Top 10 Facts About Easy-E   

Top 10 Facts About Easy-E   

Eric Lynn Wright, best known as Easy-E, was an American rapper who was born on 7th September 1964 in Compton, California, and is considered the Godfather of Gangsta Rap.

Known for his role as the founder of N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes), Eazy-E was a revolutionary figure in the world of hip-hop, whose rise to fame was as dramatic as his untimely death on 26th March 1995 in Los Angeles, California. 

He was known for his controversial lyrics, his unique style, and his pioneering contributions to the gangster rap genre. With a larger-than-life persona and an indelible impact on the music industry, Eazy-E remains an enduring icon of hip-hop culture.  

Here are the top 10 facts about Easy-E. 

1. Easy-E Was A School Drop-out  

Edward Paul Reyes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eric Wright, son of Richard and Kathie Wright, was brought up in Compton, a suburb of Los Angeles that was known for high crime rates and gang culture. His father was a postal worker and his mother was a grade-school administrator. 

Even though his mum worked in a school and constantly reminded Easy of the importance of Education, the teenager still dropped out of high school in the tenth grade. He later went back and did a general equivalency diploma (GED). Most kids who turn to gangs and violence come from broken homes but Eazy grew up with loving parents in a stable home.   

See this article on Famous People from Compton.

2. Eazy-E Sold Marijuana Before Going Into Music 

Growing up in a dangerous neighborhood, Easy had to grow a thick skin to avoid ending up at the bottom of the food chain. Eazy-E was only 5’3″ tall and so he had to be a thug or a drug dealer to get certain privileges plus respect.

Being known as a bad boy in the hood had a level of protection in the sense that people would be afraid to mess with a drug dealer. He began selling drugs to support himself and even had his cousin also in the business. 

Easy earned his first quarter million dollars from the trade but he soon quit after his cousin was shot and killed on the job one day. His music manager, Jerry Heller, says Eazy only sold marijuana, but never the hard stuff like cocaine. 

3. He Joined The Music Industry And Began Making Records In His Parents’ Garage  

Ljvant, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Los Angeles hip hop scene was growing rapidly in the mid-80s and Eazy started making music and recording songs in his parent’s garage. He had a high-pitched voice, which he developed because of having a smaller-than-average vocal cord.  

Eazy named his makeshift studio Ruthless Records and asked his manager to go into business with him. The rapper suggested a 50-50 company ownership but it was later decided that he would own 80% while Jerry Heller got 20%.

That is how Eazy-E co-founded Ruthless Records with Jerry Heller in 1986, investing most of his money into Ruthless Records. 

4. He Formed N.W.A. In The Late 80s 

Eazy-E was one of the most controversial figures ever in the world of rap. Called the Godfather of Gangsta Rap, he co-founded Ruthless Records and started the group N.W.A. with fellow rappers Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella in 1987.  

The controversial group was known for its violent music, dropping albums like Straight Outta Compton, which became a massive commercial success and helped to popularize gangster rap. The group went on to release several more albums, including “Niggaz4Life”. 

As a member of N.W.A., Eazy-E brought his unique voice and perspective to the group. He was known for his aggressive and raw lyrics, which often depicted the violence and life of drugs in the hood. He also played an important role in shaping the group’s image and its marketing strategy.

Read facts about Dr. Dre here. 

5. Eazy Was Successful As A Solo Artist Too 

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Eazy was not only part of a rap group, but he was a solo artist too. He released his first single, “Boyz-n-the-Hood,” in 1987, which became a local hit in Los Angeles, before his album, Eazy-Duz-It, was released in 1988. 

Eazy-E’s solo career was relatively short but had a significant impact on the development of gangsta rap. His music was controversial and often explicit, but it also provided a voice for the realities of life in the hood. 

We Want Eazy, Real Muthaphuckkin G’s, Just Tah Let U Know, and It’s On were some of his songs.  His music was controversial, explicit, and volatile. He always spoke his mind and was never dull.  

6. He Fell Out With Members Of N.W.A. And The Group Split Up  

The split of N.W.A., one of the most iconic and controversial hip-hop groups in history, was because of a combination of creative differences and personal conflicts between its members.

Ice Cube was the first to go in 1989 because of internal disputes. The group continued with four members for a while but in the early 1990s, Eazy and Dr. Dre fell out too. 

These two attacked each other in their respective work, releasing diss tracks aimed at hurting each other. Eazy used the rap controversy to spur album sales, plus he continued running Ruthless Records, discovering new talent like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.   

7. Eazy Loved To Party 

Ljvant, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eazy-E was a party animal and he was known for his larger-than-life persona, which extended beyond his music and into his personal life.  His party lifestyle was characterized by wild nights, lavish spending, and an entourage of friends and admirers.  

Eazy-E was often seen at nightclubs and other social events, surrounded by beautiful women, expensive cars, and copious amounts of alcohol and drugs. He also threw extravagant parties at his mansion in Los Angeles or any of his other houses. 

8. He Had Many Children With Different Women 

Eazy-E had one weakness. Women. After the parties, the rapper always took a woman, and sometimes more, back to his house. The rapper would have unprotected sex which led to him fathering many babies with different women.  

Eazy was a father to eleven children by eight different women. The rapper remained unmarried until 12 days before his death. He married Tomica Woods, whom he had met in a night club and they had two children together.  

9. He Was Diagnosed With AIDS And He Died Shortly After 

Edward Reyes, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In the last week of February 1995, Eazy was hospitalized for severe respiratory issues. He had pneumonia and he was coughing violently. The doctors discovered that the rapper had contracted AIDS as well.

He soon revealed his condition to the public and, weeks after his diagnosis, he died from complications related to the disease on 26th March 1995, at the age of 30 years. Eazy-E’s death helped raise awareness about the spread of HIV/AIDS in the hip-hop community. 

Here’s an article on Famous People Who Died from Aids.

10. Eazy Was Buried In A Lavish Coffin 

The Godfather of Rap was buried on 7th April 1995, at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California. Over 3,000 people attended his funeral. He was buried dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans, and his Compton hat. Eazy-E’s casket was golden and it was covered with white roses and lilies.

Those are the top facts about Eazy-E the legendary rapper, entrepreneur, songwriter, and music record producer who gained popularity at a very young age.

They were right when they said, the wealthiest places in the world are not gold mines, oil fields, diamond mines, or banks. The wealthiest place is the cemetery. Therein we have companies that were never started, masterpieces that were never painted, and in this case, great music that was never produced. 

Check out our list of famous singers who died.