In a recount of a historic hip-hop incident, Layzie Bone reveals that The Notorious B.I.G. played a pivotal role in diffusing a brawl between Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Wu-Tang Clan. The revelation came during an interview with The Art of Dialogue, where the Bone Thugs legend delved into the group’s connection with Biggie after he intervened in what Layzie Bone describes as a “sticky situation.”
The incident unfolded at Russell Simmons’ Christmas party, where Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, including their newly-signed member Flesh-n-Bone, were invited. Layzie Bone recalls the party turning chaotic when Wu-Tang Clan entered, resulting in a scuffle involving members and entourages from both groups.
Layzie Bone details the intense moment, saying:
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“Something happened, Wu-Tang came in, one member or another member had some — it had nothing to do with the main characters; it was our up-and-coming artists and people that were around, our entourage.”
”So pushing and shoving started, bottles get to throwing, a fight broke out. When [Bone Thugs’ “Everyday Thang 2” came on at the party] all hell broke loose. And then we had to get up out of there.”“Thank God, rest in peace to Chris Lighty and his brother Dave Lighty got us out the party. Coming out the party, we was finna get rushed. Now, we just went to breakfast with Method Man that morning so we didn’t understand the confusion.”
“So Meth was like, ‘Ya’ll gonna get up outta here.’ But it was n-ggas coming with them thangs, though. It was finna go there and that’s when Biggie showed up. He kinda cleared the path for us to get outta there. That’s a long story short. Way more shit happened than that.””
– Layzie Bone
The escalating tension led to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony having to leave the party.
Thankfully, industry veteran Chris Lighty and his brother Dave Lighty stepped in to assist Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in exiting the event safely. However, upon leaving, the group faced the threat of an impending confrontation. This is when The Notorious B.I.G. made a dramatic entrance, clearing a path for Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and diffusing the volatile situation.
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The altercation, taking place in 1996, had been recounted earlier by Consequence, who provided insights into the outbreak of violence following Ghostface Killah’s assault on Wish Bone with a champagne bottle.
Consequence also mentioned witnessing Ghostface change into a ninja outfit during the chaos, attributing the tension to the broader East Coast vs. West Coast feud of the 1990s.
This account provides a unique perspective on a critical moment in hip-hop history, showcasing the interplay of personalities and rivalries within the genre.
