Biography. “He was real”: the rap community remembers the life of Eazy-E

Eazy-E.

Eric Lynn Wright(English) Eric Lynn Wright; September 7, 1963, Compton, California - March 26, 1995, Los Angeles), better known by his stage name Eazy-E- American rapper who performed in the rap group N.W.A.. Eazy-E has sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. Creator of the music label Ruthless Records (together with Jerry Heller).

Eazy's main influences are 1970s funk bands and contemporary rappers and comedians. Although his technical skills as a rapper were not particularly outstanding, his distinctive skills (such as his voice), poignant lyrics and undeniable charisma made him a gangsta rap legend.

Eric Wright was born on September 7, 1963, to Richard and Kathy Wright, in Compton, California, a suburb of Los Angeles known for crime and gangs. His father was a postal worker and his mother was a school administrator. Eric dropped out of school in 10th grade and began selling drugs on the streets. He was also a member of the Kelly Park Compton Crips gang. Later, he received a high school diploma. In 1979, at the age of 16, Eric claimed to have earned $250,000 from drug dealing. However, he decided that he could make a better life in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene, which was rapidly growing in popularity . In the mid-80s, he began recording songs in his parents' garage.

In 1987, Eazy-E used drug profits to create Ruthless Records. Jerry Heller became his manager. Ruthless was signed by Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, who released his track “Boyz-N-Tha-Hood” there. With them, as well as MC Ren and DJ Yella (then later Arabian Prince), Eazy-E formed N.W.A. During this period Ruthless was released N.W.A and the Posse(1987). Then in 1988 their best work came out - Straight Outta Compton(1988). The album turned all rap upside down, thus putting Los Angeles and the West Coast on the rap map of America. On the album, Eazy performed on eight songs and co-wrote four.

His debut album, Eazy-Duz-It, was released on September 16, 1988 and had twelve tracks. This marked the beginning of the music genres of West Coast Hip-Hop, Gangsta Rap and the Golden Age. It sold over 2.5 million copies in the US and peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200. The album was produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, and lyrics were written by Ice Cube, MC Ren and The D.O.C. After the release of Straight Outta Compton, Ice Cube left the group due to internal differences, and the group became a quartet. In March 1991, Eazy-E was invited to a Republican Inner Circle dinner hosted by President George H. W. Bush. The rapper's representative claimed that Eazy-E supported Bush and advocated for control of the Gulf War.

N.W.A began to fall apart after Jerry Heller became the group's manager. Dr. Dre recalls: "The split in the band started right after Heller came in. He was playing the game of divide and conquer. He started patronizing one nigga instead of everyone else, and that was Eazy. And Eric loved it, he thought like, 'Attention is all around me, and don’t give a fuck about the rest." Dre sent Suge Knight to check on Eazy's financial situation because it was suspiciously starting to grow in the same way as Jerry Heller's. After this, Dre personally asked Eric to give him the contract containing the Doctor's copyright, but Eazy refused. The relationship finally came to a standstill after a conflict occurred between Suge and Wright at the studio in which Niggaz4life was recorded. Soon after, Suge told everyone that Eazy had kidnapped Jerry Heller and kept him locked in a van for two days. However, the rumor did not convince Eric that any action needed to be taken in the matter, and Knight decided to make a threat to his family. Shug slipped Wright a note containing his mother's address and the words: "I know where your mom is hiding." Eazy couldn't risk his family and finally signed the departure of Dr. Dre from Ruthless Records. N.W.A has ceased to exist.

Feud with Dr. Dre continued after his first solo album, “The Chronic,” was released, which included songs that insulted Eazy-E. Eazy responded with an entire album called “It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa,” which included the tracks “Real Muthaphukkin G"z” and “It’s On.” The release was released on October 25, 1993, the inside of the album contained an insert with photographs Dre, made several years ago when he was a member of the electro-hop group "World Class Wreckin' Cru", and showed scenes of Dre dressed in lace outfits and wearing makeup. The album was a success and it became Eazy-E's most popular album, going double platinum.

After Dr. Dre left Ruthless Records, label heads Mike Klein and Jerry Heller went to court for help. Although Knight secured Dre's full release from Ruthless, LZE and Ruthless Records received the right to receive a portion of the proceeds from Dr.'s future releases. Dre on Death Row. In 2011, the FBI conducted an investigation, and their documents indicated that Ruthless Records was subject to extortion attempts by LZE. This led to a public statement from LZE spokesman Irv Rubin: "There was nothing but friendly relations between Eazy-E and LZE."

On February 24, 1995, Eric was admitted to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles with suspected asthma. However, the final diagnosis turned out to be much more serious - AIDS. The disease was in an advanced stage, and the rapper’s condition was deteriorating. On March 16, Eric announced this publicly and died ten days later. March 20 Eazy makes up with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. In the hospital, Eric marries Tomika Woods, the future heiress of Ruthless Records. His last words became a letter to fans.

On March 26, 1995 at 6:35 a.m. Pacific Time, Eric Wright passed away and was buried in Rose Hills Cemetery. A year later, his last, unfinished album, Str8 Off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton, was released. He planned to add 60 tracks to this album, thus dividing it into two discs, but due to death, he did not even complete 1 part.

Eazy's influences include Ice-T, Redd Foxx, King Tee, Bootsy Collins, Run-D.M.C., The Egyptian Lover, Schoolly D, Too $hort, Prince, The Sugarhill Gang, and George Clinton. Many critics compared it unique style with All Music Guide's Steve Huey. In the documentary The Timez and Life of Eric Wright Eazy is mentioned to have collaborated with many of them.

Making a review , Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted: "...Eazy-E seems animated, but the music is not innovative. Instead of moving forward and creating a new original style, he treads the familiar gangsta road of boundless bass, whining synth beeps, and mindless braggadocio." Reviewing Eazy-Duz-It Allmusic's Jason Birchmeier said, "From a production standpoint, Dr. Dre and Yella brought together P-Funk, Def Jam-style hip-hop, and many of the new mid-'80s electro sounds once popular in Los Angeles, creating a tight, funky, and completely unique style of their own." Birchmeier described Eazy-E's style as "tight, unique, and funky" and stated that it seemed like a completely revolutionary innovation in 1988.

Eazy-E graffiti in the Netherlands

Eazy-E went down in history as Godfather gangsta rap. MTV's Reed Shahim has called Eazy a "rap pioneer", and is sometimes cited by critics as a "legend". After his death in 1995, many books and videos were released about him, and Eazy-E Day was born in Compton. Jerry Heller wrote the book "Ruthless: A Memoir", where he shares memories of Eazy, Dre, Eazy-Duz-It, and Heller's experience working with Eazy. When Eazy was diagnosed with AIDS, many magazines reported on it. Although Eazy has never won any awards in his life, all of his albums have charted on the Billboard 200 and many of his singles have topped the charts in the US.

Several members of N.W.A wrote lyrics for Eazy-Duz-It: Ice Cube, The D.O.C and MC Ren. The EP 5150: Home 4 tha Sick, was recorded with Naughty By Nature. The song “Merry Muthaphuckkin" Xmas" was recorded with the participation of Menajahtwa; Atban Klann and Kokane were invited as vocalists in the track "Neighborhood Sniper". Many novice performers appeared on the album "It's On (Dr. Dre) 187 um Killa", but more the most famous of them were Gangsta Dresta, BG Knocc. Kokane, Rhythum D. BG Knocc Out, Gangsta Dresta, Sylk-E, Dirty Red took part in the recording, mixing and subsequent digitization of the album “Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton”. , Menajahtwa, Roger Troutman, as well as ex-members of N.W.A - MC Ren and DJ Yella.

Eric had 7 children. The first son is Eric Wright Jr., better known as rapper Lil Eazy-E. After his father's death, he inherited nothing, and he, along with his brother and Eazy's second son, Derrick, grew up in Compton. Currently he runs his label N.W.A Entertainment and is preparing his debut album Prince of Compton. Erin Bria Wright (aka E.B), daughter of Eazy, appeared on MTV's Sweet 16 and previously planned to release an album. Marquis Wright (Yung Eazy) is also involved musical activity. Eric had 6 women, among whom the most famous was Tomika Woods-Wright, whom he married before his death.

With the success of Notorious, New Line Cinema announces that the film is being prepared for release in theaters in August 2015. According to IMDB, the script was written by Andrea Berloff and radio veteran Alan Venkus, who worked closely with Tomika Woods-Wright. Executive producers include Tomika Woods-Wright, Ice Cube and Dr. Dre. The film will be directed by F. Gary Gray, director of the film "Friday".

• Eazy-E's height was 1.66 m.
• Despite the fact that Eazy died of AIDS, many refuse to believe it. The doctor who treated him claims that AIDS does not develop so quickly. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's Krayzie Bone believes Jerry Heller poisoned him: Eazy previously told him that Heller was in the mafia and was scamming him out of all his money.
• Eazy-E planned to kill Dr. Dre and Suge Knight, but Jerry Heller stopped him.
• Eazy-E was used by Rockstar Games to create a character in Grand Theft Auto. San Andreas, whose name is Ryder. He plays a very important role in the development of the plot.
• There are over 70 unreleased Eazy-E tracks, with rights to Ruthless Records, Julio G and DJ Yella.
• Sleepwalkers was originally supposed to be an Eazy-E single, but half of Eazy-E's lyrics were cut out and it became Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.
• The single "Tha Muthaphukkin Real" was originally supposed to be on MC Ren's album. This was the last track Eazy-E made and was made 3 months before his death.
• Clip Dr. Dre - I Need A Doctor ft. Eminem Skylar Gray ends with a shot of Dr. Dre sitting at Eazy-E's grave.
• Eazy-E shot his cousin's killer.
• Eazy-E recorded the track with the rock band Guns N' Roses, but the track remained in the Ruthless Records vault due to legal issues.

• Eazy-E was buried in a golden coffin.

• Eazy-E's favorite submachine gun is the HK MP5.

• After Eazy-E's death, Ruthless Records planned to release Eazy's album, which is called Temporary Insanity, but DJ Yella denied this information because the album was not finished.

• Eazy-E and Dre lived on the same street during their beef.

• Eazy-E has donated his money to many colleges. He was a philanthropist.

• Before he died, Eazy was planning to release his speakers.

• The track by BG Knocc Out and Dresta - DPG Killaz - was supposed to feature a verse from Eazy-E, but he didn't have time to record it.

• Eazy-E wrote the script for the film Smiling Faces, which never came to fruition.

• Eazy-E was buried in his usual attire, including a Compton cap and Lox glasses.

• Sin Loc and Eazy-E were second cousins.

• Eazy-E is dedicated to the song "Easy E Got AIDS from Freddie Mercury" by Anal Cunt from the album It Just Gets Worse.

• At the age of 13, Eazy earned enough to buy a 1964 Chevrolet Impala. He also noted this car in many other songs, including the video for the song "Real Muthaphukkin Gz"

• Eazy had 80 million in the bank

• 1988: Eazy-Duz-It
• 1992: 5150: Home 4 tha Sick
• 1993: It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa
• 1995: Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton
• 1995: Eternal E
• 2002: Impact Of A Legend
• 2007: Featuring…Eazy-E

• Boyz-n-The-Hood (1986-1987)
• Eazy-Er Said Than Dunn (1988)
• We Want Eazy (1988)
• Neighborhood Sniper (1992)
• Real Muthaphu***n" G's (1993)
• Any Last Werdz (1993-1994)
• Luv 4 Dem Gangsta'z (1994)
• Muthaphu***in" Real (1995)
• Just tah Let U Know (1995)

1. Hochman, Steve (1995-03-28). "Rap Star, Record Company Founder Eazy-E Dies of AIDS Music: Singer, entrepreneur helped popularize "gangsta" style with the group N.W.A. and later became a top-selling solo artist". Los Angeles Times.
2. "Hip-Hop News: Remembering Eric "Eazy-E" Wright." Rap News Network. 2006-03-26
3. Harris, Carter (June–July 1995). "Eazy Living" Vibe 3 (5).
4. 1 2 Pareles, Jon (1995-03-28). "Eazy-E, 31, Performer Who Put Gangster Rap on the Charts." The New York Times.
5. Chang, Jeff The Last Days of Eazy E. Swindle(inaccessible link - story) (April 24, 2004). Archived from the original on October 25, 2007.
6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Allmusic (2000).
7. (1988) Notes to Straight Outta Compton from N.W.A. Ruthless/Priority/EMI Records.
8. (1991-04-15) "N.W.A."s Eazy-E Lunches with President Bush." Jet 79 (26).
9. (1991-03-29) "Do the Right-Wing Thing." Entertainment Weekly (59).
10. Thomas, Stephen.
11. Huey, Steve. Allmusic. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
12. Simmonds Jeremy. The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches. - Chicago Review Press, 2008. - P. 332. - ISBN 1-55652-754-3.
13. (1995-10-16) "Widow Of Rapper Eazy-E Gives Birth To Child." Jet 88 (23).
14. The Black Dot. Hip Hop Decoded: From Its Ancient Origin to Its Modern Day Matrix. - MOME Publishing, 2005. - P. 100. - ISBN 0-9772357-0-X.
15. 1 2 Shaheem, Reid (2010-03-26). "Lil Eazy-E Remembers His Dad, 15 Years Later." MTV.
16. Davis, Todd. "Lil Eazy-E: Son of a Legend." hiphopdx.com. 2005-12-09.
17. "About the Official Hip Hop Hall of Fame and Producer JT Thompson." Live-PR.com. 2010-11-16.
18. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Easter Egg - Ryder and Eazy-E Comparsion

Partially used materials from the site http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/

A lot happened in the 80s. Ronald Reagan, pagers, Cold War, Michael Jackson, appeared Cell phones, which were the size of a brick... - and this is only a small part of what influenced people in those years. Changes took place in all areas of people's lives, and they also happened in rap music; it was in those years that a style appeared that became known as gangsta rap.

We are, of course, talking about the most famous rap group of all time. N.W.A. ( Niggaz Wit Attitudes) . The founder of the group was whose real name was Eric Lynn Wright. The group made a lot of noise both in music and in politics. Even though N.W.A. They didn't last long, but they had a tremendous impact in music and society. For their rude and open criticism of the police, the guys almost went to jail. N.W.A included young stars: Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren

He was one of the most controversial personalities in the world of rap. One of the godfathers of gangsta rap suddenly appeared out of nowhere one day with N.W.A.

and after their short but epic success, he also suddenly left. He always expressed his opinion openly and lived a far from boring life. He was flighty, like many successful young performers, and died early.

01. Here are 10 of the most interesting facts about Eazy-E that you may not have heard of yet.

Eazy-E's startup was made from drug money. B perfectly conveyed the image of a gangster. But that wasn't quite the way Eazy-E was really involved in crime formerly grew up in Compton, California, where he opened with Jerry Heller

his own label, Ruthless Records.

invested about $250,000 in his company and, first of all, it was the money he made from selling drugs in Compton. It was this money he earned from selling drugs that became the starting funds for Ruthless Records and N.W.A. It is possible that Silicon Valley

I used a similar pattern...

02. Family life and parental support Children who joined gangs were often abandoned by their parents, or the relationship was very tense. But it was different. He had very a good relationship

with father Richard Wright, who worked at the post office, and mother Kathie Wright, who worked in an elementary school.

In the mid-80s, he not only sold drugs and lived at home, but already began recording songs in his parents' garage.

03. Eazy-E supported Bush in the election In 1991, in the midst of a gang war and an outbreak of hatred between rap artists and politicians, George W. Bush (the elder, who was treated better than the younger) invited White House « . This was somewhat unusual for a rapper who had a hit . Fuck the Police"

04. was an unexpected guest among the republican authorities, this event was actively discussed by the media. As a result of the meeting, Eazy-E donated $2,500 to the Bush campaign. Why did Eazy do this? This was due to the position of Bush, who was against censorship, while his opposition wanted to silence all rappers.

In December 1989, three years after N.W.A formed, Ice Cube left the group at the height of its popularity. The biggest problems were between Ice Cube and Eazy-E. Ice Cube believed that money was distributed unfairly among everyone and that, together with his business partner Jerry Heller, they raked in all the money for themselves, leaving nothing for the rest of the group.

After Ice Cube left the group, N.W.A repeatedly attacked him lyrically on their new album, and Ice Cube did the same in response on his solo. Ice Cube also persuaded director John Singleton, and as a result, this episode appeared: a passerby in a We Want Eazy T-shirt rips off a gold chain and tries to run away, but in the end they catch up with him:

It was kind of a diss on the outside Ice Cube. These two had big problems in their relationship.

05. Beef between Eazy and Dre

Eazy and Ice Cube had problems first, Dr. Dre then stayed with N.W.A. , but soon Eazy had a conflict with Dre for similar reasons. Dr. Dre began to become suspicious of the way N.W.A's finances began to be distributed. , a significant part of which was taken by Eazy and Heller. Dre eventually turned to the infamous Suge Knight to help him break his contract. Suge Knight made a claim that he had kidnapped Heller, but it didn't work. Suge then threatened Eazy's family. Ultimately, Dre ended his contract with Ruthless Records and began a solo career. These are such dark affairs and intrigues, and all because of money...

06. Father of the Year

Traveling around the world, a superstar could get a lot: money, women, various kinds movement. And it seemed that it would always be like this... Soon he became the father of 7 children from 6 different women. However, to give credit as a father, he gave $50,000 every month for each of his children! So he was a generous person and really cared about his children.

07. Eazy-E dropped out of school

School is often a rather tough place. But high school Compton in the 80's is just a brutal place! Despite the fact that everything was quite good in the family, B perfectly conveyed the image of a gangster. But that wasn't quite the way dropped out of school in 10th grade. He decided to follow in his older brother's footsteps and sell drugs and also start making music. The death of his cousin forced him to reconsider his views on life somewhat, and in the end he decided to stop selling drugs and devoted himself entirely to music. Eazy later passed the exam GED and received the equivalent of a high school diploma.

08. Day

He ended his life path tragically and very early. According to official version, he contracted HIV, which caused his death in 1995 at the age of 31. Compton Mayor Omar Bradley had a very negative attitude towards N.W.A, accusing them of promoting violence in Compton and criticizing them in every possible way for this. But after his death, Omar Bradley’s heart softened, moreover, since then, April 7 has become the Day in Compton. So, if you wish, April 7 can also remember Eazy, listen to his music, or even go to Compton someday (if you have the opportunity and desire , of course).

09. Eazy really was a real gangsta

Been Captain Kelly Park Crip since I was 13 years old.

No one could survive on the streets without a protective mask. Those who did not wear masks simply did not survive. To survive, you had to play a role. You had to be a “thug”, a “player”, a “jock”, a “gangsta”, or someone who pushes dope, otherwise there was only one role - to become a “victim”.

— Jerry Heller spoke about

10. Eazy-E was buried in style

B perfectly conveyed the image of a gangster. But that wasn't quite the way died March 26 1995. More than 3,000 people came to say goodbye to the “godfather of gangsta rap.” was buried in a gold coffin, wearing not a suit and tie, but a flannel shirt, jeans and a cap with the word Compton written on it, which fully reflects how he lived and what he wore. Of all the members of N.W.A, only his close friend DJ Yella (Antoine Carraby) was at the funeral; he was one of those who carried the coffin. Compton Mayor Omar Bradley also attended the funeral and despite his past feuds with Eazy, called him "Compton's favorite son."

Thanks to Eric, Compton became popular not only in California, but throughout the world. Eazy was a young man who grew up on the streets of Compton, and brothers and sisters, we all know it's not very "easy" to grow up in Compton.

- said the mayor of Compton sincerely Omar Bradley.

Biography, life story of Eazy-E

CONTINUED BELOW

He died with a smile on his face in a hospital bed, with his wife and son with him until the end. In his posthumous monologue, he was very modest and did not show off his life achievements. Before leaving, he really wanted to atone for the sins he had committed on the streets of his native Compton. Despite his recent controversies, he fondly recalled the old days when N.W.A. and began to tell the truth to people. He did not deny that for a long time he basked in the luxury of cool cars, spectacular women and expensive outfits, while most of the listeners of his songs lived on the verge of poverty. He denied being religious and wanted people not to judge him harshly. But most importantly, he wanted thousands of his young fans to understand, at least through his sad example, what carelessness as a lifestyle results in and what happens when you have AIDS. He wanted people to understand this before the consequences became irreversible. Naturally, he blamed no one but himself for his death. Only in last days In his life, he realized that this thing (AIDS) is the fairest judge in the world, he condemns people without any discrimination. He saved especially kind words for his family. He dated his girlfriend Tomika for four years and only before his death they got married. They left behind a one-year-old son. Izy loved him very much and called Tomika the kindest and most gentle person in the world. With regret, he recalled that before her he had many women. Being very careless, Easy "made" seven children with six of them. He loved all his children immensely and took care of them as best he could. In the end, he added that he does not regret anything and is grateful to everyone who loved him and was with him all his life. He got into trouble, from which there is hardly a way out... Easy lived his short life easy-going (in many ways justifying his pseudonym). Friends and fans remember Eric Wright as a man with a unique, in some sense even absurd, sense of humor. Watching his videos, you catch yourself thinking that this guy knew how to make fun of not only everyone and everything, but also himself, and was not afraid to appear in a bad light, to seem stupid. This is a very valuable human quality, you will agree. He lived exactly 11,523 days, a number his proteges Bone Thuds-N-Harmony immortalized on their penultimate album. According to official data, Easy left behind a fortune of about $30 million, but people especially close to his financial affairs advise at least doubling this amount. Such a tasty morsel became the object of furious redistribution the very next day after his death. In his will, the rapper made Tomika Woods, his former lawyer Ron Sweeney and his parents co-administrators of all his securities, real estate, cash and other valuables. The first lawsuit regarding the fair redistribution of property was filed by the former commercial director of Ruthless Records, Michael Klein, who questioned the legality and, most importantly, the legality of the wedding of a bedridden dying millionaire and his girlfriend, with whom he had previously had a big quarrel. Thus, Klein and Ruthless Records were also able to get in on the deal. The second lawsuit was filed in April of the same year by the mothers of Izy’s two illegitimate children. As a result, the case was left for further investigation; employees of Izy’s former label did not receive salaries for six months. These mothers are understandable. During his lifetime, Izy practically supported all his children, but now they got nothing. The case is still under legal proceedings, and statements from the mothers of Izy’s other children are expected to be included in it. On September 26, 1995, Tomika Woods gave birth to Easy’s seventh child, a girl named Daijah Nakia, who will live with her mother and brother in the villa that Easy purchased for Tomika for $1 million 5 months before his death. After a solid financial boost, Ruthless Records continued to exist and announced that it intended to release about 70 songs that Eazy had recorded (in varying degrees of completion). In 1995-96, three albums were released with his best and new songs, and you probably heard them and, I hope, still listen to them. Then, and even now, many compare his life with the life of another idol of the alternative masses, Kurt Cobain. They both changed the world around us through their music. Both had unique voices and died at the dawn of their powers for reasons that depended only on them.

And who knows, if it weren’t for AIDS, Izzy might also have committed suicide one day, unable to withstand the stress of life. But he laughed at life and played with it very dangerous games. He was a very temperamental lover and, like many of us now, he neglected the “gum” (that “little thing”) that interfered with the thrill of sensations. From the perspective modern society he led an anti-moral lifestyle and in the end paid with the most precious thing - his life. Now many preachers (who only know how to teach wisdom to an impersonal herd) can proudly cite the case of Easy as an example in their lectures, saying: “I told you that safe sex is the only panacea for AIDS! “, but the question arises whether they have the moral right to use the name Izy for their highly “spiritual” purposes and whether people will listen to them.

22 August 2015, 15:23 Authors: Kate Murphy for Vibe. Translation: Evgeniy Shcherban, Evgeniy Obedkov

The new issue of Vibe was released with veteran Eazy E, and inside there was voluminous and very interesting material about the life of the once legendary MC, without whom the glorious history of N.W.A. might never have started.

The text is based on numerous conversations between journalist Keith Murphy and Eazy’s son, activist Eric Wright, who helped the musician in the fight against AIDS, former colleagues in N.W.A. and Chuck D from Public Enemy and many others. And it turned out very interesting. True, writing long texts about N.W.A. We're already a little tired of it, so here we've collected the most interesting sayings Izy's friends about himself and his legacy. The result was an outsider's look at the history of the Compton gangster - from the birth of N.W.A. and problems with the cops to platinum discs, the Ruthless Records label, quarrels with former friends and death from AIDS.

will. i. am. on Eazy-E's "toughness"

He never played. Listening to N.W.A., many people forgot that Cube went to college and Dre was in the electrofunk group World Class Wreckin' Cru. But Eazy was real. He was the only one in the group who rode a '64 and did drugs to survive. Listen to N.W.A. at that time it was like running through the streets of Compton. These were people you knew well, like your uncle, whom the cops lay face down on the floor and begin to rummage through his pockets.

MC Ren on how Eazy-E broke all the taboos

For him, nothing was forbidden. Eazy once said, “Do what you want. Nobody dares tell us that we can't swear in songs. We will talk about whatever we want." We have experienced so much, so it was easy for us to sit down and write about what we saw.

Irv Gotti on Eazy-E's Intransigence

For me, Eazy-E's verse in "All In The Same Gang" is the craziest verse in the world, because "Eazy-E, the violent hero." Well, you understand. Everyone could talk about peace, but not him. I remember he was on the Arsenio Hall show and he had a hockey mask on...Arsenio was asking him questions and Eazy was leaning over to MC Ren and whispering something in his ear. Then Ren replied: “Eazy said...”. He demonstrated with all his appearance: “Even if I don’t write my own lyrics, I’m still cool.”

Eric Wright Jr. on his father's influence on culture

IN music business many showed blatant disrespect for my father. It took a long time, but people are finally recognizing who he was and what he did for hip-hop." Lil Eazy plans to release a "Yellow Brick Road to Compton" mixtape, an apparent tribute to his father, who had the same line in an N.W.A single. "Appetite For Destruction". My son also plans to release documentary with the support of her mom, Tomika Woods-Wright. "I just want to reconnect with the legacy of Ruthless Records - my father's label."

Journalist Kate Murphy on how Eazy-E made his friends believe in success

Dre insisted that N.W.A. only to become famous in their hometown and never aspired to the status of icons. But Easy didn’t let the guys relax and do something just for the sake of doing it. There's a great moment in the film where he figures out how to use FBI threats to promote N.W.A. He realized that the letter from the feds that lay on the table in front of him would help sell thousands of copies of the band's debut album. After all, we're talking about a man who threatens listeners with a gun straight from the album cover.

Krayzie Bone (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony) on how Eazy-E tried to build camaraderie after falling out with Ice and Dre

I think Easy kept us together so closely precisely because of that quarrel. Even if one member of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony went to take a piss, the other four would follow. Eazy once explained it to me this way: “Man, if the members of N.W.A. kept the formation just as tightly, you would never have squeezed onto this stage.” He also constantly shielded us from the showdown with Death Row, saying that one day we would become great, so we shouldn’t shed our blood playing in someone else’s play.

Longtime family friend Felicia "The Poetess" Morris on rumors implicating Eazy-E's wife in his death

In fact, Tomika did not receive the best inheritance. In addition to the label, which began to float on its own, she had an open question about Izy’s own health and inheritance. And I’m not talking about the label, but about Izy’s many children and their mothers. She did not like to let many people into her circle, because they often said terrible things about her. But she loved Izzy.

Krayzie Bone on Eazy's death

I sit in front of the TV and watch the news on MTV. And there they say that rapper Eazy-E has been diagnosed with AIDS. And I was like, “Get the fuck out of your dirty rumors!” And a week later Easy died.

The author of the hit "Like Whaat", Problem on Eazy's influence on Compton rappers

I'm definitely made of Easy's dough. I mean entrepreneurial spirit. Each of us, be it Kendrick, YG or Game, learned something different from him. But the main thing is the opportunity to speak on behalf of our hometown, which he gave us.