Eazy E: The Original Gangsta Rapper
Eazy E ridin’ low
It has been 15 years to this day since Ruthless Records and N.W.A founder Eric “Eazy E” Wright died of AIDS.
A high school dropout, Eazy E made his way hustling, slanging cane on the streets of Compton, and it was this drug loot he used to start Ruthless Records in 1987 with Jerry Heller. He also formed what would quickly become one of the most infamous rap crews of all time: N.W.A — the Niggaz With Attitude, along with members Ice Cube, Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre. Their first record, N.W.A and the Posse (where this version of Boyz n Da Hood was released) was more of a compilation than a real album, and it was 98′s Straight Outta Compton (sans Arabian Prince who left the group for a solo career after the first album) that really made shockwaves.
Never before had such brutally violent, profane and basically just offensive lyrics been released on the one album. It was aggressive and politically charged, with tracks like Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta and Dopeman, describing a violent reality of police brutality, drive-by-shootings, dealing drugs and life on the street. Straight Outta Compton redefined the direction of hip hop, and despite receiving little-to-no radio play due to its offensive and violent lyrics, it peaked on the US charts at #37, #9 on the top R&B/Hip-Hop charts, and has sold over three million copies worldwide. Straight Outta Compton was also notable for attracting negative attention from the US Senate, police and the FBI — which of course only went on to create even more infamy. It was also one of the first albums ever to display a ‘parental advisory’ sticker.
Ice Cube, who wrote around half of the lyrics for Straight Outta Compton left N.W.A over money disputes, which sparked some beef on their next record 100 Miles and Runnin’, the video of which featured the remaining N.W.A members in a jail cell while an Ice Cube lookalike was released. This turned into a full blown beef between N.W.A and Ice Cube, with diss tracks coming back and forth over the next few albums — N.W.A dissing Cube and Cube dissing not only N.W.A but Eazy and Jerry Heller in particular. This beef was nothing compared to what came later on though, after N.W.A’s final album Efil4zaggin which is famous for pioneering the g-funk sound. It was when producer Dr. Dre left the crew to start Death Row Records with the infamous Suge Knight that shit really went off the chain.
Dre opened his debut solo album with the N.W.A diss Fuck With Dre Day, and Eazy E fired back with It’s On, and Real Muthafuckin’ G’s, calling Dr. Dre a ‘She Thang’ (an obvious play on words to Dre’s Nuthin’ But a G Thang).
In 1995 Eazy checked into a medical centre believing himself to be suffering asthma, but as it turned out he was diagnosed with AIDS. This news was enough to bring an end to the feud between old friends and crew, and after making amends with Dr and Ice Cube, Eazy announced his illness to the media and made a final announcement to his fans:
I may not seem like a guy you would pick to preach a sermon. But I feel it is now time to testify because I do have folks who care about me hearing all kinds of stuff about what’s up.
Yeah, I was a brother on the streets of Compton doing a lot of things most people look down on — but it did pay off. Then we started rapping about real stuff that shook up the LAPD and the FBI. But we got our message across big time, and everyone in America started paying attention to the boys in the ‘hood.’ Soon our anger and hope got everyone riled up. There were great rewards for me personally, like fancy cars, gorgeous women and good living. Like real non-stop excitement. I’m not religious, but wrong or right, that’s me. I’m not saying this because I’m looking for a soft cushion wherever I’m heading, I just feel that I’ve got thousands and thousands of young fans that have to learn about what’s real when it comes to AIDS. Like the others before me, I would like to turn my own problem into something good that will reach out to all my homeboys and their kin. Because I want to save their asses before it’s too late.
I’m not looking to blame anyone except myself. I have learned in the last week that this thing is real, and it doesn’t discriminate. It affects everyone. My girl Tomika and I have been together for four years and we recently got married. She’s good, she’s kind and a wonderful mother. We have a little boy who’s a year old. Before Tomika I had other women. I have seven children by six different mothers. Maybe success was too good to me. I love all my kids and always took care of them. Now I’m in the biggest fight of my life, and it ain’t easy. But I want to say much love to those who have been down to me. And thanks for your support. Just remember: It’s YOUR real time and YOUR real life. — Eazy E
He died a week later.
Eazy E and N.W.A’s legacy are long-reaching. While at the time they were one of the most controversial groups of all time, the gangsta rap sound that they pioneered is still a big part of hip hop to this day, and there are a lot of cats out there in hip hop who have the OG Eazy E to thank for their careers. There is also a movie on the way, titled Straight Outta Compton it will tell the rise and fall of N.W.A and the film’s producers include original N.W.A members Ice Cube & Dr. Dre along with Eazy E’s widow Tomica Wright.
RIP Eazy E, a real muthafuckin’ G
September 7, 1963 – March 26, 1995
Left to right: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy E, Dj Yella, MC Ren
Man…I remember getting busted by my mum listening to Straight Outta Compton on cassette, she ripped it out of the player and snapped it in half!
Brings back memories haha
man i listen to that right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!RIP homie
THE BEST GANGSTER RAPPER OFF ALL TIME R.I.P EAZY E MUCH LOVE.
N.WA for life Nigga
Faggot ass poser, no talent, lucky he had Dre and Cube
The fuck you talking about, Eazy E aint no poser, he a straight up gangsta. Before he start rapping , he used to sell drugs on the street. Plus he did way better with out N.W.A