| Villain Entertainment | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | MC Ren |
| Distributor(s) | INgrooves (In the US) Fontana (In Canada) |
| Genre | Gangsta rap |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Palm Springs, California |
| Official website | nationvillain |
Villain Entertainment is a record label, founded by gangsta rapper MC Ren, [1] [2] in Palm Springs, California in 1999. [3] The label's focus was gangsta rap genre of West Coast hip hop.
Villain Entertainment was formed as a vehicle for releases by MC Ren, after he left Ruthless Records in 1999. [4] After MC Ren's departure from Ruthless Records, the label inherited the rights to all of MC Ren's solo albums, including Kizz My Black Azz , Shock of the Hour , The Villain in Black and Ruthless For Life . [5] [6] [7] Although established in 1999, the label remained dormant for a long period until a revival in 2009, with the release of MC Ren's album Renincarnated . [8]
MC Ren (Founder of label)
| Artist | Album | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| MC Ren | Renincarnated | October 31, 2009 |
| MC Ren | Rebel Music | March 27, 2014 |
| MC Ren | Osiris | June 3, 2022 |
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.
O'Shea Jackson Sr., better known as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1988 album Straight Outta Compton contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popularity, and his political rap solo albums AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted (1990), Death Certificate (1991), and The Predator (1992) were all critically and commercially successful. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A in 2016.
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."
Antoine Carraby, known professionally as DJ Yella, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer and film director from Los Angeles.
100 Miles and Runnin' is an EP from the American gangsta rap group N.W.A. Released on August 14, 1990, this EP of five tracks reflects an evolution of N.W.A's sound and centers on the single "100 Miles and Runnin'." Two tracks, "100 Miles" and "Real Niggaz," incidentally incited N.W.A's feud with Ice Cube, who had left to start a solo rap career. The porno rap track "Just Don't Bite It," also drew notice. Pushing lyrical boundaries in its day, the EP went gold in November 1990 and platinum in September 1992.
N.W.A. and the Posse is a compilation album, re-releasing N.W.A and associated groups' underground rap songs from the Los Angeles area's rap scene on November 6, 1987. It is regarded as American rap group N.W.A's first but neglected album; N.W.A's authorized debut studio album, rather, is Straight Outta Compton, released in August 1988. Whereas the Straight album was certified platinum, one million copies sold in July 1989, the Posse album was certified gold, half as many copies sold, in April 1994.
Priority Records is an American distribution company and record label known for artists including N.W.A, Ice Cube, MC Ren, Eazy-E, Master P, Snoop Dogg, Silkk the Shocker, Jay-Z, Paris, Mack 10, 504 Boyz, Brotha Lynch Hung, C-Murder, Mia X, Westside Connection, and Ice-T. It also distributed hip hop record labels including Death Row Records, Hoo-Bangin' Records, No Limit Records, Posthuman Records, Rap-A-Lot Records, Rawkus Records, Roc-A-Fella Records, Ruthless Records Duck Down Records, and Wu-Tang Records. According to Billboard, "few record labels were as important to the rise of West Coast hip hop as Priority Records."
Tracy Lynn Curry, better known as The D.O.C., is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. In addition to a solo career, he was a member of the Southern hip hop group Fila Fresh Crew and later collaborated with gangsta rap group N.W.A–where he co-wrote many of their releases–as well as Eazy-E's solo debut album Eazy-Duz-It. He has also worked with Dr. Dre, co-writing his solo debut album, while Dre produced Curry's solo debut album, released by Ruthless Records. He was one of the founders of Death Row Records along with Dr. Dre and Suge Knight.
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.'"
Ruthless Records was an American Independent record label founded by Eric "Eazy-E" Wright and Jerry Heller in Compton, California in 1987. All of the Ruthless trademarks have been owned by Comptown Records, Inc. since 1987. Several artists and groups on the label such as N.W.A, Eazy-E, MC Ren, The D.O.C., Michel'le, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony have released RIAA certified albums.
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.
Gregory Fernard Hutchison, known as Big Hutch and Cold 187 um, is an American rapper and producer, and leader of the rap group Above the Law. He currently records for his self-founded label.
Kizz My Black Azz is the debut EP by rapper MC Ren, released on June 30, 1992, on Ruthless Records and distributed by Priority Records. Selling over one million copies in the first month, to date, the album has sold 2.2 million copies in the U.S.
Shock of the Hour is the debut album by rapper MC Ren, released November 16, 1993, on Ruthless Records and distributed by Relativity Records.
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.
"Final Frontier" is the solo debut single by MC Ren released from his debut EP, Kizz My Black Azz and his first track released after the breakup of N.W.A. It was released on September 14, 1992 and was produced by Bobby "Bobcat" Ervin of the L.A. Posse. Though the song was only a minor success, making it to 80 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks and 17 on the Hot Rap Singles, it has arguably become MC Ren's most well known song.
"Comin' After You" is the second single from rapper MC Ren's third studio album, Ruthless for Life. It features former N.W.A bandmember Ice Cube and it is the first time the duo had worked together since the split of N.W.A The song was produced by DJ Bobcat who also produced MC Ren's debut EP, Kizz My Black Azz.
Straight Outta Compton is a 2015 American epic biographical drama film directed by F. Gary Gray, depicting the rise and fall of the hip hop group N.W.A and its members Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Members of N.W.A were involved in the production of the film, including Ice Cube and Dr. Dre as producers, as was Eazy-E's widow, Tomica Woods-Wright. MC Ren and DJ Yella served as creative consultants. Ice Cube is played by his real-life son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., who made his film debut. Corey Hawkins portrays Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell is Eazy-E, Neil Brown Jr. is DJ Yella, and Aldis Hodge is MC Ren. Paul Giamatti stars as N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller.