Jerry Heller
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Jerry Heller (born October 6, 1940) is best known for managing West Coast rap group N.W.A. and rapper Eazy-E. He is co-founder and CEO of Ruthless Records. Heller managed War, Average White Band, Marvin Gaye, Michel'le, A.L.T. and Frost, as well as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Van Morrison, and Otis Redding.
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[edit] Managing the rise of West Coast rap
In the 1980s, Heller began managing acts on the nascent Los Angeles hip hop scene, many of whom recorded for Macola Records in Hollywood. He managed both C.I.A., which Ice Cube was a member of, and the World Class Wreckin' Cru, which included Dr. Dre and DJ Yella. On March 3, 1987, he met the Compton, California rapper Eazy-E and became general manager of Eazy's label, Ruthless Records.
Heller managed N.W.A.. Under the direction of Heller and Eazy, Ruthless Records had six platinum releases in three years: Supersonic (J. J. Fad), Eazy-Duz-It (Eazy-E), Straight Outta Compton (N.W.A), No One Can Do It Better (The D.O.C.), Michel'le's self-titled debut, and Efil4zaggin (N.W.A.).
[edit] Death Row Records and Jewish Defense League
During Dr. Dre’s departure from Ruthless Records, Heller and Ruthless director of business affairs Mike Klein sought assistance from the Jewish Defense League.[1] Said Klein: "The Defense League offered to provide bodyguards to Eazy-E when [Suge] Knight allegedly threatened him in the early 1990s." This provided Ruthless Records with muscle to enter into negotiations with Knight over Dr. Dre’s departure. The Federal Bureau of Investigation launched a money laundering investigation, assuming that the JDL was extorting money from Ruthless Records. JDL spokesperson Irv Rubin issued a press release stating "There was nothing but a close, tight relationship" between Eazy-E and the League".
Heller explained JDL’s involvement with Ruthless for even more reasons than the FBI investigated. Heller claimed Eazy-E received death threats and it was discovered that he was on a Nazi skinhead hit list. Heller speculated that it may have been because of N.W.A.'s song Fuck tha Police. Heller said "It was no secret that in the aftermath of the Suge Knight shake down incident where Eazy was forced to sign over Dr. Dre, Michel'le, and The D.O.C., that Ruthless was protected by Israeli trained/connected security forces."[2] Heller maintains that Eazy E admired the JDL for their slogan "Never Again" and that he had plans to do a movie about the group.
[edit] After N.W.A.
N.W.A. broke up in 1991, with Ice Cube and Dre departing and aiming vicious dis raps at Heller, Ruthless, and Eazy. Ruthless went on to release Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's platinum hits of the mid-1990s. Heller continued to work in rap, prompting the rise in Hispanic hip-hop at Hit-a-Lick Records. Rejected by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (NWA) was going to do a reunion but Eazy was diagnosed with AIDS.
Heller's memoir, Ruthless, written with Gil Reavill, was published by Simon & Schuster/Simon Spotlight Entertainment in 2006.
Heller is married to former actress Gayle Steiner and lives in Calabasas, California.
Jerry Heller now manages Pittsburgh rock n' Roll band 28 North.
[edit] References
The following two links are dead as of 4/22/10, any updates?
- ^ FBI Probed Possible Extortion of Eazy-E, Bureau Memos Say, Jahna Berry
- ^ Jerry Heller Is Still Ruthless Davey D., Breakdown FM interview.
[edit] External links
- Ruthless: A Memoir, Jerry Heller and Gil Reavill. ISBN 1-4169-1792-6.
- IMDb entry
- Ruthless A Memoir (Interviews, videos, and resources on Jerry Heller, updated frequently)
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