The Official Rap/Hip Hop thread

[Booker T]

Instead of starting threads saying which rapper is most gangsta and Ice Cube is back in a big way I thought it would be easier just to make a official thread.

[Booker T]

Lil Eazy E – Prince Of Compton



Eazy-E defined the epitome of gangster rap. The Compton businessman released albums from revolutionary rap groups N.W.A and Bone thugs-n-harmony on his own Ruthless Records and solidified the black hat-black sunglasses gangster look for generations of rap fans. So when the music mogul died in 1995, a major link was broken in the West Coast rap scene’s musical heritage.

Thanks to Lil Eazy E, Eazy-E’s oldest son, the resurrection of the West Coast rap is upon us. On his explosive debut album, The Prince of Compton, 21-year-old Lil Eazy E revives gangster rap by delivering a searing collection of bone-crushing songs about the streets of his infamous hometown. He also gives listeners an intimate look into the life and death of his groundbreaking father.

“I’m speaking on issues that every Eazy-E fan wants to know,” explains Lil Eazy E, who grew up in the same Compton house and in the same Compton streets in which his father was raised. “What does he think of his father’s life?” Lil Eazy E continues. “What does he think about the death of his father? How does he live? A lot of people probably think that I lived in Riverside, Northridge or in the Valley somewhere. They didn’t know that I was born and raised in the same house as my father, the oldest of nine kids. We were all together. We were a big family. I lived the same life my father lived. I’m representing that and giving it to you on The Prince of Compton .”

Just as Eazy-E helped revolutionize rap with the sonic muscle provided by N.W.A member Dr. Dre, Lil Eazy E handpicked a batch of ultra-potent beats for The Prince of Compton from some of rap’s best beatsmiths, including Sha Money XL (50 Cent), Johnny J (2Pac), Cool & Dre (Fat Joe) and Megahurtz (Westside Connection). “My album is the new generation gangster,” Lil Eazy E says, “so it has a special significant sound.”

That special sound shines on “Gangsta ****,” an orchestral song that features Lil Eazy E showcasing his lyrical agility and boasting of his weight in the streets. “Whoever feels that they’re No. 1, that they put the West back on the map, it hasn’t been done,” he explains. “So I’m coming for that No. 1 spot.”

On “That Fire,” Lil Eazy E combines the thuggery of the West with the sonic energy of the South. With a confident delivery, Lil Eazy E perfectly rides the fiery beat. “My mother was born in New Orleans, so I’ve still got that little flavor, that little taste in me. When I heard that beat, it was hard. It sounded like some Down South stuff.”

Ditto for “It Ain’t A Game,” where Lil Eazy E teams with Layzie Bone and Krayzie Bone for an ultimate display of lyrical and stylistic firepower. Each rapper rhymes with a sense of urgency that harkens back to Bone thugs-n-harmony’s early material. “I wanted to do a song with Bone when they were back in their original way, that real thuggish, ruggish,” Lil Eazy E explains. “It was a given. Me growing up on them, them repping pops, they were the biggest group ever. We came together and did it the right way.”

Lil Eazy E then shifts into storytelling mode, showing that he picked up on the salacious stories that made N.W.A’s material so riveting. With “Drive By Continued,” Lil Eazy E raps about being chased by the police, while on “Letter To My Homeboyz” he explains to his incarcerated friends that his life remains rough despite his status in the music game.

But the most moving song on The Prince Of Compton is “They Killed You.” This stirring song about the questions surrounding Eazy-E’s death and Lil Eazy E’s feelings toward his father’s life and legacy proved to be the most difficult song for Lil Eazy E to write.

“Certain times I go in there, if I feel like doing it, I do it,” he reveals. “It depends on what I’m doing that day. Do I want to feel like that that day? It irks me every time I listen to it because I know what I’m talking about is me, my story. My father’s spirit is always going to be in me and I’m going to live, be happy and represent him for my family. But the stuff that I believe went on, that I believe caused all of this, for my father to be gone, that hits me hard. I’m going to let the story out. It’s a story that everybody wants to know and that I’m going to put out.”

Growing up as the oldest son of Eazy-E, Lil Eazy E virtually retraced his father’s steps. Like his father, Lil Eazy E was raised by Eazy-E’s mother. Lil Eazy E also turned to gangbanging as a child and later developed his business and rap skills.

At the same time, Lil Eazy E remained in contact with many of his father’s friends and musical collaborators, including N.W.A members DJ Yella and MC Ren. As time went on, he also connected with Ice Cue and later Dr. Dre. Like his father, Lil Eazy E also formed a bond with The D.O.C., the skilled lyricist whom he shouts out on “They Know Me.” “He’s a coach,” Lil Eazy E says. “He has penmanship and knows how to write a rap, how to illustrate your life into rhymes. He taught me a lot. I matured off of him a lot. He coached me to be talented while I was representing myself, so that when I was representing my father and my life that I’d represent it right.”

Following is his father’s footsteps, The Prince Of Compton will be released on his own label, Kings of L.A., in conjunction with industry powerhouse Virgin Records.



Lil Eazy E owns and operates Kings of L.A. with his friends and business partners Bruce “Bruiser” Bible and Pete Farmer. Kings of L.A. is also the name of Lil Eazy E’s own rap supergroup, whom he features on several The Prince Of Compton tracks. The group, whose members are Lil Eazy E, Mav and producer DL, shines on the somber “Drive By Music” (which features a cameo from Ice Cube and was produced by DL) and the confrontational “Can’t **** Wit It.”

With a keen artistic vision, a phenomenal debut album, a budding record company and a fledgling roster of talented rappers, Lil Eazy E is poised to become the West Coast’s rap kingpin, just as his father did nearly 20 years ago.

“I want to start an empire,” he says. “The whole Kings of L.A. represents the whole legacy. Everything that I do represents the legacy of my father from this point on. It’s real big to me because it’s a movement of pushing my father’s legacy. It means a lot to me. We’re going to stay strong and push it, just like Ruthless was back in the day.”

Does anybody think he will be the rapper his pops was?

[Booker T]

hes got tigth tunes to goto www.lileazy-e.com or www.kingsofla.com

[Spyder]

Lil Eazy is a solid rapper but he'll never be anything close to what his dad was.

Unfornately for him, the West Coast is having a hard time getting any props nowdays.

What happaned to The Game will probably be the same thing that happens to him.

To gain any recognition, he'll have to join a mainstream label or get involved with a highly rated producer.

The Game was making joints for years here in Compton. But no one cared much about him until he joined G-Unit.

[Booker T]

But the thing is G-Unit aint that good they get way to much props 50cent aint that good a rapper sure he has some good songs but a lot of his songs sucks.

[West]

Quit talking about terrible rappers when you need to be talking about the General of the CHAMILLITARY! CHAMILLIONAIRE BABY!!!!!


Chamillionaire is THE best rapper in the game today. I just wish more people knew about him!

[Spyder]

But the thing is G-Unit aint that good they get way to much props 50cent aint that good a rapper sure he has some good songs but a lot of his songs sucks.

I agree with you.

But a lot of other people don't.

In my opinion G-Unit is very bad. But a lot of people seem to like them because they think G-Unit stands for something good.

50 Cent is popular in the public eye, so obviously little groupies are going to cling to them and support anyone they produce.

No one cared about The Game, Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, Spider Loc... none of them before they started saying "G-Unit!" in their music.

I guess that's just the way it is nowdays.

[Booker T]

Don't worry West Coast will be back on June6th when Ice Cube and Game's albums get released.

[Spyder]

Hopefully it does.

Game needs to stop dissing G-Unit and show the world what he can REALLY do.

I think I speak for alot of Rap fans when I say this whole G-Unot thing is getting a little old and boring now.

It was funny at first, but lately it's just gotten old. The DVD was pretty funny, but come on now, move on!

He proved he can rap with his 300 Bars an' Runnin' diss.

But come on, man. Get back to some good music.

I'm glad to hear Dr. Dre and Game's relationship hasn't fallen apart with the feud between Game and 50.

[Booker T]

Quit talking about terrible rappers when you need to be talking about the General of the CHAMILLITARY! CHAMILLIONAIRE BABY!!!!!


Chamillionaire is THE best rapper in the game today. I just wish more people knew about him!

I'll check him out

[West]

I'll check him out

Just some suggestions on songs: 'Turn it up', 'The Sound of Revenge', 'Ridin Dirty', 'Talking that talk', 'Grind Time', 'In the trunk'


just a few.

[Booker T]

Chamillioraire is a uniqe rapper his tunes are cool but he has a very strange voice
he good but Lil E better

[West]

Chamillioraire is a uniqe rapper his tunes are cool but he has a very strange voice
he good but Lil E better

We don't speak welsh over here BT. Of course it's strange

[Spyder]

Chamillionaire has some nice beats.

But his flow is the stereotypical Southern flow.

[RoorRipper]

The Infamous -- Mobb Deep

My favorite album of all time. They were 19 years old at the time.