Two of the most tenured groups in Hip-Hop history will face off in the next Verzuz matchup as Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia are set to go classic for classic and hit for hit live from Los Angeles on Dec. 2. Announced via Verzuz‘s Instagram account this past Friday (Nov. 12), this pairing of crews is one that’s long overdue as the two sides have been eying a showdown since last year; however, the battle was held off due to Verzuz‘s transition into its official partnership with Triller.
Both debuting during the ’90s, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia are credited as two acts who helped break through regional borders to become beloved nationally and have established themselves as legendary collectives within the culture.
Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, Bone Thugs consists of members Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone and were discovered by late rap icon and CEO Eazy-E. Signed to Ruthless Records, where they released a string of commercially successful albums, including Creepin on ah Come Up (1993), E. 1999 Eternal (1995), The Art of War (1997), and BTNHResurrection (2000), Bone Thugs scored multiple anthems throughout their career with singles like “Thuggish Ruggish Bone,” “Foe tha Love of $,” “1st of tha Month,” “East 1999,” and “Tha Crossroads,” cementing their status as one of the top hitmakers in the game during their era.
Repping Memphis, Tenn., Three 6 Mafia debuted with a lineup that included founders DJ Paul, Juicy J, Lord Infamous, and Koopsta Knicca with rappers Gangsta Boo and Crunchy Black rounding out the group prior to the release of their 1995 album, Mystic Styles. Gaining traction with the follow-up efforts Chapter 1: The End (1996) and Chapter 2: World Domination (1997), Three 6 Mafia broke out with their platinum-certified 2000 release, When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1, which produced the massive hit, “Sippin’ on Some Syrup” featuring UGK and Project Pat.
Riding that momentum, the group continued their upward trajectory, adding additional platinum plaques (Most Known Unknown) and hits to their resume, as well as becoming the first rap group to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 78th Academy Awards for “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp” from the film Hustle & Flow in 2006.
With Bone Thugs being the only group to have recorded songs with 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E, and Big Pun while they were alive, and Three 6 Mafia boasting affiliates like Project Pat and La Chat that could serve as possible wild cards during the matchup, this Verzuz is one that’s primed to be filled with twists and plenty of fireworks that you surely don’t wanna miss out on.