Search - Bone Thugs N Harmony :: 1st of Tha Month

The best song by one of the best rap groups of all time

Nathanial Grogan | CH, NC | 04/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ask many fans what Bone Thugs song was their best of all, and chances are about 99% that they'll tell you "Crossroads", BTNH's best-known and best-selling single of all time. But ask me, and I'll tell you "1st of Tha Month". Don't get me wrong; I like "Crossroads" a lot, but the concept (paying tribute to dead friends) isn't exactly something groundbreaking in hip-hop. "1st of Tha Month" is something else entirely - a song in which the Thugs display optimism despite obviously dire circumstances, and do so with a lighthearted tone.For those aren't aware, the 1st of each month is when welfare checks are issued. In "1st of Tha Month", Krayzie, Bizzie, Layzie, and Wish sing and rap (however you classify BTNH's unique flow) about how excited they are when the 1st comes around and how happy they are to receive their welfare checks. So happy, in fact, that they take a break from their usual gangsterous activities (hustling, stealing, etc.) that they depend on to survive and celebrate with parties and cookouts. In other words, despite being dirt-poor, they're able to forget about their poverty for just one day and pretend they're wealthy.In a strange way, this is actually a very sad song, despite its positive, upbeat tone. Yeah, you know they're enjoying themselves on the first day of the month and relaxing, but it begs the question, What happens on the 2nd, and the other days of the month following? Obviously, they'll have to go back into crime to make a living, the only way they know how to make ends meet, since they're so poor. So ultimately, the song brings to light the sad truth about living in the ghetto - life is normally so bad that the 1st of the month is one of the few times of happiness. Of course, that doesn't mean this song is intended to make you break down and cry, as with "Crossroads". Just think of it as dark humor. Regardless of the social connection, it is pretty funny to think that somebody would be excited just to receive a meager check for a few Gs'. DJ U-Neek's G-Funk production does this track well. The beat is a heavy (but not forceful) drum loop backed by a flute riff and some soft piano chords in the chorus. It's funky enough to be great party material, assuming you've got homies who still like the G-Funk sound. Each of the four Bone members who rap on this track have spot-on verses, but this track, like "Crossroads", is yet another song where Bizzy shines the most. Because he has the most high-pitched and melodious voice of the group, this is naturally a perfect song for him. Ultimately, "1st of Tha Month" is forever going to be BTNH's most memorable track for me. In an endless sea of bling bling rap songs glorifying materialism and wealth, "1st of Tha Month" is a welcome change - a completely honest and unpretentious song about ghetto life and poverty. If you don't listen to BNTH, this song will make a fan out of you yet. And if you are already a BNTH fan, listen to it again just to remind yourself why you became a fan in the first place."

Strong meaning&concept

mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | usa | 06/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is truly one of the tighest Rap cuts over the past Decade&change.Bone Thugs&Harmony really understood the power of blending story line along with there Brand of Rapping.this Song gets to you from the first moment you hear it."