Bone Thugs-n-Harmony @ Fader Fort (SXSW 2010) - pics

March 22, 2010

Thanks to past exploits and possibly fake leaks, rumors were running wild about who might show up at this year’s “Fader Fort” at SXSW. Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, The Strokes, and Black Eyed Peas were all names I read in unsubstantiated tweets and on other websites. Ends up there weren’t many unannounced guests at the four-day, outdoor Levi’s-sponsored venue space. Nas & Damian Marley (who have a new album coming out and are on other festival lineups) were the “special guest” on the first night, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony were the announced & exclusive headliner of the final frigid night. They went on after Sleigh Bells played.

“Yo, let’s take this shit back, wayyyyyyy back,” Krayzie Bone said onstage at the Fader Fort. “Back to 1995, motherfucka!” The reunited Cleveland rap group then busted out a handful of tracks off their four-million-selling ’95 release, E. 1999 Eternal: “1st of tha Month,” “Tha Crossroads,” and “East 1999.” The sound was initially a bit muddy on their turbo-fast raps, but hit a smooth streak when they got all Boyz 2 Men on “I Tried” and “Days of Our Lives,” two piano ballads with three-way vocals. Hey, they’re not joking about the “harmony” in their name. The throwback streak continued with tributes to Tupac, Eazy-E, and Notorious BIG, including a particularly awesome version of “Notorious Thugz,” their collabo with Biggie. “Bring that fat motherfucker back to life!” Bizzy belted. Oh, snap! — WG [Jukke]

More pictures from the show below…