Eazy-E
Ruthless label founder
Eazy-E was the stage name of Eric Wright (1964–1995), a rapper and entrepreneur who co-founded Ruthless Records and the pioneering gangsta rap group N.W.A.
His high-pitched delivery and street narratives helped define West Coast hip-hop.
He died of AIDS-related complications at thirty, his death raising awareness of HIV in the rap community.
Pioneering gangsta rap group
- ComptonLos Angeles suburb
- gangsta rapUrban struggle set to beats
- Ice CubeFrozen water block
- Boyz-n-the-Hood1991 Los Angeles gang drama
Dr. Dre · Straight Outta Compton · cruising · lowrider · khakis · G-funk · Los Angeles · explicit content
Recruiter of promising performers
- business acumenKeen commercial judgment
- contract disputesDisagreements over binding agreements
- publishing rightsPermission to reproduce content
- royaltiesOngoing payments to creators
promotion · distribution · record deals · self-made · street hustle · entrepreneurship · investment · ownership
Knowledge about immune virus
- HIVAIDS-causing retrovirus
- 1995Year before 1996
- deathCessation of life
- activismDirect effort for reform
cautionary tale · safe sex · stigma · public disclosure · memorial · influence · pioneering · trailblazer
NWA
Pioneering gangsta rap group
- ComptonLos Angeles suburb
- gangsta rapUrban struggle set to beats
- Ice CubeFrozen water block
Dr. Dre · Boyz-n-the-Hood · Straight Outta Compton · cruising · lowrider · khakis · G-funk · Los Angeles · explicit content · sampling
talent scout
Recruiter of promising performers
- business acumenKeen commercial judgment
- contract disputesDisagreements over binding agreements
- publishing rightsPermission to reproduce content
royalties · promotion · distribution · record deals · self-made · street hustle · entrepreneurship · investment · ownership
AIDS awareness
Knowledge about immune virus
activism · cautionary tale · safe sex · stigma · public disclosure · memorial · influence · pioneering · trailblazer · documentary
- California MusicDr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, N.W.A., Ice Cube, Tupac
Eazy-EWill Smith
MC Hammer · A Tribe Called Quest · De La Soul · LL Cool J · Queen Latifah
Eazy-EThe Notorious B.I.G.
Notorious B.I.G. · Jay-Z · Wu-Tang Clan · A Tribe Called Quest
Eazy-EDr. Dre
RZA · Timbaland · Pharrell Williams · Kanye West · Quincy Jones