Ruthless Records

Infobox record label
name = Ruthless Records


image_bg = white
parent = Sony Music Entertainment
founded = March 3, 1987
founder = Eric Wright (Eazy-E) Jerry Heller
defunct =
distributor = Priority Records Relativity Records Epic Records (U.S.)
genre = Gangsta rap
country = USA
location = Los Angeles, California
url = http://www.ruthlessrecords.com/

Ruthless Records, pronounced roofless 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. The Cleveland based group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony was given a chance by Eazy-E. They are also one of Ruthless's biggest artist they have signed and top-sellers. They even began the career of will.i.am [ [http://allhiphop.com/blogs/djsproducers/archive/2007/09/17/18602002.aspx Features / DJs Producers : Will. I. Am: The Professor of Production; From Eazy-E and Black Eyed Peas, to Nas, and The Game ] ] , 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, DJ DTM, Steffon, Young E, Kokane, Cold187um, B.G. Knocc Out, Gangsta Dresta, Brownside, Tairrie B, Frost, A.L.T., Dirty Red, Slow Pain, H.W.A., Laylaw, Mister D & Sleepy Malo, Leicy Loc, Menajahtwa, Black Eyed Peas formerly known back then as Atban Klann (" [Grass Roots (Atban Klann album)] "] - 1992), Daddy X, DJ U-Neek, J.J. Fad and 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 Multi-Platinum:* J. J. Fad – "Supersonic" Gold:* N.W.A. – "Straight Outta Compton" 3x Platinum

;1989:* The D.O.C. – "No One Can Do It Better" 3x Platinum:* Michel'le – "Michel'le" Platinum

; 1990:* 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:* J. J. Fad – "Not Just a Fad":* Jimmy Z – "Muzical Madness":* Who Am I? – "Addictive Hip Hop Muzick":* Yomo & Maulkie – "Are U Xperienced?"

; 1992:* Eazy E – "" 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) 187^um Killa" 5x Multi-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:* Kokane – "Funk Upon A Rhyme":* Steffon – "Trippin' Wit No Luggage":* H.W.A. – "Az Much Ass Azz U Want":* Blood of Abraham – "Future Profits":* Menajahtwa – "Cha-Licious":* Atban Klann – "Grass Roots":* 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:* Frost – "Smile Now, Die Later":* Tab & Da Villon – "Do or Die":* 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 (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony 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" ; 2000:* Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – "BTNHResurrection" 2x Platinum:* Bone Thugs-n-Harmony – ""

;2001:* 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" ; 2005:* Eazy-E – "Eternal E" Gold

; 2006:* N.W.A - ""

; 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
* Hopsin

References

External links

* [http://www.eazy-e.com/eazy-e-bio.html Biography of Eazy-E]