Ruthless Records is an imprint record label formed by Gangsta rapper Eazy-E with partner Jerry Heller in Eazy-E's home town of Compton, California in 1987. The label is credited with pioneering the gangsta rap genre of West Coast hip hop, and later, G-funk. They even began the career of will.i.am, in a group called Atban Klann.
History
Eazy-E's Foundation
With Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, Eazy-E formed the rap group N.W.A..Other artists on the label included Above the Law, Penthouse Players Clique, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, The D.O.C., Blood of Abraham, Dre Be Gone (album recorded, but never released), DJ DTM (producer for Eazy E. on dre Be Gone's unreleased album.), Steffon, Young E, Kokane, Brownside, Tairrie B, Frost, A.L.T., Shaki aka Dirty Red, Slow Pain, N.W.A., Laylaw, Mister D & Sleepy Malo, Leicy Loc, Menajahtwa, Black Eyed Peas formely known back then as Atban Klann (although no album dropped,) Daddy X and J.J. Fad CJ Mac.
In 1995, Eazy-E was diagnosed with AIDS and died shortly thereafter. After his death, the label was taken over by his wife, Tomica Wright. Ruthless Records is now a division of Epic Records.
Following Eazy-E's Passing
The label has had several distributors simultaneously. Early Ruthless releases were distributed by Macola Records, but that deal was short lived and the rights reverted to Ruthless. All of N.W.A's releases and Eazy-E's first two solo releases on Ruthless were distributed by Priority Records, and the rights to these releases are now held by Priority's new owner, Capitol Records. Releases by The D.O.C., Michel'le, and JJ Fad were marketed through Atlantic Records or its subsidiary Atco Records. These master rights are still held by Atlantic's parent company, Warner Music Group, while Above The Law's releases were marketed through Epic Records. In the early 1990s, Ruthless found more exclusive distribution through Relativity Records, formerly a heavy metal label. Relativity was later folded into its parent company, Sony Music.Discography
1987- * N.W.A. – N.W.A. and the Posse Gold 1988
- * Eazy-E – Eazy-Duz-It 2x Platinum
- * J. J. Fad – Supersonic Gold
- * N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton 3x Platinum1989
- * The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better 3x Platinum
- * N.W.A. – 100 Miles and Runnin' Gold
- * Above the Law – Livin' Like Hustlers Platinum
- * Tairrie B – Power of a Woman 1991
- * N.W.A. – Efil4zaggin 2x Platinum
- * Above the Law – Vocally Pimpin' Gold
- * Yomo & Maulkie – Are U Xperienced? 1992
- * Eazy E – 5150: Home 4 tha Sick Gold
- * MC Ren – Kizz My Black Azz Platinum
- * Above the Law – Black Mafia Life Platinum
- * Penthouse Players Clique – Paid the Cost Gold
- * Po', Broke & Lonely? – No Money, No Honey 1993
- * Eazy-E – It's on (
Dr. Dre) 187um Killa 5x Platinum
- * MC Ren – Shock of the Hour Platinum
- * A.L.T. – Stone Cold World 1994
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – Creepin On Ah Come Up 4x Platinum
- * Above the Law – Uncle Sam's Curse Gold
- * Pistol – Hittin' Like a Bullet 1995
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal Diamond (10x Platinum)
- * Eazy-E – Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton 3x Platinum
- * Eazy-E – Eternal E Gold
- * Mad CJ Mac – True Game 1996
- * N.W.A. – Greatest Hits Gold
- * MC Ren – The Villain in Black Gold 1997
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – The Art of War (album) 4x Platinum
- * Frost – When Hell.A. Freezes Over 1998
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – The Collection Volume One Platinum
- * M.C. Ren – Ruthless for Life Gold
- * Various Artists – Ruthless Records Tenth Anniversary Compilation
- * Bizzy Bone – Heaven'z Movie Platinum 1999
- * Krayzie Bone – Thug Mentality 1999 Platinum
- * Various Artists – Turf Stories Soundtrack
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – BTNHResurrection 2x Platinum
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – The Collection: Volume Two2001
- * L Burna aka Layzie Bone – Thug By Nature Gold
- * Krayzie Bone – Thug On Da Line Gold 2002
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – Thug World Order Platinum
- * Eazy-E – Impact of a Legend Gold
- * Baby S – Street Fractions 2004
- * Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – Greatest Hits 2x Platinum
- * Spymob – Sitting Around Keeping Score
- * Eazy-E – Eternal E Gold 2006
- * N.W.A - The Best of N.W.A.: The Strength of Street Knowledge 2007
- *Bone Thugs N Harmony - ''T.H.U.G.S.
- *Eazy E - Featuring…Eazy-E/Starring…Eazy-E
Current artists
- Na'Shay
- Agina
- Erin "EB" Wright (Eazy-E's daughter)
- Street Runna'z Click
- Stevie Stone
- Baptism Blunts
- Baby S
References
External links
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Last updated on Saturday July 26, 2008 at 05:02:55 PDT (GMT -0700)
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