Uni5: The World's Enemy

After a long and rocky hiatus, the original five-man lineup of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is back with their first album together in ten years. Uni5: The World’s Enemy makes it clear that the original quintet has a chemistry that cannot be attained with alternate incarnations. The return of long-incarcerated member Flesh-N-Bone brings the group a renewed fire and focus not seen since 1997’s The Art of War. Flesh is responsible for some of the album’s greatest verses, especially on “Rebirth,” an immense group reintroduction, in which all five members are given extended time on the microphone. Each plays his role perfectly: Layzie, the calm and smooth crooner; Wish, the rock solid older brother; and most unforgettably, Bizzy Bone — back with the group for the first time in five years — who never fails to bring unpredictable emotional fervor and virtuosity to every performance. In line with their 2007 crossover hit “I Tried,” the group delves into its inimitable brand of pop balladry with “See Me Shine” and “Meet Me In the Sky,” but the album’s emotional core is contained in “Pay What You Owe” and “My Life.” Sweet and forlorn blues created for the hip-hop generation.