Q Loco has kept the régime alive by recruiting some of the best artists that he and Bizzy Bone have come across throughout the nation. The roster includes: Q Loco, First Lady Mrz. Loco, Whodini-Blak, Skin-N-Bone$, V-Slim, Half Deezy, Kray, Phantom, Indigenous People, Fetti Entertainment & Loco Familia/Ent. While behind the scenes the 7th Sign Regime have been preparing and gearing up for a ground breaking appearance within the hip hop and Bone community.

Controversy[link]

On May 2, 2005, Bizzy Bone made news when he displayed unusual behavior during an appearance on Houston's KPFT radio show, "Damage Control".^[5] He was asked about KPFT during an MTV interview and commented, "Everybody thought I went crazy, they were questioning my motives and what was going on." ^[6] He also stated he felt he was being antagonized during the interview and went into defense mode. He later admitted to having a drinking problem and that his family had attempted to have him committed to a mental health facility.

On June 16, 2011 in Chicago Illinois after a Bone Thugs Concert on Bizzy's tour bus it was reported that Bizzy Bone assaulted two Bone Thugs-n-Harmony fans and gave one a broken nose.^{[citation needed]}

Discography[link]

In other media[link]

• The song "Jesus" was featured in the movie Bully.
• The song "Hollywood" was featured in the video game True Crime: Streets of LA.
• The song "Fried Day" was featured in the movie "Next Friday"
• He was also featured on track nine of I See Stars' 2009 album, 3-D.

Filmography[link]

1. Cutthroat Alley (2003) .... Ghetty
2. Jacked Up (2001) .... Zach

References[link]

External links[link]

• Bizzy Bone on Myspace
• Bizzy Bone at MTV
• Bizzy Bone at Allmusic

www.insideabizzymind.com www.onlyonemediagroup.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2011)

Erick Sermon (born November 25, 1967, Bay Shore, New York, United States)^[1] is an American rapper, musician, and producer.

Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s–1990s hip hop group EPMD^[2] and for production work. He currently resides in Islandia, New York.

Career[link]

The Green-Eyed Bandit also made multiple solo recordings and albums. He began recording solo albums for Def Jam in 1993; in 1997, he rejoined EPMD. The following year, Sermon, Murray and Redman recorded a cover version of "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang, the first hit hip hop record. EPMD disbanded a second time in 1999.

In 2000, Sermon moved over to J Records, and released the album Music the following year. The title track (a Top 40 pop hit that also made it to #2 on the US Billboard R&B chart), featured guest vocals from Marvin Gaye, culled from unreleased recordings which Sermon reportedly found in a small record shop in London.

Sermon continued working on an album. React was released in 2002. The title track became a major hit song, though the album still had disappointing sales. In 2003, J Records dropped Sermon due to poor record sales. However, he still went on to establish his Def Squad imprint with Motown Records. At this time, he recorded an album, Chilltown, N.Y., which was released a year later in 2004. The album was powered by the single "Feel It" (which contained a sample of reggae/R&B singer Sean Paul), a song which became a success in the United States.

In an interview, he stated that he was going to step aside and try to get upcoming artists in the spotlight. However, Sermon has not stopped in the music industry, as he produced the song "Goldmine" on Busta Rhymes' album, The Big Bang in 2006. Soon after, Sermon has recorded "Don't Make No Sense" with Def Squad. He also collaborated with Redman and produced a few songs on the album Red Gone Wild while also making an appearance with Def Squad member Keith Murray.

Sermon was also heavily involved in Method Man's 2006 album 4:21... The Day After as well as the 1999 platinum Blackout! album by Method Man & Redman.

In early 2008, Sermon and EPMD started their own record label called EP Records, distributed by RBS/Universal Music Group. The seventh EPMD album, We Mean Business, came out in December 2008.

Sermon was featured in the final episode of Yo! MTV Raps in a freestyle session featuring artists such as Rakim, KRS-One, Chubb Rock, MC Serch and Craig Mack.

On November 12, 2011, Sermon suffered a heart attack from which he recovered.^[3]

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Erick Sermon at the Internet Movie Database
• Erick Sermon on Myspace

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is an American hip hop band from Cleveland, Ohio formed in 1991. It originally consisted of rappers Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Wish Bone. Rapper Eazy-E of the group N.W.A signed Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Ruthless Records in late 1993, when Bone Thugs debuted with EP Creepin on ah Come Up. The EP included the hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone".

In 1995, the group released its second album, E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "Tha Crossroads." A tribute to the recently deceased Eazy-E, "Tha Crossroads," won a Grammy award in 1997. The Art of War, the group's third album, was also released in 1997. Bone Thugs is also the only group that has worked with deceased artists 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E & Big Pun while they were still alive.

In 2000 BTNHResurrection reached platinum in one month and Thug World Order (2002) received more moderate sales and promotion. After the album the group went on hiatus and released their sixth studio album Thug Stories independently before returning in 2007 with the major label release Strength & Loyalty, this time released by Swizz Beatz's label Full Surface Records. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony officially returned with their new album Uni-5: The World's Enemy, released in 2010 by their own record label, BTNH Worldwide, with distribution by Warner Bros.. Due to internal conflicts with the group, longtime members Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone officially left the group in April 2011. Despite speculation that the group was splitting up, Flesh-n-Bone announced that a new album with him, Layzie and Bizzy will be released soon. Krayzie and Wish are currently working with upcoming artists on their label The Life Ent.