Died On This Date (March 26, 1995) Eazy-E / N.W.A.

Eazy-E (Born Eric Wright)
September 7, 1963 – March 26, 1995

eazy-eEazy-E was a groundbreaking rapper who, along with his group, N.W.A. was a pioneer of the gangsta rap genre.  During the mid ’80s, Eazy-E co-formed N.W.A. while also starting his own label, Ruthless Records, through which he released the group’s records.  In 1988, N.W.A. released their landmark album, Straight Outta Compton, which made a massive impact on both music and pop culture in general.  With its hard hitting lyrics strewn with violence and profanity, it offered a glimpse of the inner city life, appealing to both urban kids and those from the suburbs alike.  The album sold over three million copies and is often cited as one of the most important albums of all time.  Shortly after the release of it, Eazy-E released his own Eazy-Duz-It which also sold in the multi-million copy range.  N.W.A.  group broke up in 1991, reportedly over money issues.  Eazy-E continued to release solo albums through the early ’90s.  On March 16, 1995, Eazy-E went to the hospital complaining of what he assumed were asthma-related issues.  But to the shock of friends, family and fans, he was diagnosed with AIDS and died as a result of it just ten days later.  He was 31 years old.

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Straight Outta Compton: 20th Anniversary - N.W.A.

Died On This Date (March 9, 1997) Christopher Wallace / The Notorious B.I.G.

The Notorious B.I.G. (Born Christopher Wallace)
May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997

Christopher Wallace (aka The Notorious B.I.G.; Biggie Smalls) was an east coast rapper signed to Sean “Puffy” Combs’ Bad Boy Records. Although Wallace had some run-ins with the law, his musical talent could not be denied. And just as that talent was catapulting him to the upper stratosphere of the musical world, Wallace’s reported life of crime and involvement in a festering east coast vs west coast feud, he was executed in a hail of bullets outside the Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles, CA.  Christopher Wallace was just 24 when he was allegedly assassinated during a drive-by shooting.  The crime remains unsolved and is ripe with theories involving Marion “Suge” Knight, the LAPD, the Crips and the Bloods.  Wallace was married to R&B singer, Faith Evans.

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Ready to Die - The Remaster - The Notorious B.I.G.

Died On This Date (February 10, 2006) J Dilla aka Jay Dee / Hip-Hop Producer

J Dilla aka Jay Dee (Born James Yancey)
February 7, 1974 – February 10, 2006

jdilla

J Dilla was a respected hip hop producer who rose to prominence during the late ’90s.  He began getting noticed thanks to mid ’90s remixes for the likes of the Pharcyde, Janet Jackson and A Tribe Called Quest.  In 1997, Jackson’s “Got ’til It’s Gone” won a Grammy.  Even though Dilla produced it, he wasn’t credited, therefore didn’t receive the Grammy.  Dilla began releasing his own albums in 2000, each of which were moderately successful, particularly throughout hip hop’s underground community.  In 2003, he began collaborating with Los Angeles based producer and MC, Madlib.  Together they recorded as Jaylib.  Around that time, Dilla learned he was suffering from a rare blood disease that made it increasingly more difficult for him to get around.   His health continued to deteriorate over the next few years.  On February 10, 2006, 32-year-old J Dilla died of cardiac arrest.

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Jaylib - The Remix - Jaylib

Died On This Date (February 7, 2000) Big Pun / First Latino Rapper To Go Platinum

Christopher “Big Pun” Rios
November 9, 1971 – February 7, 2000

big-punBig Punisher, or Big Pun, was a Puerto Rican-American rapper who exploded out of the South Bronx during the latter part of the ’90s.  He first lent his vocal talents to recordings by the Beatnuts, and more famously, Fat Joe, before launching his solo career on Loud Records in 1998.  His debut album, Capital Punishment, went to #5 on the Billboard album charts and earned him a Grammy nomination.  It was also the first rap album by a solo Latino rapper to sell over a million copies.  Unfortunately, health issues cut his life tragically short just two years later.  It was no secret that Big Pun was considered obese, which factored in to his premature death by heart attack and respiratory failure at the age of 28.

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Capital Punishment - Big Punisher