I Tried

"I Tried" (also known as "I Tried (So Hard)") is a song recorded by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, released in February 2007 as the lead single from their album Strength & Loyalty. This particular song features Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone. The song features and was produced by Akon; Giorgio Tuinfort assisted the artists in writing the song.

"I Tried"
Single by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony featuring Akon
from the album Strength & Loyalty
B-side	"Bump in the Trunk"
Released	February 12, 2007
Genre	Hip hop R&B
Length	4:47
Label	Interscope Full Surface
Songwriter(s)	Anthony Henderson Steven Howse Charles Scruggs Aliaune Thiam Giorgio Tuinfort
Producer(s)	Akon
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony singles chronology
"Don't Stop" / "Fire" (2006) "I Tried" (2007) "Lil' L.O.V.E." (2007)
Akon singles chronology
"Don't Matter" (2007) "I Tried" (2007) "We Takin' Over" (2007)
Music video
"I Tried" on YouTube

Background and composition

The song is about the struggles that the members of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Akon faced on the streets.

"I Tried" is performed in the key of G♯ minor in common time with a tempo of 82 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of D♯m–E–F♯–G♯m, and the vocals in the song span from F♯₄ to E₅.^[1][2]

Chart performance

The song entered the Billboard charts in the issue dated April 7, 2007. It debuted at number eighty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue date April 14, 2007 and reached number six, making it the highest charting Bone Thugs-N-Harmony single in ten years.

Music video

On March 7, 2007, the music video officially debuted on Yahoo! and other websites. On December 31 of the same year, the video appeared at number 89 on BET's Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2007 countdown. The video shows the group and Akon performing as well as tells the story of a young man in Cleveland where the group was first formed. The man walks into a grocery store, but at the entrance, he collides with a man running out of the store. The man drops what he had in his hand, revealing money. The money is inferred to be stolen from the store. The other man runs away, while the young man picks up his bag. Consequently, a police officer catches him picking up the bag where the money had been dropped. He runs from the police officer, but the officer eventually arrests him. The officer goes to the store to check with the owner if he had arrested the suspect. The store owner says the young man did not rob the store, and then the officer lets the young man go. The video ends with the man walking away from the store.

The music video was directed by Rich Newey.

Track listing

A-side

• "I Tried" (featuring Akon)
  1. Clean – 4:51
  2. Dirty – 4:51
  3. Instrumental – 4:51
  4. A cappella – 4:33

B-side

• "Bumps in the Trunk" (featuring Swizz Beatz)
  1. Dirty – 4:25
  2. Instrumental – 4:24
  3. A cappella – 4:26

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2007) Peak position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[3] 45 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[4] 4 UK Singles (OCC)[5] 69 US Billboard Hot 100[6] 6 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] 45 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[8] 6 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[9] 15 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[10] 2

Year-end charts Chart (2007) Position New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 23 US Billboard Hot 100[12] 58 US Ringtones (Billboard)[13] 39 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[14] 26

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[15]	Platinum	60,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[16]	Gold	7,500*
United States (RIAA)[17]	Platinum	1,000,000^
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Howse, Steven (March 25, 2008). "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony "I Tried" Sheet Music in G Minor - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
2. "Song Key and BPM Music Database | AudioKeychain". AudioKeychain. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
3. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
4. "Bone Thugs-N-Harmony feat. Akon – I Tried". Top 40 Singles.
5. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
6. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
7. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
8. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
9. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
10. "Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
11. "Top Selling Singles of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
12. "Hot 100 Songs - Year End 2007". Billboard. Prometheus Media LLC. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
13. "Ringtones Year End 2007". Billboard. Prometheus Media LLC. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
14. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2019.
15. "Brazilian single certifications – Bone Thugs 'N Harmony – I Tried" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
16. "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". Radioscope. August 21, 2011. Archived from the original on August 31, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
17. "American single certifications – Bone Thugs 'N Harmony – I Tried". Recording Industry Association of America.

External links

• "I Tried" by Bone Thugs-N-Harmony explore the everyday struggles of young troubled males.
• Bone Thugs-n-Harmony featuring Akon "I Tried (So Hard)" music video on Gotuit Music
• "I Tried (So Hard)" music video