Ruthless Records (Los Angeles)

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Ruthless Records
Parent company	Sony BMG
Founded	March 3 1987
Founder(s)	Eazy-E (Eric Wright) Jerry Heller
Distributing label	Priority Records Relativity Records Epic Records (U.S.)
Genre(s)	Gangsta Rap
Country of origin	USA
Location	Los Angeles, California
Official Website	http://www.ruthlessrecords.com/

Ruthless Records is an imprint record label formed by Gangsta rapper Eazy-E with partner Jerry Heller in their 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.

Contents 1 Background 2 Ruthless' distributors 3 Ruthless' Future 4 Discography 5 See also 6 External links

[edit] Background

Ruthless signed local up-and-coming hip-hop stars Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and DJ Yella, and a year later Eazy-E formed the band N.W.A.. Ruthless Records was handled by Eazy-E, Cold 187^um, Rhythum D and Yella and owns the G-funk Record Company consisting of artists Above the Law, Penthouse Players Clique, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, The D.O.C., Blood of Abraham, Steffon, Young E, Kokane, CJ Mac, Brownside, Tairrie B, Paperboy, Kid Frost, A.L.T., Shaki aka Dirty Red, Slow Pain, H.W.A., Laylaw, Mister D & Sleepy Malo, Leicy Loc, Domino, Menajahtwa, Pistol and J. J. Fad later joined the label.

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.

[edit] Ruthless' distributors

The label has had several distributors simultaneously. Early Ruthless releases were distributed by Malaco 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.

[edit] Ruthless' Future

Eazy E's son Lil Eazy is looking to buy the label in the near future.

[edit] Discography

1987

• N.W.A. – N.W.A. and the Posse

1988

• Eazy-E – Eazy-Duz-It
• J. J. Fad – Supersonic
• N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton

1989

• The D.O.C. – No One Can Do It Better
• Michel'le – Michel'le

1990

• N.W.A. – 100 Miles and Runnin'
• Above the Law – Livin' Like Hustlers
• Tairrie B – Power of a Woman

1991

• N.W.A. – Efil4zaggin
• Above the Law – Vocally Pimpin'
• J. J. Fad – Not Just a Fad
• Jimmy Z – Musical Madness
• Who Am I? – Addictive Hip Hop Muzick
• Yomo & Maulkie – Are You Xperianced?

1992

• Eazy E – 5150: Home 4 tha Sick
• MC Ren – Kizz My Black Azz
• Penthouse Players Clique – Paid the Cost

1993

• Eazy-E – It's on (Dr. Dre) 187^um Killa
• MC Ren – Shock of the Hour
• Above the Law – Black Mafia Life
• A.L.T. – Stone Cold World
• Blood of Abraham – Future Profits

1994

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Creepin On Ah Come Up
• Above the Law – Uncle Sam's Curse
• Kokane – Funk Upon a Rythme
• Steffon – Trippin' Wit No Luggage
• H.W.A. – Az Much Azz U Want
• Menajahtwa – Cha-Licious
• Atban Klan – Puddles of H20
• Pistol – Hittin Like a Bullet

1995

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – E. 1999 Eternal
• Eazy-E – Eternal E
• Frost – Smile Now, Die Later
• Tab & Da Villon – Do or Die

1996

• Eazy-E – Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton
• N.W.A. – Greatest Hits
• MC Ren – Villain in Black

1997

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – The Art of War
• Frost – When Hell .A. Freezes Over

1998

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – The Collection Volume One
• M.C. Ren – Ruthless For Life
• Various Artists – Ruthless Records Tenth Anniversary Compilation
• Bizzy Bone – Heaven'z Movie

1999

• Krayzie Bone – Thug Mentality 1999

2000

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – BTNHResurrection
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – The Collection: Volume Two

2001

• L Burna aka Layzie Bone – Thug By Nature
• Krayzie Bone – Thug On Da Line

2002

• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Thug World Order
• Eazy-E – Impact of a Legend
• Baby S – Street Fractions

2004

• Spymob – Sitting Around Keeping Score

2005

• Eazy-E – Eternal E - Gangsta Memorial Edition
• Bone Thugs-N-Harmony – Greatest Hits

2006

• N.W.A - "The Strength Of Street Knowledge"

[edit] See also

• Gangsta rap
• G-funk
• Hip hop music
• List of record labels

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Eazy-E Timeline and Biography of Eazy-E have some information on the founding of Ruthless Records.