N.W.A was an American hip hop group formed in Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential groups in the history of hip hop music.
Lorenzo Jerald Patterson, known professionally as MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the record label Villain Entertainment.
Eric Lynn Wright, known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. He is often referred to as the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap".
Straight Outta Compton is the debut studio album by American gangsta rap group N.W.A, which, led by Eazy-E, formed in Los Angeles County's City of Compton in early 1987. Released by his label, Ruthless Records, on August 8, 1988, the album was produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince, with lyrics written by N.W.A members Ice Cube and MC Ren along with Ruthless rapper The D.O.C. Not merely depicting Compton's street violence, the lyrics repeatedly threaten to lead it by attacking peers and even police. The track "Fuck tha Police" drew an FBI agent's warning letter, which aided N.W.A's notoriety, with N.W.A calling itself "the world's most dangerous group."
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony is an American hip hop group composed of rappers Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, Layzie Bone, Krayzie Bone, and Flesh-n-Bone. Formed in 1991 in Cleveland, Ohio, the group signed to fellow American rapper Eazy-E's Ruthless Records in late 1993, on which they debuted with their EP Creepin on ah Come Up the next year. The EP included their breakout hit single "Thuggish Ruggish Bone." In 1995, the group released its second album E. 1999 Eternal, which included hits "1st of tha Month" and "East 1999." Their hit song "Tha Crossroads," a tribute to then-recently deceased mentor Eazy-E, won a Grammy Award in 1997.
Antoine Carraby, known professionally as DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles.
Eazy-Duz-It is the debut studio album by American rapper Eazy-E. It was released on November 22, 1988, by Ruthless Records and Priority Records. The album charted on two different charts and went 2× Platinum in the United States despite very little promotion by radio and television. Three singles were released from the album, each charting in the US. The remastered version contains tracks from the extended play (EP), 5150: Home 4 tha Sick (1992). The 25th anniversary (2013) contains two bonus tracks which are 12" remixes of "We Want Eazy" and "Still Talkin.'"
Alicia Michelle "Miki" Howard is an American R&B singer who had a string of top 10 hit songs in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, including "Baby, Be Mine" (1987), "Come Share My Love" (1986) and "Love Under New Management" (1990). "Ain't Nobody Like You" (1992) and "Ain't Nuthin' in the World" (1989) both peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Top R&B Singles chart.
"Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", or as a single titled "Dre Day", is a song by American rapper and record producer Dr. Dre featuring fellow American rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg, released in May 1993 as the second single from Dre's debut solo album, The Chronic. "Dre Day" was a diss track targeting mainly Dre's former groupmate Eazy-E, who led their onetime rap group N.W.A and who, along with N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller, owned N.W.A's record label, Ruthless Records. In "Dre Day" and in its music video, which accuse Eazy of cheating N.W.A's artists, Dre and Snoop degrade and menace him. Also included are disses retorting earlier disses on songs by Miami rapper Luke Campbell, by New York rapper Tim Dog, and by onetime N.W.A. member Ice Cube, although Dre, while still an N.W.A member, had helped diss Cube first. After "Dre Day," a number of further diss records were exchanged.
It's On 187um Killa is the second EP released by American rapper Eazy-E and the last to be released during his lifetime. It was released on October 19, 1993 via Relativity Records and Eazy-E's Ruthless Records, as a response to Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic, which, massively popular that year, repeatedly attacks Eazy. To date, this is Eazy's most successful EP or LP, it sold 110,600 copies in its first week, and peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 as well as at number 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 1994, it was certified double-platinum, over 2 million copies sold. It remains one of 2 Hip-Hop Gangsta Rap EPs to go multiplatinum, alongside Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's Creepin on ah Come Up, which Eazy-E also appeared on.
Richard Johnson, better known by his stage name Tweedy Bird Loc, was an American rapper. Johnson and producer Ronnie M. Phillips organized the hip hop project Bloods & Crips, a collaboration between members of the California-based Bloods and Crips street gangs. Johnson was a Crip himself, affiliated with the Kelly Park Compton set.
J.J. Fad is an American female rap group from Rialto, California. The name was an acronym of the original group members' given names, but when the line-up changed the tradition developed that it stood for Just Jammin', Fresh and Def. The group was backed by DJ Train.
Eternal E is the first greatest hits album by American rapper Eazy-E. It was released posthumously on November 28, 1995, through Ruthless/Priority Records, several months after his death. Production was handled by DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, DJ Bobcat, Cold 187um, Naughty by Nature, and Eazy-E himself, who also served as executive producer. The album peaked at number 84 on the Billboard 200 and number 19 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the United States. It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on February 21, 2003 for selling over 500,000 copies in the U.S.
Jerry Buddy Long Jr., better known by his stage name Kokane, is an American rapper and singer best known for his distinctive vocal style and numerous guest appearances, such as on Snoop Dogg's Tha Last Meal.
The discography of Eazy-E, an American rapper from Compton, California, consists of two studio albums, three extended plays, two compilation albums, and ten singles. Eazy was also featured on the single "Game Wreck-Oniz-Iz Game" by Above the Law and "Foe tha Love of $" by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. His music has been released through record labels Ruthless Records, Priority Records, Relativity Records, and Epic Records. Five of his albums have been awarded a certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This discography includes music videos and collaborations as well as albums.
Livin' in a Hoe House is the only studio album by American female rap group H.W.A. The album was released in 1990 via Drive-By Records and was produced by Dangerous D and Ronnie Vann. The record was mildly successful, reaching #38 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. No singles made it to the Billboard charts.
Az Much Ass Azz U Want is one of two extended play albums by American female rap group H.W.A. The EP was released on February 22, 1994 under Ruthless Records and was produced by Cold 187um, Mista Choc, DJ Yella and Rhythum D, with executive production by Eazy-E. Due to the record being both a critical and commercial failure, only making it to #71 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #33 on the Top Heatseekers album charts, the group disbanded later the same year. One single was released, "All That ", but it did not make it on any album charts. The music video received heavy airplay and featured an appearance by Eazy-E.
The Collection is an album series by American hip hop group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Volume One, consisting of hit songs between 1994 and 1998, was released on November 24, 1998, by Ruthless Records. Volume Two was released on November 14, 2000.
Ruthless Records Tenth Anniversary: Decade of Game is a compilation album released by Ruthless Records. The album featured some of the label's greatest hits from the previous ten years. It peaked at 119 on the Billboard 200 and 44 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
The influence and impact of hip hop was originally shaped from African American and Latino communities in the South Bronx. In the last several decades, the movement has become a worldwide phenomenon which transcends different cultural boundaries as it reaches several ethnic groups, including Asian Americans. Asian American hip-hop practitioners include: MC Jin, Lyrics Born, Dumbfoundead, Tokimonsta, and DJ Q-Bert.
