An Evening With Bone Thugs-N-Harmony w/ Shelem
Doors Open: 7:00 PM
In November 1993, they bought one-way Greyhound tickets to Los Angeles determined to prove their talents to their favorite rapper, the late Eric "Eazy-E" Wright of N.W.A. fame. They spent months living on the street, constantly trying to contact Eazy-E, until they finally received a call from him. They rapped for him on the phone. He said he'd get back with them, but never did. When they learned Eazy was doing a show in Cleveland, they hustled up more money for bus tickets and headed back. They found him backstage and after their second audition, Eazy signed them to his Ruthless Records label.
Bone's debut single, "Thuggish Ruggish Bone," sold more than 500,000 copies and the video was the cable music channel the Box's most-requested of 1994. Their Ruthless/ Relativity EP debut, Creepin' On Ah Come Up, started moving large quantities shortly after its June 1994 release, shot past triple-platinum sales and became an R&B, and Rap chart topper.
As the EP continued its reign atop the charts, the group began work on their debut LP, E. 1999 Eternal. The new album was released in 1995, and proved a great blend of sweet soul harmonies and boulevard mentalities. The album's tribute to their dead homies, called "See You At The Crossroads," became an MTV smash hit, launching them into mainstream radio play. The song took on an unexpected meaning after Eazy-E's March 1995 death.
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Isaac Shelem Fadiga, known by his mononym Shelem (pronounced shuh-lem) is a 25-year-old hip-hop artist and producer. As an entertainer, his primary focus has always been to bring levity and fun into the lives of his audience. His extraordinary stagecraft promises a variety of captivating experiences, from commanding the crowd as a captain to saving the day as the local superhero. With innovative flair, Shelem has a knack for bringing his art to life. He has connected with fans in person by being the “Delivery Man,” written a song using their words, and held an 16-week online game of bingo. Born in Silver Spring, MD to parents from the Ivory Coast in West Africa, he began producing, writing, and recording his own songs at age 14. After graduating from Marshall University in Huntington, WV with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2018, he moved to Charleston, WV to begin his engineering career as he developed a plan to launch his music career.
At the top of 2021, Shelem released his next project UhhYup! Bingo. In lieu of releasing the songs in album format, each song was released individually. Staying true to the online setting, the experience was hosted on his website and encouraged social media interaction. As songs were released, players filled their bingo cards to reach a 4-in-a-row alignment of song icons for a variety of prizes. Once live music returned in summer 2021, Shelem played a wide array of local festival slots including FestivALL, the Huntington Music and Arts Festival, Charleston WV’s Live On The Levee series. In July 2021, Shelem was featured on NPR Music’s Slingshot Series and released his latest single Suga Wata.
For 2022, Shelem’s focus is recording new music as he continues to perform and expand his brand nationally.