On this day in Hip Hop history,Eazy-E releases his second solo EP It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa. Released one year after his first EP and a long five years after his debut album Eazy-Duz-It, this album was a response to Dr. Dre’s prolific debut The Chronic. Tensions became high between the two NWA heavyweights and after the group’s 1991 split, the beef became public.
The West Coast was in a state of civil war. After NWA’s explosive breakup, its ex-members spared no time to air out their grievances on every other record they released. With Ice Cube attacking the Ruthless Records infrastructure and Dr. Dre siding with the enemy (Suge Knight and Death Row) to bring down all Eazy had built, there was no choice but for Eazy-E to respond as he did. He used the bulk of this album to state his opinion on Dr. Dre and his street authenticity, with each of the eight tracks on the EP attacking Dre’s image, originality, past, and current status in the rap game.
Aside from the disrespect that served as the core of this project, Eazy-E truly flexed his musical muscles with every track. Whether the inspiration surged from his emotional reaction to what was going with his ex-bandmates or simply from him being a seasoned veteran of gangsta rap is uncertain. What can be seen and heard however is that Eazy-E ate his Wheaties before hopping on the microphone to lay down this EP. With this project, we hear Eazy more comfortable with his own flow and who knows exactly where his lane is and how to be the fastest in it. As his final completed work in life, it is a great depiction of his growth and maturity as an artist.
Commercially, the album was a success. Peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 and claiming the #1 spot on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart, It’s On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa sold 110,600 copies in it’s first week and was certified double platinum in 1994.
Despite the fact that the Hip Hop community lost this giant in the game over two decades ago, the legacy of Eazy-E will always be seen, heard and celebrated by the culture of Hip Hop.
Eazy-E was born Eric Lynn Wright on this date in 1964 in Compton, California. As most of his gang-infested Compton neighborhood, Eazy adopted the street life and began a career in selling drugs in the early 80s. Wright earned as much as $250K selling drugs, but quickly reinvested his street profits into the music business, thus starting Ruthless Records.
Not long after, Eazy linked up with O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, Andre “Dr. Dre” Young and Lorenzo “MC Ren” Paterson and founded “the world’s most dangerous group”, N.W.A. This multi-platinum, Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame group catapulted Eazy’s status to the “godfather of gangster rap”.
Even though the world said goodbye to Eazy in 1995 after his short battle with AIDS, his musical genius continues to live on and influence future generations of Hip Hoppers.
The ‘90s is often referred to as the golden age of R&B, and for good reason. However, with so much quality music being churned out, maintaining a high profile isn’t easy. Nonetheless, it is entirely impossible to disregard the caliber of R&B talents that saturated the scene in that era. Take the alluring songstress Michel’le. Although she’s flown under the radar in recent times, her impact in the 90s was indelible.
The R&B superstar had a successful career throughout the decade. The albums she dropped between 1989 and 1998 speak loud and clear. This is also despite not releasing any new albums since 1998. It is also unsure whether or not the music scene can wholly welcome Michel’le’s return. Regardless, she still continues to perform live. It has been nine years since her last single though, but her time in the spotlight was marked with great success.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – JANUARY 14: Michel’le Toussaint performs at Celebration Of Life With TV One’s R&B Divas LA at House of Blues Sunset Strip on January 14, 2015 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for TV One)
Michel’le Toussant was born on December 5, 1970 in Los Angeles, California. The singer grew up in Compton where she faced a challenging upbringing. During her early life, she had to deal with living in a tough neighborhood and working her way out. Michel’le’s interest in music served as a form of escapism. She was determined to chase a career as a singer and leave Compton despite her limitations. At the age of 16, her world was positively upturned when she was discovered by rapper and record producer, Dr. Dre.
Michel’le caught the attention of Dr. Dre when recording a vocal part for his group World Class Wreckin’ Cru, and her life changed from then on. In the late ‘80s, she became the first female artist signed to Ruthless Records, a label founded by Eazy-E. Under Dr. Dre’s guidance, Michel’le released her self-titled debut album in 1989. The album spawned several hit singles including “No More Lies,” which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Other successful singles on the album include: “Something in My Heart,” and the sleeper hit, “Nicety.” Michel’le was felt throughout the ‘90s and was certified Gold in the U.S. six months after its release.
She was also a featured artist on 2Pac’s song “Run Tha Streetz,” from his acclaimed 1996 album, All Eyez On Me. She also appeared on several other projects before taking a hiatus. Michel’le marked her return to the music scene with the release of her sophomore studio album in 1998, nine years after her debut. The album, Hung Jury, did not enjoy the level of success Michel’le did, however.
(Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Michel’le and Dr. Dre began dating soon after they met. They share a son, Marcel, born in 1991. However, it wasn’t all rosy concerning Michel’le and her relationship with Dr. Dre. Indeed, he changed her life by giving her a platform for her talents, but she also suffered a strained and abusive relationship with him, which included multiple instances of domestic violence. In an interview with VladTV, the singer spoke about his infidelity, as well as his physical violence.
“I was getting dragged on the floor… shot at,” she said. “He shot at me… and I left the bullet in the door.” While she admitted “he never tried to shoot her anymore,” she did refer to the beatings as “a lot.” When asked about the movie StraightOuttaCompton, which was widely anticipated at the time, Michel’le insisted she would probably not make it to the biopic. “Why would Dre put me in it?” she said. “I was just a quiet girlfriend who got beat up and told to sit down and shut up.”
Shortly after the movie was released, Dr. Dre shared a statement to the New York Times, apologizing to the singer. However, she felt as though it wasn’t genuine. “He apologized to the public. I don’t think that was an apology to me, because if it was, he would’ve either called me without the public and said ‘Michel’le, I am so sorry for what I did to you 20-something years ago,’ that’s an apology,” she told the Huffington Post. The following year, she narrated Lifetime’s documentary, Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le, which explored her relationship with both West Coast moguls.
Michel’le’s unique speaking style, characterized by her high-pitched and childlike voice, set her apart from other artists in the genre. Nonetheless, she could tame any audience with the vast size of her singing voice. Her vocals added a distinctive touch to the West Coast Hip Hop and R&B sound of the era. Consequently, that increased the appeal and intrigue of her sound, and music even further.
Her career may not have enjoyed the level of longevity she had the potential for. After her first child was born, Michel’le took time off from music, which was detrimental to her career. Despite it all, Michel’le definitely made her mark in the R&B music scene. She will always be regarded as a trailblazer in the genre, known for her unforgettable voice, and memorable songs.
Despite the fact that the Hip Hop community lost this giant in the game over two decades ago, the legacy of Eazy-E will always be seen, heard and celebrated by the culture of Hip Hop.
Eazy-E was born Eric Lynn Wright on this date in 1964 in Compton, California. As most of his gang-infested Compton neighborhood, Eazy adopted the street life and began a career in selling drugs in the early 80s. Wright earned as much as $250K selling drugs, but quickly reinvested his street profits into the music business, thus starting Ruthless Records.
Not long after, Eazy linked up with O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, Andre “Dr. Dre” Young and Lorenzo “MC Ren” Paterson and founded “the world’s most dangerous group”, N.W.A. This multi-platinum, Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame group catapulted Eazy’s status to the “godfather of gangster rap”.
Even though the world said goodbye to Eazy in 1995 after his short battle with AIDS, his musical genius continues to live on and influence future generations of Hip Hoppers.
On this day in Hip Hop history, we celebrate a quarter-century of one of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony’s most popular pieces of work, The Art of War. As a follow-up to the group’s most successful album E. 1999 Eternal, The Art of War did everything but disappoint. The album kept the group’s momentum up, claiming the top spot on both the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop charts. This album even capitalized on the double LP trend of the 90s in a way that was cohesive and unsaturated.
Originally rumored to be titled DNA Level C or “Cleveland” spelled backward, this album took its current title and became a declaration of war against rappers whom Bone Thugs believed to be imitators of the style they created. Some of the groups and artists targeted were Three 6 Mafia, Twista, Crucial Conflict, and Tommy Wright III. Through this project, Bone Thugs looked to cement themselves as the only soulful east coast gangsta rappers in the industry.
Commercially this album was a great success, selling 349,000 copies in its first week on shelves and going on to be certified quadruple platinum only one year after its release. The album’s two singles were also big hits with “If I Could Teach the World” reaching #27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Look Into My Eyes” peak at #4 on the same chart.
On this date in 1991, “the world’s most dangerous group dropped their second and final album as a group, ironically titled Efil4zaggin on the Ruthless/Priority imprint.
On the heels of Ice Cube departing from N.W.A. on a sour note to embark on a solo career, the now four-man group was slowly disbanding, but managed to churn out one last full length album. Dr. Dre and D.O.C. left the group to help form Death Row Records shortly after this project was released. The album offered up three singles; the memorable “Always Into Somethin”, “Appetite For Destruction”, which featured an Ice Cube sub and “The Days Of Wayback”. Because of the group’s success, the LP did eventually reach platinum status.
Salute to Dre, Yella, Ren and Eazy for giving us a piece of Hip Hop history!
