: The song features Bone Thugs' signature rapid-fire harmonizing flows over a polished, piano-driven production by Akon.

Reviews of "I Tried" are generally positive, though fans often debate its place in the group's hierarchy.

Released alongside the album, the semi-autobiographical film I Tried explores an alternate reality: what if the group had never left Cleveland for Los Angeles to meet Eazy-E?. I Tried-Bones thugs n Harmony - Caught in the Middle

The track is a somber, mid-tempo reflection on the group’s struggles with street life, the "cycle" of misery, and their constant attempts to find a better path.

: It was a key part of the group's successful reinvention as a three-member unit (without Bizzy or Flesh-N-Bone at the time).