Today in Hip-Hop: Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Drop ‘E. 1999 Eternal’ Album

On this day, July 25, in hip-hop history…

1995: Twenty one years ago today, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony released one of hip-hop’s most beloved albums, E. 1999 Eternal. In 1994, the Cleveland-based collective released their debut EP, Creepin On Ah Come Up, and introduced the hip-hop world to their melodic-yet-hardcore style. While their debut album established Bone Thugs-N-Harmony as a group to watch, their sophomore LP, E. 1999 Eternal solidified the group as one of hip-hop's very best acts.

E. 1999 Eternal was executive produced by, and dedicated to the late Eazy-E, who passed away just months before the completion of the album. The album spawned classic singles including “1st of Tha Month” and their Grammy-winning tribute to Eazy-E, “Tha Crossroads.” The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 1996 Grammy Awards but lost out to Naughty by Nature's Poverty's Paradise. E. 1999 Eternal sold over ten million copies worldwide and is widely regarded as a hip-hop classic. Salute the Bone Thugs! —Chisom Uzosike

50 Great Albums From Rappers With Poetic Flows