 Wright in 1994 | |
| Born | September 7, 1964 Compton, California, U.S. |
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| Died | March 4, 2023 (aged 58) Compton, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1985–2023 |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, entrepreneur, record producer, |
| Genre | Hip-hop, rap, gangsta rap, hardcore hip-hop, West Coast hip-hop, rap rock, G-funk |
| Spouse | Tomica Woods-Wright (m. 1995-2023) |
| Children | Lil Eazy-E, Dominick Wright, Daijah Wright, David Wright, Raven Wright, Elijah Wright, Marquise Wright, Baby Eazy-E (E3), Daijah Wright |
| Associated acts |
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Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 4, 2023), also professionally known by his stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur and songwriter who performed the musical genres of hip-hop, rap, gangsta rap, hardcore hip-hop, West Coast hip-hop, rap rock and G-funk. Often referred as the ''King of Rap'', he is credited as one of the pioneers of gangsta rap, He was also one of the founding members of the West Coast hip-hop/rap band N.W.A., which was active from 1986 until its dissolution in 2003.
During his career, Wright has sold over 195 million records worldwide by 2022, making him one of the most best-selling music artists of all time.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Eric Lynn Wright was born to Richard and Kathie Wright on 7 September 1964 in Compton, California, a Los Angeles suburb notorious for gang activity and crime. His father was a postal worker and his mother was a grade school administrator. Wright dropped out of high school in the tenth grade but later received a high school general equivalency diploma.
Wright supported himself primarily by selling drugs after being introduced to the occupation by his cousin. Wright sold marijuana and allegedly had made as much as US $250,000 from dealing drugs by 1986. However, after his cousin was shot and killed, he decided that he could make a better living in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene, which was growing rapidly in popularity. He started recording songs during the mid 1980s in his parents' garage.
Career[]
As a N.W.A. member[]
As a solo artist[]
N.W.A.-Black Fist feud[]
Controversy[]
Since the 90s, Wright and the now deceased Dr. Dre have been known for multiple situations involving domestic violence, most notably Dee Barnes, and Michel'le, the latter who was the subject of a biopic that depicted her violent relationship with Wright and Dre, as well as Suge Knight. In 2015, Wright apologized to all of his victims, however Michel'le didn't accept the apology. He also threatened the producers of the biopic with legal action if they depicted scenes of Wright and Dre assaulting her. They depicted it anyways, but Wright did not file any lawsuits against them.
Health complications[]
Wright in 2016
Throughout his life, Wright was addicted to multiple types of drugs and other substances, which included marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine. He started abusing botox around 2005 and injected himself regularly, although later stopped the practice a few months prior to his death. Due to his infamous substance abuse problems, Wright would suffer a few heart attacks and go on hiatus a few times due to his condition on those occasions. He was encouraged multiple times in the past to go sober, but has only managed to remain sober a few times throughout his life, never becoming properly sober until February 2014, when he announced that he would stop using harmful substances. Wright would keep using botox until February 2023 despite being sober. He still smoked weed and would occasionally drink, some factors that led to his untimely death.
Hospitalization[]
On January 5, 2021, it was reported that Wright suffered a brain aneurysm, and was hospitalized. A few hours after Wright's hospitalization, officers would arrest four suspects for attempting a burglary at Wright's home. His wife was out shopping when the burglary took place.
Later career and death (2022-2023)[]
In 2022, Eazy-E would release what would be his nineteenth and last album Thingy on October 26, it received critical acclaim and charted the Billboard 100 for seven weeks.
Wright died in his Compton home on March 4, 2023 at the age of 58 due to a heart attack after a few decades of abusing drugs and failing rehab over 20 times.
Wright was buried in his hometown of Compton on March 7.
Discography[]
- Eazy-Duz-It (1988)
- 5150: Home 4 tha Sick (1992)
- It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa (1993)
- Eternal E (1995)
- Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin' Compton (1996)
- Gangstaz Forever (1998)
- 2001 (2000)
- Forgot about Eazy (2001)
- Impact of a Legend (2002)
- Lucky (2003)
- Extra (2005)
- Featuring...Eazy-E (2007)
- Tri-Pack (2010)
- Legends (2012)
- Youngstas Forever (2013)
- Merry Muthafuckin' X-Mas (2015)
- Tha Paradise (2017)
- Hey, Hey, Hey! (2019)
- Thingy (2022)
Singles[]
- Boys in tha Hood (N.W.A. and the Posse) (1987)
- Eazy-Duz-It (Eazy-Duz-It) (1989)
- Eazy-er Said Than Dunn (Eazy-Duz-It) (1989)
- We Want Eazy (feat. Dr. Dre and MC Ren) (Eazy-Duz-It') (1989)
- Only If You Want It (5150: Home 4 tha Sick) (1992)
- Neighborhood Sniper (5150: Home 4 tha Sick) (1992)
- Real Muthaphuckkin G's (feat. B.G. Knocc Out & Dresta) (It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa) (1993)
- Any Last Werdz (It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa) (1993)
- Luv 4 Dem Gangsta'z (Beverly Hills Cop III) (1994)
- Tha Muthaphukkin' Real (feat. MC Ren) (Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin' Compton) (1995)
- Creep N Crawl (Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin' Compton) (1995)
- Sippin' on a 40 (feat. Dresta & B.G. Knocc Out) (Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin' Compton) (1996)
- Forgot about Eazy (feat. Big L (Differently)) (Forgot about Eazy) (2001)
- Switchez (Impact of a Legend) (2002)
- Till I Collapse (feat. Nate Dogg) (Lucky) (2003)
- Toxicity (Extra) (2005)
- No Love (feat. Lil Wayne and Kurupt) (Tri-Pack) (2010)
- Killin' (Legends) (2012)
- Rap God (Youngstas Forever) (2013)
- Da Othars (feat. Tupac Shakur) (Hey, Hey, Hey!) (2019)
- Da World Order (Thingy) (2022)
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