Eric Lynn Wright, known professionally as Eazy-E, was a pioneering American rapper whose work in the late 1980s and early 1990s fundamentally reshaped the landscape of hip-hop, earning him the enduring title of the "Godfather of Gangsta Rap." Born on September 7, 1964, in Compton, California, Wright's early life was marked by legal troubles before he pivoted to the music business, founding the influential label Ruthless Records in 1987. His entrepreneurial vision and raw, unpolished vocal delivery provided the perfect counterpoint to the production genius of Dr. Dre and the lyrical prowess of Ice Cube, with whom he formed the seminal group N.W.A that same year, alongside Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, and MC Ren.

N.W.A first made their mark with the compilation album N.W.A. and the Posse in 1987, but it was their 1989 debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, that catapulted them into the national spotlight. The album was highly controversial upon its release for its unflinching depiction of inner-city life, but it is now widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential albums in music history, establishing West Coast rap as a dominant force. The group followed up with their second and final studio album, Niggaz4Life, in 1991, which became the first hip-hop album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. However, internal tensions, largely stemming from financial disputes, led to the group's dissolution, with Ice Cube departing in 1989 and Dr. Dre leaving in 1991, igniting bitter and highly publicized rivalries between Eazy-E and his former collaborators.

Despite the fracturing of N.W.A, Eazy-E continued his solo career, releasing EPs that maintained his streetwise persona, but his most significant contributions in the later years were behind the scenes. Through Ruthless Records, he discovered and signed the Cleveland-based group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, whose 1994 debut album he helped launch, showcasing his continued eye for talent. His life was tragically cut short when he was diagnosed with AIDS, and he died on March 26, 1995, at the age of 30, just days after publicly announcing his illness. In a lasting testament to his legacy, Eazy-E was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 as a member of N.W.A, alongside Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, cementing his place as a foundational figure in the history of hip-hop.