Jerry Heller, the Ruthless Records co-founder and one-time manager to N.W.A, has passed away at the age of 75, according to social media posts from those who knew him.
TMZ is reporting that Heller had a medical emergency while driving in Ventura County, California on Friday morning. He reportedly collided with another vehicle and was brought to the hospital. The publication hasn’t confirmed whether Heller’s death was caused by the medical emergency or the crash.
Born in 1940 and growing up in Cleveland, Heller eventually went on to work with some of the biggest names in music in the ’60s and ’70s, including Journey, Marvin Gaye and Pink Floyd. In the ’80s, he became instrumental in bringing West Coast rap music to prominence, co-founding Ruthless Records with Eazy-E and managing N.W.A for several years.
Together they released Straight Outta Compton in 1988, a triple-platinum record that changed the course of Hip Hop and that is widely considered by critics as one of the greatest albums of all time.
The group parted ways in 1991, with Ice Cube and Dr. Dre blaming Heller for splitting them up over bad business and exploitation. Cube went on to release “No Vaseline,” a scathing diss track aimed at Heller and the rest of the group, scolding Eazy-E for having “a white Jew tellin’ you what to do.”
The film version of the group’s story was a major hit in theaters last year, grossing more than $200 million worldwide. It also led to Heller filing a $110-million lawsuit against the filmmakers over his depiction in the movie, which he said was inaccurate in places and lifted without permission from his memoir in others.
Check out some of the social media posts from his friends below.
I guess the greedy old k.yke wont be suing anybody now…………LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Yo somebody just died why don’t you grow up a little bit and respect human life
Suge injected him with AIDS. (by the way, i guess Dr. Dre and them don’t have to worry about the court case no more lol)
Hallelujah! Good riddance to this crooked, deceitful thief. He was a POS and the world is a better place without him.
Unfortunately, the je. .’Jerry Hellers’ of the world run the music business, and the entire entertainment industry.
I never even got a chance to blow him 🙁
GOOD RIDDANCE
I will be dead by the end of this month too.
why?
The world is a slightly better place after this devil died.
Racist kkk be like ‘The Negroes Finally Killed Heller’ okay rest up now old man.
What’s the difference between a hoe ass and an asshole? Not much just the space.
uhmmm pretty sure the “kkk” would actually rejoice after hearing the news. if i have to explain to you why, then it’s just obvious you lack knowledge. i’m just gonna leave it at that.
Without him Dr. Dre would still rockin girls clothes intead of headphones. RIP and thx for making hiphop better.
With his money and input he helped put West Coast rap on the map, there’s no mistake in that. But he was scum to them N.W.A. boys, though.
RIP Jerry Heller
You definitely played a major part in hip-hop history even though you was portrayed as the bad guy in straight outta Compton without you they would not have been no nwa, no dre & snoop, no death row records, no g-funk era, no Eminem, no 50 cent, no Friday movies, no bone thugs and definitely from my favorite rapper on Life After Death no Notorious Thugs. Hopefully you and easy will make amends an realise how much u both changed hip-hop forever. Thank you.
This guy did nothing but promote violence and negativety through rap music horrible person