Sept.7th – Eazy-E was born Eric Lynn Wright in Compton , California on this day in 1963.

Eazy-E founded Ruthless Records with long-time rock and roll manager and business partner Jerry Heller in 1987. Ruthless was primarily a label to promote Eazy’s new group N.W.A. , which at the time featured Ice Cube , DJ Yella , Arabian Prince , Dr. Dre and M.C. Ren.

Ruthless Records however would also release hit records by other artists like J.J. Fad , The D.O.C. and Michel’le.

But it would be with N.W.A. that Eazy E. would make music history. The group’s sophomore album “Straight Outta Compton” would put the group on the musical map as they would now share the torch of west-coast hip-hop with Ice-T and Too $hort.

The legendary album would feature the title track which would introduce the group’s neighborhood of Compton to the world as well as depict life and the struggle of Black and Latino People in inner-city Los Angeles. The album also contained the legendary controversial track “F Tha Police” , which caught the attention of both the F.B.I. and The U.S. Secret Service , who both sent letters of disapproval to Ruthless Records.

The group became legendary and still holds an influence on contemporary hip-hop until this day.

Eazy-E would release two more successful albums with N.W.A minus Ice Cube and Arabian Prince who both left in 1989 to pursue solo careers respectively.

Eazy-E also released 5 solo albums between 1988 and 1995 , most notably 1988’s “Eazy-Duz-It” and 1993’s “It’s On”.

N.W.A. disbanded in 1992 , with Dr. Dre joining Death Row Records as an artist and producer , M.C. Ren pursuing a solo career as well as joining The Nation Of Islam and DJ Yella becoming a director and producer in the adult film industry.

Eazy would continue to run Ruthless Records , which by now had quite a lucrative catalogue.

Eazy- E died from complications of the AIDS virus on Mar.26th 1995 at age 31. His death would be a catalyst for awareness of HIV and AIDS in the hip-hop world.