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Twenty years ago today (March 26, 1995), rap icon Eazy-E died at the age of 31 from complications related to AIDS. The founder of N.W.A and Ruthless Records, Eazy-E (born Eric Wright) was both business and music savvy enough to flip illegal drug profits into a multi-million dollar rap empire.
During his rise in the rap game, the Compton native released three solo albums and launch the careers of numerous rap legends, most notably, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Eazy-E may not always get the recognition of other deceased legends, but he is just as important to the fabric of hip-hop as we know it.
So we decided to share the ten tracks from Eazy-E’s discography that we feel best represent who he was as an artist. So check out the Boombox’s Top 10 Eazy-E Songs list.
The It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa album track "Real Compton G's" may get all of the love, but the scathing "It's On" may be just as deadly. On the song, Eazy-E spits vitriol at Dr. Dre. "Well, if it's on motherf---er, then it's on, G / Now, if it's on hey, Mr. Prankster, Prankster, storybook gangsta / Back in '86, you was in pumps and mascara," he raps. "It's On" proves that Eazy was far from easy pickings and was as formidable as his former partner in the art of war.
On the uptempo cut, "Nutz on Ya Chin," Eazy-E's flow fits like a glove over the production and sees him as raunchy as ever on the hook, chanting "Nutz on ya chin / Since you put yaself on my d---, I put my nutz on ya chin." Included on the pothumous album, Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton, "Nutz On Ya Chin" is bittersweet in that it is an example of the musical evolution that Eazy-E had yet to complete before his untimely death, but stands as a gem of a cut in his discography.
"Sorry Louie" sees Eazy-E exacting vengeance on those plotting on his riches and his life. Weaving three tales of his murderous encounters, the late rapper manages to remain nihilistic, even in the afterlife.
"Only If You Want" was the first single off Eazy-E's 1992 EP, 5150: Home 4 tha Sick. The five-track effort saw Eazy venturing out from the classic production of Dr. Dre and experimenting with his own sound. Calling in Naughty By Nature for reinforcement - who penned and produced "Only If You Want" - Eazy proved that he would not be stopped and continued to deliver his brand of gangsta rap.
Eazy-E made an instant impression on his debut single, "Eazy-Duz-It," the title track off of his Ruthless Records debut. Produced by Dr. Dre, Eazy rides the "funky bass" and spitting, "Well, I'm Eazy-E, I got bitches galore / You might have a lotta bitches, but I got much more." Clearly, Eazy was laying down his Compton steez all over the track.
Following Dr. Dre's departure from N.W.A. and his shots at Eazy-E on The Chronic, his one-time mentor decided to take the gloves off on his response cut, "Real Compton G's." "Hey, Doctor, here's another proper track and it's phat / Watch the sniper, time to pay the piper," he raps. Eazy also disses Snoop Dogg and questions Dre's credibility. While the two would eventually bury the hatchet before Eazy's death, this cut remains one of the most underrated diss songs of all-time.
Another offering from 5150: Home 4 tha Sick, "Neighborhood Sniper" saw Eazy-E teamed up with Kokane and Col187um and continue his warpath with a reggae-tinged song perfect for committing a lyrical homicide. Giving listeners a vivid crime-thriller in audio form, "Neighborhood Sniper" stands as an underrated track in the late rap mogul's discography.
The third single from Eazy-Duz-It, "We Want Eazy" features MC Ren and Dr. Dre. The song gives listeners the experience of what it's like to be in the front row at an Eazy-E concert. After getting introduced by Ren and Dre, Eazy pops up on the track, rapping, "A mircale, modern creation / Eazy-E's on the set, hyped up with the bass and / A little bit of what you love from a brother that's smooth as a criminal / I mean subliminal." The accompanying video is a classic as well, with Eazy rocking the show via live stream from a jail cell before bursting through the bars and rapping onstage in grand fashion.
"My name is Eazy, yeah, this is true / Keeping your attention is what I'm about to do / Hardcore, yo, I could never be soft / Ask 'em am I def and they say the boy goes off." With those opening bars, Eazy-E kicks off the street-wise track "Eazy Er Said Than Dunn." Utilizing samples of "Scratching" by the Magic Disco Machine and "The Breakdown" by Rufus Thomas," Dre and DJ Yella provide the sinister soundbed for the Compton pioneer to get his cold chilling on.
"Boyz In Da Hood" is one of the most influential songs in the history of gangsta rap. Produced by Dr. Dre, the track is, arguably, the most popular tune in Eazy-E's discography. And even though it was against Eazy's wishes for us to quote him, we can't help but to still recite his timeless lyrics twenty years after his death, which is a testament to the legend's genius.
