Layzie Bone's New Mixtape, Legacy and Expungement

Layzie Bone, a legend as a founding member Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, has just released Smoke With Me Vol. 1. is a mixtape that features only weed-themed tracks. It will be available for free download on April 20. Layzie’s highly anticipated project Smoke With Me, which he will produce this year under his own label Harmony Howse Entertainment, is one of the most anticipated. Layzie, also known as L-Burna and Steven Howse, reflects back on the early days of gangsta rap becoming mainstream. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s first full-length album E. 1999 Eternal reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing the hip-hop charts. They reached the top of the charts several times more in the years that followed. Their often-duplicated rat-a–tat rapping style is perhaps the most impressive aspect of their voice, which created a natural harmony. N.W.A. was founded 30 years ago. N.W.A. had outgrown itself and members had moved onto finding new talent. Eazy-E left the world his final gift before he died from AIDS. He discovered Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, which was his final goodbye gift. It’s hard to forget the “Tha Crossroads,” heavy rotation video that Layzie and his older brother Flesh-n-Bone, a baritone joined. We all know the rest. Layzie is now the mentor, paving the way for young artists who want to follow his footsteps. Layzie, who is a lifetime smoker and is well-versed in history, reminds us that America was built on marijuana. He also wants to erase his own record. U.S. Marshals arrested Layzie in his home on warrants for federal cannabis-related charges. Layzie was arrested by Marshals in his home for federal cannabis-related charges. “You know Jumbo Joose is my homeboy’s brand? I vape it early in the morning. There are many eras of weed songs. Where do you start? Layzie performed with Wish Bone and Krayzie Bone at the 2018 Amsterdam Cannabis Cup. Layzie starts by saying that he has “always had time for High Times.” High Times: As you all know, 420 is coming up. Word is spreading that you’re dropping a new mixtape Smoke With Me Vol. 1? 1. There are so many weed songs out, but there are still many more that the world hasn’t heard. I’m excited about some songs that I got from my bomb brothers who didn’t make any projects in the past but that we revised. So I’m happy, I am happy to be able give the world something from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. It’s all on the weed tip, but um, you know. It’s a very cold groove, you know. It’s difficult to describe. It’s relaxing. It’s exciting. It’s exciting. Photo courtesy Harmony Howse Entertainment. Are there any special guests? Are you able to name any? You get what I’m referring to. I would love to surprise a few guests, but it’s not a surprise vocally. I am really excited about the music that Bone Thugs-N-Harmony gave me. I believe we got some great songs and I think they will be a joy to listen to live. It is true that you will be performing with Ice Cube. Our New Mexico show will feature Ice Cube. We’re gonna get it in, man. We have a few shows with Ice Cube on 420 this year. We are definitely going to be there with Cube and a host of other acts. It’s a huge show. We’re going to spend this year with you. It’s been 30 years that Eazy-E signed you up. We’ve all heard the story. He was a mentor back then, but now you are the mentor. Tell me, how does it feel to be a mentor? I mean, I have always had younger artists be to me and mentored them through their careers as well as my, my younger brothers and most of my family. You know, being with Sakoya [Wynter’s daughter of JoJo’s JoJo Hailey] and mentoring her, it’s natural for you to reach out and help others. It’s a natural thing. So Logic just recorded a cover version of “Weed Song.” I’m sure it’s up there. The top three would include Bone Thug-N-Harmony’s “Buddha Lovas” and Smoke with Me’s “Weed Song”. These are weed songs that you know will take you there–like a weed-mushroom buzz. For the top three weed songs, I’d say Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Missy, […]. Scarface also has a weed song called “Smoke with Me”. Scarface man, I go back to the old school. Snoop has a lot. Snoop has many references to marijuana in all of his songs. You could smoke the entire album The Chronic, you know what I mean, just like Dr Dre and him. That was the album that started it all. So yeah man, I listen to everything Snoop Dogg and Cypress Hill. Those are my favorite songs. And so, you’re going to be releasing Smoke With Me Vol. 1 on Harmony Howse Entertainment?Yeah, Harmony Howse Entertainment. That’s my imprint. That’s my entertainment company. Yes, absolutely. It would be released on Harmony Howse, and probably distributed to TuneCore. It’s a great idea. Smoke With Me Vol. 1 is off the hook. As you can see, everyone has a favorite holiday. My current favorite holiday is 420. It used to be Christmas, and I loved to listen to Christmas music with my family. It’s now 420, with weed becoming mainstream. These weed songs are being put out to become the foundation of holiday songs for years to come. My last name is Howse. Stephen Howse is the name of anyone who does business with me. Howse is my family brand, my brand. Harmony Howse is made up of Rocky Rock, [Big] Sloan and my children, […] Trinity and Dice. I have a few artists that I represent in Harmony Howse. They are derived from the time I had most of my records back in the ’90s. I felt that most of the records, you see, were gone when the industry changed. It was like there were no more records. I felt that I could revive my company and make it an entertainment company. I wanted to be able to take all my content and create my movies. That’s Harmony Howse. It is yet another branch of the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony heritage, you know. Courtesy Layzie Bone.
“… I was a youngster and I had marijuana cases. It’s these things that I want to get rid of.” – Layzie Bone
Is cannabis a creative tool? Some people use it to get high after work, while others use it to enhance creativity. It all depends on what kind of cannabis you use at the moment. I know that I smoke before I start my sessions. I also like to smoke a little bit before I start my sessions. I prefer a sativa for creativity. I prefer an indica if I’m relaxing at home or watching a movie. But for the creative side, I prefer a sativa. That was 30 years ago. How have things changed since then? It’s so liberating. Sometimes, I forget that weed can be illegal in certain places. But back when I was growing up, you know I got cases for marijuana. These are things I want to get rid of because of marijuana cases. It’s a completely different man. It’s almost like you had to hide back in those days. To smoke a joint, you had to go to the moon. Now you can be anywhere in California. You can blaze up and you’re there. You know what? That’s the big difference. It’s easy to go anywhere in California, just blaze up, and you’re there. You have people selling marijuana, but there are still people who are in jail for it. How does the War on Drugs affect you personally? How do I explain America? It’s legal one moment, then illegal the next. Some may thrive from the situation. Some might be stereotyped or even condemned by it. It’s this melting pot in which we live, you know? It’s completely unfair. I think everyone should be able get their records expunged regarding marijuana. There’s this America, and you never know what will happen. It’s a complicated situation, man. I just wish for the best and hope we can make it work. If we can make money from it now, however, people should be released from jail and not restricted to work. It’s a complicated situation. They’re beginning to clear minor convictions at federal level. It doesn’t help everyone. It’s just minor convictions, but baby steps. Absolutely. Yeah. It will happen over time, but this idea was still new. America was built on marijuana. It was quite common to grow marijuana farms, you know. I also read about it. It’s going back to the beginning, so no. It’s all going back to the beginning, right? We have 420 more. Are there any other announcements? As I mentioned, we got my 420 mixtape Smoke With Me. It’d be out this holiday. It’s a free download of the mixtape. I wanted to give it away to my fans as I have an album called Hypnotic rhythms. Hypnotic rhythms is full of good music, good vibes and a lot of smoke. And then there’s Too Easy, which I mixtape with my younger peers. I have taken their music and remixed it in so many ways. So I’m just going to follow their lead. So I have a few projects in the pipeline over the next few months. Follow me at @TheRealLayzieBone on IG and @TheOfficialLayzieBone on Facebook. You can find all my information on there, but I do have some projects. You know, I’m asking my fans to keep an eye out for me and get that mixtape. It’s free. High Times is always a priority.