[Eazy-E]

From the DJ Shadow Collection

Abrams, Jonathan. “Like a Blueberry: Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Compton, New York City 1985-1995.” In The Come Up: An Oral History of the Rise of Hip-Hop. New York: Crown, 2022.

PRESENTED TO SOUTH TEXAS WHOLESALE TO COMMEMORATE THE SALE OF MORE THAN 1,000,000 COPIES OF THE RUTHLESS/PRIORITY RECORDS ALBUM AND CASSETTE “EAZY-DUZ-IT” RIAA CERTIFIED SALES AWARD

“GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO EAZY’S PLAYHOUSE, YOU STUPID M*THAF*CK*,” opens N.W.A. and Ruthless Records founder Eazy-E’s Eazy-Duz-It. Eazy remains a benchmark thirty-five years on from its original release as the singular solo record produced by the pioneering forefather of gangsta rap. An audacious ride through Eazy’s “playhouse,” Eazy-Duz-It highlights the particular blend of brash humor and swaggering bravado that defined Eazy as truly one-of-a-kind.

Perhaps Hip Hop’s most controversial figurehead, the late rapper Eazy-E is responsible for assembling the legendary hip hop group, N.W.A.—bringing together himself, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Arabian Prince, and DJ Yella in a Reagan-era coalition that would permanently alter the landscape of popular music in the United States. Self-labeled as “The World’s Most Dangerous Group,” N.W.A.’s explosive album Straight Outta Compton brought “reality rap” to the forefront of the American conscious, lyrically documenting the stark truths of day-to-day life for black adolescents in working class Southern California over heavily produced beats. Taking over the mainstream despite being banned from radio play and panned by critics, N.W.A.’s meteoric rise to infamy endures as an unparalleled example of the collective power of unfiltered, self-expression.