STRAIGHT
OUTTA COMPTON
“YOU ARE NOW ABOUT TO WITNESS THE STRENGTH OF STREET KNOWLEDGE..”
When your dad is one of the most
influencial and raddest hip hop pioneers in the world, and your family friends include bodyguards, Ice Cube and MC
Ren, the likelihood is that you’re gonna follow in his footsteps. Lil Eazy E is not only the CEO of NWA Entertainment but also a talented rapper. He’s touring the world with DJ Yella, the original
NWA DJ, playing tracks from the classic album Straight Outta Compton as well as some other hip hop classics. I had the honour of speaking to Lil, aka Eric
Wright about his father Eazy E’s legacy, who his favourite rappers are and the work he does with HIV/AIDS charities.
20 / JULY 2017 /
OUTLINEONLINE.CO.UK
You’re the eldest son of gangsta rap pioneer Eazy-E, born and raised in Compton in the family home of your father. What’s your dearest memory of your father? Man, I have numerous memories of my father. He used to come and visit me in the house where I lived, which was his parents’ house where he was born and raised also, and taught me different things, like how to shoot a Red Rider BB gun back in ’88. I have really fond memories of him…I could go on and on. You’ve worked with a lot of huge hip hop names including Bone Tugs-N-Harmony and Te Game. Who for you are the best rappers of all time? Yeah, working with Bone was like a dream come true, and Te Game was one of the first people I worked with. Tat track, Confessions, on Te Game’s first mixtape was one of the coldest sixteens I ever wrote (ed’s note – a sixteen means a verse in a hip hop track). I might have to go back and look that up! Ice Cube, E-40, DJ Quik…in terms of those who are still alive, they’d be my favourites. My father was a pioneer, I don’t really consider him just a rapper, and Tupac of course, but when you ask that question I really just thought of those who are still living. On this tour you’re playing with DJ Yella from NWA, who with your dad right from the beginning with Boys In Te Hood. I guess that growing up with such
a famous rapper for a dad you must have had some pretty well known family friends that have stuck with you through the years into adulthood? Yeah, a lot of my father’s bodyguards and childhood friends have been around all my life, and DJ Yella and I have been real close since I was young. He’s my brother’s baby’s godfather. Ice Cube has always been a good mentor, MC Ren goes back to those old stories and the undercover street cats of my youth! It’s great to hear the stories and things you didn’t know about your father from friends like DJ Yella, so touring the world with him has been a real blessing. He’s always been there to support me…and keep a nigga paid! What does family mean to you? I am solely about my family, it’s everything to me. I didn’t get into this so I could tell people I’m the best rapper. What I can tell people is that I’m the most thorough rapper, and the most real, and the hardship and struggle that I went through is where I get my drive from. We’re just trying to tell our story and also keep my father’s legacy alive. Now I feel like a lot of things have been accomplished in terms of what I want to do in life. People say “E kickin’ the scene” but the NWA movie made two billion dollars and now children know about my father and his legacy has been revived. Now when I make music I feel relaxed and
comfortable and I’m just gonna give you my story. I’m not that young aggressive knucklehead running around anymore, I had a lot of anger, but to be able to travel the world, represent my father and be happy that I have cemented his legacy. Now fans come up to me and say “Now we want to know about you” and that inspires me to relax. My pops did it for all of hip hop, did it for Tupac, for Biggie, for Master P, for Snoop, for 50 Cent, for P Diddy, for everybody. He set the trend for everybody in this hip hop game, and I feel he should be represented and remembered. What are your favourite tracks from Straight Outta Compton that you’ll be performing? Man, Straight Outta Compton the song is one of my favourites for sure, Eazy Duz It, and Fuck Te Police… of course we’ll give you a taste of that as well! Ha ha! Basically we’ll be doing all my father’s hits. What did you think of Straight Outta Compton, the film? Hollywood did what it did, you know what I mean? You can have your nays and says, and it may not get what you want but overall it resurged my father’s career and put him in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Te movie served its purpose and broke records. All eyes on E!
LIZZ PAGE Read this interview in full at
outlineonline.co.uk
Straight Outta Compton comes to the Waterfront on 19th July. Tickets available from
ueatickets.ticketabc.com
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