As Heads know, back in 1996, it was not all good between the East Coast and West Coast in Hip-Hop. Due in part to an ongoing feud between Bad Boy Entertainment and Death Row Records, and the media’s part in escalating the drama, tensions were high. In September of that year, Tupac Shakur’s life was claimed, and despite competing theories, many believed his death was related to the East Coast/West Coast Beef. Because of the tensions, territories were marked and, in large part, East Coast artists were not welcomed on the West and vice versa. In fact, during his trip to Los Angeles in March of 1997, The Notorious B.I.G. was killed in a murder that also remains unsolved.

Needless to say, the atmosphere was highly combustible in December of 1996. It was during that time that Def Jam held its annual holiday party and, as Consequence recalls, it was the setting for an all-out brawl between members of two of Hip-Hop’s biggest cliques, literally and figuratively. According to Cons, as Ghostface Killah, who was signed to the label at the time, was walking across the room, he spotted Wish Bone from Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Since Wish Bone was signed to Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, Ghostface perceived him to be a West Coast artist and did not take too kindly to his presence at the NYC party. Along with some choice words, Consequence says Ghost greeted Wish Bone with a flying champagne bottle. Wish responded by hurling some bubbly bottles of his own, and a melee ensued.

Before it was over, Consequence says Ghostface had donned a ninja suit, confirming that GFK “really is about that Wu-Tang life.”

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