Ruthless: A Memoir

About this book

"PAYBACKS A BITCH JERRY." The words scrawled crudely across Jerry Hellers bedroom mirror that afternoon meant the rap wars had suddenly escalated. In the battle of his life over the ragingly successful music label he had helped found Ruthless Records Heller had seen death threats strong-arming and beatings. Now the violence had come home when his enemies burglarized his house jacked his Corvette and left behind this sneering piece of graffito. Heller didnt get mad; he got even. Ruthless tells the explosive story of Jerry Hellers alliance with Eric Wright aka Eazy-E one of the legends of rap music and a founding member of N.W.A. "the worlds most dangerous band." As a longtime music industry superagent Heller had the skill and insight necessary to guide N.W.A.s cometlike rise to the top of the charts. Along the way there were raucous nationwide tours out-of-control MTV pool parties and X-rated business meetings. Heller held on through the brutal shocks and reversals of the Ruthless Records era which saw the label being targeted by the FBI and its principal artists locked in bitter conflict until a final turnaround placed Ruthless at the top of the heap once more. Always in the middle of the whirlwind were Jerry and Eazy an odd-couple pairing that represents one of the deepest and most appealing stories in American music. You dont have to be an N.W.A. fan to love Ruthless. Heller turns the music industry inside out exposing its strange logic and larger-than-life personalities. Ruthless provides keen insight into the popular music scene with an unforgettable portrait of its rollicking excesses life-churning drama and multimillion-dollar highs.