Ruthless interview **THA SHACK EXCLUSIVE**
Tha Shack: What is your name?
Tomica Woods-Wright..
Tha Shack: It has been a long time since Ruthless has done an interview. Last time can remember is the Decade of Game promotion. Why the silence? Any other interviews we might have missed?
Tomica Wright: Some time has passed since the last interview with Ruthless. We have been busy putting some new things together.
Tha Shack: In Eazy-E’s last interviews he mentions several times he has 60-70 unreleased tracks. Can you confirm this? Here is a quote from Source magazine, and Vibe magazine.
Source July 94
Quote:
Eazy is sitting in the studio, a beat-up boombox in his lap, dragging off a licorice-papered joint. "There's gonna be like forty to sixty songs on the album," he says of the upcoming double CD set, Str.8 Off the Streets of Muthaphukkin' Compton, Volume 1 and 2, which he's been promising to release for the last two years. Produced by Eazy, Rhythm, Yella, and Above the Law's Cold 187um, it will be the longest hip-hop album of new material ever released. Pulling out a box of tapes, he plays me numerous samples, which range from a low-ridin' War-type cut with a sing-songy chorus and scattered scratches, to a hardcore street funker, punctuated by synth blasts and gunshots, to a straight heavy metal number courtesy of Guns 'N Roses. The one he seems most excited by, however, is a commercial devoted to dissing Dr. Dre. "Remember me, the Doctor? yells out a goofy-sounding Dre character. "We should get back together again." Which Eazy responds: "Man, get this muthafucka outta here."
-------------------------------------------
Dec 93/Jan 94 Vibe Magazine
Why did you do an EP instead of an album?
Quote:
Just to put out something for right now. I got like 50 or 60 songs, I was going to do a double album. But Different shiit comes and goes with the times and as time goes along, you can't be sitting on some songs you did a while ago and it's not that same shiit happening on the streets.
-------------------------------------------
Tomica Wright: I cannot confirm 50 –60 unreleased tracks by Eazy. Completed or started. But it is possible there were that many tracks submitted. Some songs were completed; some songs with scratch vocals and some just concepts.
Tha Shack: Are the remaining tracks in Ruthless’s possession? If so, how many? If not, who has them?
Tomica Wright: Some tracks are in Ruthless’s possession, the master copies of at least 8 songs are missing. Majority of the unreleased material was used for the last two Eazy –E projects. We are not certain who has our property.
Tha Shack: In an article published by GQ magazine in 1995, it mentions, “Shortly after Eazy’s death, police locked the doors to Ruthless Records to protect tapes and videos, which were beginning to disappear.” Is this true? If so, does this include Eazy-E unreleased material, and what was recovered if any?
Tomica Wright: It is true that shortly after Eric passed Ruthless Records doors were on lockdown, no one was allowed to enter the premises. The missing tracks have not been recovered.
Tha Shack: What were the final outcomes of all the court cases after Eazy’s death regarding Ruthless Records? Rulings, etc. Who was involved? What was the state of Ruthless?
Tomica Wright: The final outcomes were in favor of Ruthless Records continued success and Eric’s last wishes. The court cases consisted of family & business matters.
Tha Shack: Did Ruthless keep a record log of masters owned prior to Eazy’s death?
Tomica Wright: Yes, of completed work.
Tha Shack: I’ll just mention a few unreleased items. Please tell me anything that comes to mind, any updates, etc.:
Tha Shack: Eazy has mentioned in interviews that he did a song with Guns N’ Roses.
Tomica Wright: Yes, we only have a rough copy of the song, which was not completed. Good track!
Tha Shack: Eazy has mentioned doing a song called “Yellow Brick Road to Compton”. A positive song for Compton that was agreed upon with the mayor of Compton in order for Eazy to shoot the “Real Compton City Gs” video. Any update on this one?
Tomica Wright: I am aware of the working title, rough ideas and some scratch vocals were laid, but song was not completed.
Tha Shack: “Everything I Luv” Snippet was supposedly posted on Eazy’s 1-900 hotline.
Tomica Wright: We only have a cassette copy of the song. Not completed
Tha Shack: There were rumors that the SleepWalkers track on Bone’s Collection vol. 2 originally had a longer Eazy verse dissing Dre and Snoop. Will we ever get to hear the original?
Tomica Wright: The original version of the song did include Eazy’s vocals, which were erased in a session with Bone. Not sure if the verse dissed Dre or Snoop.
Tha Shack: What was the name of the Eazy-E track that was to be on the “Dark Blue” Soundtrack?
Tomica Wright: It was supposed to be one of the songs, which was used for the “Impact of a Legend” project. “Dark Blue” was supposed to come out before the “Impact of a Legend” project. Unfortunately, the project kept getting pushed back, so we just licensed music for the movie. The movie didn’t pull enough demand as a theatrical release to warrant a soundtrack. It had a better response DVD.
Tha Shack: Was the album “Str8 Off Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton vol. 2” ever completed? If not, how come we have seen release dates for it?
Tomica Wright: Originally, this was the working title for a double album. Eric wanted to release. (”Str8 Off “Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton” Vol 1 and 2). Since he was taking so long to release another project after “Dre187 It’s On”. He had a good amount of songs, concepts and ideas laid out and started, but not everything was completed. Not sure why volume 2 release dates appeared.
Tha Shack: Yella has mentioned that the original "Str8 Off Tha Muthaphukkin Streets of Compton" album cover was a bunch of pictures formed as a collage. Will we ever get to see the original album cover?
Tomica Wright: I do not have any copies of any other artwork for the "Str8 Off Tha Muthaphukkin Streets of Compton" album cover, except for what was used. But this does not mean that Yella was wrong. It is very well possible that the original cover was going to be a collage. Eric had been working on this project a little shy of (2) years before he passed.
Tha Shack: Has Eazy ever done tracks with Scarface or 2Pac? Any other artists we might not know about?
Tomica Wright: Not to my knowledge. He has done some collaborations, I am not certain what songs fans have heard. This type of information will be posted on the Ruthless Records Site currently under construction.
Tha Shack: Did Eazy ever finish the script for the movie “Smiling Faces”? Any comments?
Tomica Wright: Yes, there were a few minor changes (spelling). He put a lot of time in putting the script together along with his other (2) partners for that deal.
Tha Shack: A recent rumor is a man found unreleased tracks from Eazy-E and NWA in his studio. Have you heard about this?
Tomica Wright: Oh really. Someone should tell this mystery man to contact Ruthless or EMI, so Eazy-E and NWA fans can have the opportunity to hear these unreleased tracks.
Tha Shack: Does/Did Ruthless own any unreleased N.W.A. tracks?
Tomica Wright: To my knowledge no. Masters old masters would be property of EMI, but if you are referring to just the music (tracks) None that I am aware of.
Tha Shack: What is your name?
Tomica Woods-Wright..
Tha Shack: It has been a long time since Ruthless has done an interview. Last time can remember is the Decade of Game promotion. Why the silence? Any other interviews we might have missed?
Tomica Wright: Some time has passed since the last interview with Ruthless. We have been busy putting some new things together.
Tha Shack: In Eazy-E’s last interviews he mentions several times he has 60-70 unreleased tracks. Can you confirm this? Here is a quote from Source magazine, and Vibe magazine.
Source July 94
Quote:
Eazy is sitting in the studio, a beat-up boombox in his lap, dragging off a licorice-papered joint. "There's gonna be like forty to sixty songs on the album," he says of the upcoming double CD set, Str.8 Off the Streets of Muthaphukkin' Compton, Volume 1 and 2, which he's been promising to release for the last two years. Produced by Eazy, Rhythm, Yella, and Above the Law's Cold 187um, it will be the longest hip-hop album of new material ever released. Pulling out a box of tapes, he plays me numerous samples, which range from a low-ridin' War-type cut with a sing-songy chorus and scattered scratches, to a hardcore street funker, punctuated by synth blasts and gunshots, to a straight heavy metal number courtesy of Guns 'N Roses. The one he seems most excited by, however, is a commercial devoted to dissing Dr. Dre. "Remember me, the Doctor? yells out a goofy-sounding Dre character. "We should get back together again." Which Eazy responds: "Man, get this muthafucka outta here."
-------------------------------------------
Dec 93/Jan 94 Vibe Magazine
Why did you do an EP instead of an album?
Quote:
Just to put out something for right now. I got like 50 or 60 songs, I was going to do a double album. But Different shiit comes and goes with the times and as time goes along, you can't be sitting on some songs you did a while ago and it's not that same shiit happening on the streets.
-------------------------------------------
Tomica Wright: I cannot confirm 50 –60 unreleased tracks by Eazy. Completed or started. But it is possible there were that many tracks submitted. Some songs were completed; some songs with scratch vocals and some just concepts.
Tha Shack: Are the remaining tracks in Ruthless’s possession? If so, how many? If not, who has them?
Tomica Wright: Some tracks are in Ruthless’s possession, the master copies of at least 8 songs are missing. Majority of the unreleased material was used for the last two Eazy –E projects. We are not certain who has our property.
Tha Shack: In an article published by GQ magazine in 1995, it mentions, “Shortly after Eazy’s death, police locked the doors to Ruthless Records to protect tapes and videos, which were beginning to disappear.” Is this true? If so, does this include Eazy-E unreleased material, and what was recovered if any?
Tomica Wright: It is true that shortly after Eric passed Ruthless Records doors were on lockdown, no one was allowed to enter the premises. The missing tracks have not been recovered.
Tha Shack: What were the final outcomes of all the court cases after Eazy’s death regarding Ruthless Records? Rulings, etc. Who was involved? What was the state of Ruthless?
Tomica Wright: The final outcomes were in favor of Ruthless Records continued success and Eric’s last wishes. The court cases consisted of family & business matters.
Tha Shack: Did Ruthless keep a record log of masters owned prior to Eazy’s death?
Tomica Wright: Yes, of completed work.
Tha Shack: I’ll just mention a few unreleased items. Please tell me anything that comes to mind, any updates, etc.:
Tha Shack: Eazy has mentioned in interviews that he did a song with Guns N’ Roses.
Tomica Wright: Yes, we only have a rough copy of the song, which was not completed. Good track!
Tha Shack: Eazy has mentioned doing a song called “Yellow Brick Road to Compton”. A positive song for Compton that was agreed upon with the mayor of Compton in order for Eazy to shoot the “Real Compton City Gs” video. Any update on this one?
Tomica Wright: I am aware of the working title, rough ideas and some scratch vocals were laid, but song was not completed.
Tha Shack: “Everything I Luv” Snippet was supposedly posted on Eazy’s 1-900 hotline.
Tomica Wright: We only have a cassette copy of the song. Not completed
Tha Shack: There were rumors that the SleepWalkers track on Bone’s Collection vol. 2 originally had a longer Eazy verse dissing Dre and Snoop. Will we ever get to hear the original?
Tomica Wright: The original version of the song did include Eazy’s vocals, which were erased in a session with Bone. Not sure if the verse dissed Dre or Snoop.
Tha Shack: What was the name of the Eazy-E track that was to be on the “Dark Blue” Soundtrack?
Tomica Wright: It was supposed to be one of the songs, which was used for the “Impact of a Legend” project. “Dark Blue” was supposed to come out before the “Impact of a Legend” project. Unfortunately, the project kept getting pushed back, so we just licensed music for the movie. The movie didn’t pull enough demand as a theatrical release to warrant a soundtrack. It had a better response DVD.
Tha Shack: Was the album “Str8 Off Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton vol. 2” ever completed? If not, how come we have seen release dates for it?
Tomica Wright: Originally, this was the working title for a double album. Eric wanted to release. (”Str8 Off “Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton” Vol 1 and 2). Since he was taking so long to release another project after “Dre187 It’s On”. He had a good amount of songs, concepts and ideas laid out and started, but not everything was completed. Not sure why volume 2 release dates appeared.
Tha Shack: Yella has mentioned that the original "Str8 Off Tha Muthaphukkin Streets of Compton" album cover was a bunch of pictures formed as a collage. Will we ever get to see the original album cover?
Tomica Wright: I do not have any copies of any other artwork for the "Str8 Off Tha Muthaphukkin Streets of Compton" album cover, except for what was used. But this does not mean that Yella was wrong. It is very well possible that the original cover was going to be a collage. Eric had been working on this project a little shy of (2) years before he passed.
Tha Shack: Has Eazy ever done tracks with Scarface or 2Pac? Any other artists we might not know about?
Tomica Wright: Not to my knowledge. He has done some collaborations, I am not certain what songs fans have heard. This type of information will be posted on the Ruthless Records Site currently under construction.
Tha Shack: Did Eazy ever finish the script for the movie “Smiling Faces”? Any comments?
Tomica Wright: Yes, there were a few minor changes (spelling). He put a lot of time in putting the script together along with his other (2) partners for that deal.
Tha Shack: A recent rumor is a man found unreleased tracks from Eazy-E and NWA in his studio. Have you heard about this?
Tomica Wright: Oh really. Someone should tell this mystery man to contact Ruthless or EMI, so Eazy-E and NWA fans can have the opportunity to hear these unreleased tracks.
Tha Shack: Does/Did Ruthless own any unreleased N.W.A. tracks?
Tomica Wright: To my knowledge no. Masters old masters would be property of EMI, but if you are referring to just the music (tracks) None that I am aware of.
