I grew up listening to NWA on cassettes in a small town in New Zealand. I could'nt have been further removed from the violence my idols were rapping about. Nearly four decades later, as I listen to Eazy Does It, I write a fable that I wish could have been of reality...
It was a dark and stormy night when I first laid eyes on Eric Wright, better known as Eazy-E. The year was 1986, and the streets of Compton were alive with the sound of gunfire and the smell of burning rubber.
I had come to this godforsaken corner of Los Angeles to investigate the rise of a new breed of outlaws, a gangsta rap group known as N.W.A. These young men were making waves in the music industry with their raw and unapologetic lyrics, and I was intrigued by their story.
As I walked the streets, dodging stray bullets and stepping over crack vials, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping over me. This was a place where life was cheap, and death was always just around the corner. But amidst the chaos, I caught a glimpse of a man who stood out from the rest.
Eazy-E, the self-proclaimed "Godfather of Gangsta Rap," was a force to be reckoned with. With his gold chains and menacing scowl, he radiated a dangerous energy that commanded respect. He was the leader of N.W.A, a group of young black men who refused to be silenced by the powers that be.
I was lucky enough to score an interview with Eazy-E, and as we sat down in a dimly lit room, surrounded by armed bodyguards, I knew that I was in for a wild ride. He spoke with a fierce determination, spitting out his words like bullets from a machine gun. He told me of growing up in Compton, of the poverty and violence that had shaped his life, and of his unwavering commitment to using his music as a weapon against oppression.
As I listened to him, I couldn't help but be reminded of Hunter S. Thompson's famous words, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Eazy-E was a true professional, a man who had turned his life of hardship and struggle into something powerful and meaningful. He was a true outlaw, a rebel with a cause, and I knew that his legacy would live on long after he was gone.
Eazy-E passed away on March 26th 1995 from AIDS related complications, his death was a shock to the music industry and his fans. He was only 31 years old. But his impact on the world of music and culture was undeniable. He was a true innovator, a man who fearlessly pushed boundaries and refused to be silenced. He will always be remembered as one of the true legends of gangsta rap.
As I walked out of that dimly lit room, leaving Eazy-E and his bodyguards behind, I knew I had just met someone truly special. I knew that I would never forget the Godfather of Gangsta Rap, and that his legacy would live on forever.
Rest in power Eazy-E, you will never be forgotten.