Tha Crossroads
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| “Tha Crossroads” | |||||
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| Single by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony from the album E 1999 Eternal |
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| Released | April 23, 1996 | ||||
| Format | CD single | ||||
| Recorded | 1995 | ||||
| Genre | Midwest Hip Hop, Ballad | ||||
| Length | 3:46 | ||||
| Label | Ruthless | ||||
| Writer(s) | Bryon McCane II, Anthony Henderson, Steven Howse, Charles Scruggs | ||||
| Bone Thugs-n-Harmony singles chronology | |||||
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"Tha Crossroads" is a 1996 song performed by the rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, dedicated to the late rap icon Eazy-E. It is one of the group's most popular songs to date, and certainly their biggest selling.
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Song information
Originally named "Crossroad," it wasn't until the group and their producer, DJ U-Neek, decided to remake the song that the name was changed. The song "Crossroad" was originally dedicated to Bone's deceased friends, but after the death of Eazy-E they decided to remake it as "Tha Crossroads". The song is performed by four of the group's members, (Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone and Wish Bone), but a remix can be found which includes later addition Flesh-n-Bone. The remake contained the line "And I'm askin' the good Lord "Why?" and sigh, he told me we lived to die" from the original. Bone's lightning fast rhymes are delivered softer than is usual for the group, without profanities and creating a sad and heartfelt effect. With soft instrumentals revolving around a sample of The Isley Brothers' "Make Me Say It Again Girl (Pts. 1 and 2)," the song has a sad yet quick tone to it. After receiving high praise for their song the group decided to add it to their already launched album, E 1999 Eternal. The single rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks, sold over two million copies, and would later win a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards. "Tha Crossroads" is also known to be in the best rap selling songs of all-time. "Tha Crossroads" won Bone Thugs-N-Harmony a grammy for best rap song in 1997, topped #1 in the billboard pop charts for 9 weeks, and broke The Beatles' 32 year-old record for fastest-rising single[citation needed].
The song had reached number two in the United World Chart, knocked-off the top spot by George Michael's Fastlove. It was certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA. The song later appeared on the soundtrack to the 2008 film "Pineapple Express".
In 2008, it was ranked number 33 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
Music Video
The song was accompanied by a music video that showed an imposing black man with sunglasses and a trenchcoat, a reaper, taking souls and leading them up a mountain ultimately to Heaven. They are the only ones who see the man, seeing him get all of Bone's deceased friends and relatives, along with Eazy-E. Also, they are seen on the mountain going to heaven and seeing the man transforming into an angel, carrying a baby he took because the baby was to weak to survive. In the end, the angel takes all the deceased people to Heaven and Bone back to the church, where they are originally singing at the funeral of a boy the angel took, where only the boy's mother sees the angel.
Track Listings
Australian CD Single
- "Tha Crossroads" (D.J. U-Neck's Mo Thug Remix) - 3:50
- "Tha Crossroads" (D.J. U-Neck's Remix Instrumental) - 3:48
- "Crossroad" (LP Version - Radio Edit) - 3:33
- "1st of tha Month" (The Kruder and Dorfmeister Remix) - 6:15
- "Thuggish Ruggish Bone" - 4:42
Official Versions
- "Crossroad" (LP Version)(Original Version) - 3:27
- "Crossroad" (LP Version - Radio Edit) - 3:33
- "Tha Crossroads" (D.J. U-Neek's Mo Thug Remix) - 3:50
- "Tha Crossroads" (D.J. U-Neek's Remix Instrumental) - 3:48
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Original Charts
| Chart (1996) | Peak position[1] |
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| ARIA Australian Singles Chart | 1 |
| ARIA Australian Hip-Hop / Rap Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart | 1 |
| Brazil Hot 100 | 1 |
| Portugal Singles Chart | 1 |
| Germany Singles Chart | 4 |
| United World Chart | 1 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Airplay | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | 1 |
Blazin' Squad version
| “Crossroads” | |||||
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| Single by Blazin' Squad from the album In the Beginning |
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| B-side | "Offering" "Uproar" |
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| Released | August 19, 2002 | ||||
| Format | CD single | ||||
| Recorded | 2002 | ||||
| Genre | Garage, Pop | ||||
| Length | 3:48 | ||||
| Label | East West Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | ? | ||||
| Blazin' Squad singles chronology | |||||
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Blazin' Squad covered the song (under the title of "Crossroads") as their first single. It charted at #1 for one week in August 2002. They would go on to have 7 more top 20 hits, including 5 top 10 singles. The track is featured on their 2002 album In the Beginning.
Track listings
UK CD 1
- Crossroads (Radio Edit)
- Uproar
- Crossroads (Video)
UK CD 2
- Crossroads (Full Version)
- Offering
- Crossroads (TNT Remix)
Chart positions
| Chart (2002) | Peak Position |
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| Portugal Singles Chart | 3 |
| Germany Singles Chart | 82 |
| United World Chart | 27 |
| UK Singles Chart | 1 |
| Preceded by "Round Round" by Sugababes |
UK number-one single (Blazin Squad version) August 25, 2002 (1 week) |
Succeeded by "The Tide Is High" by Atomic Kitten |
Trivia
- "This song is played in TV Shows like "The Jamie Fox Show", and "The Wayans Bros".
- This song is played in the movie "Pineapple Express" when Red is in the bathroom.
- Olivia Munn, co-host of G4's Attack of the Show stated in a recent episode that this is her favorite song.
- "Tha Crossroads" reached to number 33, on the Vh1's 100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs.
References
- ^ "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's 'Tha Crossroads': Chart Positions". Retrieved on May 7, 1996.
| Preceded by "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey |
Billboard Hot 100 number one single May 18, 1996- July 6, 1996 (8 weeks) |
Succeeded by "How Do U Want It / California Love" by 2Pac |
| Preceded by "Killing Me Softly" by Fugees |
RIANZ (New Zealand) number one single June 21, 1996 |
Succeeded by "Chains" by DLT |
| Preceded by "Always Be My Baby" by Mariah Carey |
Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks number one single May 11, 1996 |
Succeeded by "You're Makin' Me High/Let It Flow" by Toni Braxton |
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