A real gimmick reveals itself by becoming endlessly mimicked. When Bone Thugs-N-Harmony first came on the scene in the early '90s, their sing-song flow felt unique. Nearly a decade removed from their debut, we are not awash in mediocre emcees trying to replicate that flow. The Bone Thugs' flow wasn't a gimmick, so much as it was an essential part of the group's character, a quality that couldn't be easily duplicated.
Tomorrow at Austin's Venue 222, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony will spit quick tempo lines with that musical cadence we all immediately associate with the Cleveland crew that so captured Easy-E's attention.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
Friday, May 20
8 p.m. (doors)
Venue 222
222 East 6th St, Austin
Tickets $20