A Ruthless Life • Eazy-E & Aaliyah

Skateland

Compton, CA 1988

The year is now 1988. N.W.A. and the Posse was released on November 6, 1987 and we are already planning our second album, we just haven't thought of a title. Great things take time, we'll work on an album name when the time come. My life is damn near perfect right now. I have a successful record label, a talented rap group, and we just released our first album. Eric and Erica are getting older, my parents are proud of me, Jerry is loyal as hell, and even my relationship with Tracy is going smooth.

It's officially been two years since me and Tracy been together. Cudda aint tripping because as far as I'm concerned, she's over me. We'll always be cool with each other though and we promised to get along for the kids. Tracy is supporting me and the whole Ruthless and N.W.A. project. That girl might be crazy but one thing is for sure, she love my ass. Our relationship can get chaotic but we always solve our problems.

N.W.A. was booked for our first gig at Skateland. It's going to be our first time performing live and we were so excited.
There's people out there that loves N.W.A.
and want to hear more from us, but the crazy thing is we aint been out that long. That's love right there man and I appreciate all of our supporters.

We arrived at Skateland an hour before our gig started. We all met backstage to warm up. I asked everyone to wear all black simply because it's professional. Well, everyone came prepared except Yella's ass.  

      "What the fuck happened with yo situation?" I asked him.

      "Man this is the only clean shit I got," he said.

He came dressed in a L.A Lakers sweatsuit.

                 "Are we getting paid to wear all black?" he asked.

Yella's ass is always goofing around, that's why I brought an extra pair of black clothes cause I knew his ass was going to fuck up.

      "Look, here man take this and I aint looking out for yo ass no more." I gave him the clothes and we waited for the announcer to introduce us.

"Our next guests are straight out of Compton. Y'all make sure to pick up their tape N.W.A. and the Posse. I want yall to welcome the world's most dangerous group, N.W.A.!" he screamed.

"Aight they want N.W.A.? Well let's give em N.W.A.! Now let's go get this moneyyyyyyyyyyy," I said.

Cube began rapping.

"It was once said by a man who couldn't quit dope man please can I have another hit? The dope man said clucka I dont give a shit if your girl kneel down and sucked my dick. It all happened and the guy tried to choke her. Nigga didn't care she aint nothing but a smoker. That's the way it goes, that's the name of the game young brother getting over by the slanging caine. Gold around his neck in 14 k Heaven, bitches clocking on his dick 24/7..."

I looked out at the crowd while Cube was rapping. Everyone was dancing and rapping along. It feels good to know that there's people out there that's interested in our work. And it feels even better to know that this is what I created with my hard earned money. I started Ruthless Records, I created N.W.A.

"Big wad of money nothing less than a twenty. Yo you want a five-oh? The dope man's got plenty. To be a dope man boy you must qualify. Don't get high off your own supply."

The more Cube rapped, the crowd got louder and louder. They knew the lyrics to Dopeman.

            "And people out there are not hip to the fact. If you see somebody getting money for crack he's the..."

           "DOPEMAN DOPEMAN!" the crowd screamed.

After the performance, we met up with Jerry.

             "Fellas, that was one hell of a show. Seriously, you guys are one of a kind. Keep it up."

A few minutes later, my homie Suge approached us. 

"What's up E?"

"Aye I want yall to meet the homie Suge."

          "I saw the performance. You guys are raw. And if you need a bodyguard just let me know," he said.

I replied, "thanks man but we already got that covered."

           "Well you never know what you may need until you need it. Didn't want to keep you, just wanted to give yall props. Great show again."

After Suge left, another guy approached us.

          "Excuse me? Hello fellas. I'm Bryan Turner, the founder of Priority Records. I saw your performance, you guys are good. Listen I really would like to work with you while you record your next album."

Dre interrupted and said "seems like everyone wants to work with us now that we're blowing up."

      "Yeah well I was in your shoes a few years ago. Someone from a higher status approached me, I laughed at first but then I started laughing to the bank. So what do you guys say? You wanna record some songs?"

We looked at each other.

         "I mean... yeah why not?" Dre responded.

Bryan replied, "good, this is the start of something big."