The upcoming N.W.A biopic, Straight Outta Compton, is set to feature Paul Giamatti as Jerry Heller, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Heller was the manager of N.W.A during their rise. He also co-founded Ruthless Records with Eazy-E.
Heller was ridiculed by Ice Cube following the rapper’s departure from N.W.A. “Jerry Heller is a devil shit packer,” Ice Cube rapped on “The Predator,” which was released as the title track to Cube’s 1992 album. He also famously dissed Heller and his former N.W.A group mates on “No Vaseline” off 1991’s Death Certificate and on other selections.
Dr. Dre also had a feud with Heller following his departure from the group. Dre mocked Eazy-E and Jerry Heller in the music video for “Fuck Wit Dre Day,” a song that addresses his gripes with his former label after leaving for Death Row Records.
Prior to his time with N.W.A, Heller worked with several other musical acts, including Journey, Pink Floyd and Elton John, the report says.
Giamatti joins a cast that includes O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins, who are slated to star as Ice Cube, Eazy-E and Dr. Dre, respectively.
Heller has spoken about Straight Outta Compton.
“I really don’t know anything about that movie,” he said last month. “They haven’t contacted me about it. They haven’t asked me to be part of it. I really know very little about it. It’s disappointing to me, but those guys have their own agenda.”
Straight Outta Compton, set to be directed by F. Gary Gray, is scheduled to hit theaters August 15, 2015.
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