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Eazy-Duz-It (1988)

Where the lyrics of Eazy-Duz-It take you, and where it was really made.

This debut was recorded in Torrance just before N.W.A. began its own debut album, and it is the only full-length solo album Eazy-E released in his lifetime.

Key places

Recorded in Torrance, California (1988)

Recording site Audio Achievements — The album was recorded at Audio Achievements in Torrance, California, in mid-1988, shortly before N.W.A. started its debut album. The point is shown at city level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Eazy-Duz-It: debut studio album by American rapper Eazy-E
• Released November 22, 1988 by Ruthless Records and Priority Records
• Eazy-E's first professional full-length recording
• The only full-length solo album Eazy-E released in his lifetime; he died in 1995
• Regarded as a groundbreaking album for gangsta rap

Background

• Released a year after the split record N.W.A. and the Posse, where Eazy-E debuted on numerous tracks
• Predates N.W.A.'s debut album Straight Outta Compton by two months
• Eazy-E had appeared on tracks both with N.W.A. and as a solo artist before this album

Recording

• Recorded at Audio Achievements in Torrance, California, in mid-1988
• Recording took place very shortly before N.W.A. began Straight Outta Compton
• Production was almost solely by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella
• Writers include MC Ren, The D.O.C., and Ice Cube
• Ice Cube's writing was often inspired by comedians like Richard Pryor and Rudy Ray Moore

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Eric Lynn Wright, known as Eazy-E, was an American rapper, entrepreneur, and record executive born September 7, 1964 in Compton, California.
• He founded Ruthless Records in 1987 and was dubbed the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap".
• In 1987 he formed N.W.A with Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Arabian Prince, later joined by DJ Yella and MC Ren.

Members

• N.W.A's original lineup was Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube; DJ Yella and MC Ren joined later.
• Ice Cube left in 1989, and the group continued as a four-piece before disbanding in 1991.

Career

• N.W.A's debut studio album Straight Outta Compton (1989) is ranked among the greatest and most influential albums.
• His solo debut Eazy-Duz-It (1988) sold over 2.5 million copies in the US and reached number 41 on the Billboard 200.
• He released two EPs, 5150: Home 4 tha Sick (1992) and It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa (1993), and signed Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
• He died of HIV/AIDS on March 26, 1995, aged 30; his final album Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton was released posthumously in 1996.
• In 2016 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of N.W.A.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Robert Christgau gave the album a C+, criticizing the thin beats and lyrics
• The New York Times called it a wild party album
• AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier wrote that it plays like a humorous, self-centered twist on Straight Outta Compton, with Eazy-E front and center
• The Spin Alternative Record Guide (1995) gave it seven out of ten and called it comparatively forgotten next to Straight Outta Compton
• Soren Baker of the Los Angeles Times called it a landmark album and said it established Eazy as a major player in the rap industry

Reappraisal

• Daniel Kreps of the Los Angeles Times called it a solo masterpiece
• Dan Snierson of Entertainment Weekly described it as an obscenity-littered depiction of violent, hollowed-out life in Compton
• Shan Fowler of PopMatters said it received underground success
• Jon Wiederhorn of MTV wrote that it demonstrated Eazy's knack for provocative lyrics
• Rolling Stone ranked it 153rd on its 2022 list of The 200 Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of All Time

Records

• Billboard 200: peaked at No. 41 on May 20, 1989; re-entered at No. 32 in August 2015
• Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: peaked at No. 12 on March 11, 1989
• RIAA Gold on February 15, 1989; Platinum on June 1, 1989; Double Platinum on September 1, 1992
• Sold over 650,000 copies in 1989 and 2.5 million by early 1995
• We Want Eazy: No. 43 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 7 on Hot Rap Songs
• Eazy-er Said Than Dunn: No. 84 on R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
• Eazy-Duz-It (single): No. 39 on Hot Dance Singles Sales

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The original cassette and LP left out the track Ruthless Villain
• The title track and lead single, written by MC Ren, opens with a little girl singing the theme song from the Gumby TV series, with changed lyrics
• Jerry Heller wrote that Eazy raps more up front on the album than he does on Straight Outta Compton
• Heller also insisted that the lyrics contain more sexual humor than gangsta vibe
• The album re-entered the Billboard 200 in August 2015, a couple weeks after the release of the N.W.A. biopic film Straight Outta Compton

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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