Flesh-n-Bone
A founding member of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, his rapid-fire, melodic flow helped define the sound of 1990s Midwest hip-hop.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American rapper·Birthday: June 10·Generation X
Biography
Stanley Howse, who took the stage name Flesh-n-Bone, emerged from the streets of Cleveland to become a core part of one of rap's most distinctive groups. Alongside his brother Layzie Bone and cousin Wish Bone, he helped forge Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's signature style—a whirlwind of harmonized singing and breakneck rapping that felt both street-tough and hauntingly melodic. His life, however, has been marked by significant turbulence, including a lengthy prison sentence that took him out of the spotlight for years. Despite these challenges, his contributions to albums like 'E. 1999 Eternal' remain foundational to the group's legacy, cementing his voice as an essential, gritty component of their groundbreaking sound.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Flesh-n-Bone was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Flesh-n-Bone Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Flesh-n-Bone's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was a founding member of the Grammy Award-winning group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
- Contributed to the group's landmark 1995 album 'E. 1999 Eternal', which sold over five million copies.
- Appeared on the hit single "Tha Crossroads," which won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in 1997.
Did You Know?
He is the older brother of fellow Bone Thugs-n-Harmony member Layzie Bone.
He served nearly a decade in prison on an assault charge, released in 2008.
His stage name was reportedly inspired by a character from the film 'The Golden Child'.
“From the Cleveland streets, we created a new language with our flow.”
