OK, I was going to listen to the whole album before saying anything about it, and probably write a long jeremiad about how this world isn't good enough for an act as singular and often bizarre as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony - I was saving my best stuff for the single, "I Tried," which is the second fucking incredible rap tune in three years to be released by an old-school crew under that title (the other one was by the Geto Boys, and Willie D's verse still reduces me to tears every time I hear it) and which has a totally excellent video to go with it. And also a hook by Akon, and there's talk of people saying they have maybe had just about enough of hooks by Akon but this one is just incredibly sweet. And I was going to talk about that hook and the really special emotional weight of the Bone Thugs at their best, and how it's sad that Bizzy's not on the album but is if I can be corny about it kinda present in his absence, and maybe about how I like to think one of the things Eazy heard in this band was this paper-thin thread of sadness that darkens so much of their work. And then I got to the third song on the album, which is called "Wind Blow," and I heard this acoustic guitar at the top and it sounded familiar, and it always takes me a minute to place a sample so I was listening hard and then I was like "OH HOLY SHIT BONE THUGS HAVE SAMPLED FLEETWOOD MAC'S 'THE CHAIN' AND BASED AN ENTIRE TRACK AROUND IT, I'M SURE SOMEBODY ELSE MUST HAVE DONE THIS ALREADY BUT THIS IS THE FUCKING BONE THUGS, 2007 BEST YEAR EVER EVEN IF NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS."

Seriously.