The success of N.W.A. and their pivotal LP Straight Outta Compton was inescapable. Also unavoidable was their admirers playing favorites. While the group was adored by millions, each individual member developed a following of their own. Solo projects were inevitable.
Enter Eazy-Duz-It, the solo debut by Eazy-E.
Loaded with stark, adult-themed puns, gangsta flair, and comical lines with a gritty urban edge, Eazy’s Outta Compton spin-off perfectly reflected his humorous yet dark personality while simultaneously elevating N.W.A. fandom.
Kicking off the LP with one of the most recognized and quoted intros in hip-hop history, Eazy emerges on “Still Talkin” with this world-famous rhyme: “Easily I approach…the microphone because I ain’t no joke; tell ya momma to get off of my tip, I have no time to give her my d**k”.
The late Compton icon may have been too busy, but his fans shouting “We Want Eazy” had clearly made his records a priority. Each song here left a lasting impression.
Over a funky Dr. Dre-produced track, Eazy and his N.W.A. brother MC Ren demanded “Nobody Move”.
“He was once a thug from around the way… EAZY!” sings a little girl at beginning of the title track before an annoyed Eazy demands her to “shut the f*** up”, then requests a funky baseline from Dre.
“Cruisin down the street in my 64,” Eazy details on another iconic jam, beloved story rhyme “Boyz n the Hood”.
Eazy-E’s solo debut is loaded with standout moments. With so many, though, it surpasses being characterized as simply a dope hip-hop album. Eazy-Duz-It is entertainment. |THIS.
[By Mr. Joe Walker]
