The Truth About Eazy-E’s Legacy: Lil Eazy-E Sets the Record Straight

Summary

Podcast Summary: For Good – Episode: The Truth About Eazy-E’s Legacy: Lil Eazy-E Sets the Record Straight

Introduction and Reunion

In this compelling episode of For Good, host Joseph "JoJo" Simmons sits down with his brother and friend, Little Eazy E, to delve deep into personal histories, legacy, and growth. The conversation kicks off with a warm exchange, highlighting their strong familial bond and shared experiences in the hip-hop world.

Preserving Eazy-E’s Legacy

A significant portion of the discussion centers around Little Eazy E's efforts to honor his late father, the iconic Eazy E of N.W.A fame. JoJo emphasizes the importance of maintaining his father's legacy, stating, “You are doing a great job carrying on his legacy” (15:01). Little Eazy E shares his journey of building a studio and producing music that pays homage to Eazy E, while also carving out his own path in the music industry. He reflects on performing his father’s music globally, noting the profound impact it has on fans and his personal fulfillment: “To keep my father's legacy is only a dream, and you get to travel, to work, to see different, you know, likes and walks of different people in the world” (08:22).

Personal Struggles and Mental Health

The conversation takes a poignant turn as Little Eazy E opens up about the challenges he faced growing up without his father, who passed away when he was just ten years old. He recounts a moment of emotional vulnerability when a girl questioned if he had AIDS, reflecting society’s stigmatization and the personal toll it took: “You know, a girl asked you that at 16?” (24:47). Little Eazy E underscores the necessity of mental health support, sharing his coping mechanisms and the importance of seeking therapy, especially within the Black community. JoJo reinforces this message, advocating for therapy as a valuable tool for everyone: “We all deal with trauma. We all deal with PTSD of certain things, and we need to be able to let it out, especially Black men” (48:30).

Music and Healing

Music emerges as a therapeutic outlet for both JoJo and Little Eazy E. Little Eazy E discusses how performing his father's music not only honors Eazy E but also serves as a healing process for himself and his audience: “Music is really like, where’d you learn it from? It brings you back to that time to reminisce about them, right? And it can be a healer” (31:12). JoJo adds that music functions as therapy, helping individuals navigate through various emotions: “Music is like therapy” (32:25).

Parenthood and Marriage

The brothers share heartfelt insights into their roles as fathers and husbands. Little Eazy E speaks about the unexpected hardships of parenthood, such as sleepless nights and the intense responsibility of raising children: “One part you didn’t expect is just a hardship that you’re gonna feel when your child is either sick, crying, or needed” (17:43). They discuss the importance of quality time, balancing work and family, and the challenges of maintaining strong relationships amidst busy lives. JoJo reflects on his struggles to stay present for his wife, emphasizing the value of listening and supporting one another: “Sometimes she just wants me to be there and just, hey, what color is this? What do you want to do for dinner tonight?” (38:06).

Community Work and AIDS Awareness

Little Eazy E is deeply involved in community work, particularly in AIDS awareness and support. He recounts his participation in aid facilities across the country and abroad, aiming to educate and support affected individuals: “I was just going to a lot of aid facilities where they give you help learn about the facts of this virus” (20:42). His dedication to spreading awareness and assisting the youth is evident through his initiatives like the Eric Wright Foundation, which conducts toy drives and other charitable acts: “We did three toy drives before the end of the last year” (40:27).

Current and Future Projects

Looking ahead, Little Eazy E shares his aspirations in the acting world and his plans to produce a documentary series about his father. He expresses a desire to provide an in-depth, personal look at Eazy E's life beyond the public persona: “I want to talk about him himself. Let’s go back to when he was a kid, how he got to where he went to and the things he did as an individual” (15:50). Additionally, he mentions ongoing projects like Little Exotics and recent acting roles that keep him engaged in the entertainment industry: “Little Exotics is what's going on now” (39:06).

Conclusion

The episode concludes with JoJo expressing gratitude for Little Eazy E's openness and the valuable insights shared. This heartfelt conversation not only sheds light on the personal struggles and triumphs of Little Eazy E but also underscores the broader themes of healing, legacy, and community support. Listeners are left with a profound understanding of the importance of mental health, the power of music as a healing tool, and the enduring strength of family bonds.

Notable Quotes:

• Little Eazy E: “I may not feel my father died of that.” (00:00)
• JoJo Simmons: “We all deal with trauma. We all deal with PTSD of certain things, and we need to be able to let it out, especially Black men.” (05:28)
• Little Eazy E: “Music is really like, where’d you learn it from? It brings you back to that time to reminisce about them, right? And it can be a healer.” (31:12)
• JoJo Simmons: “My daughter's only 8, and she comes to me and I ask her, how does she feel about it?” (50:40)
• Little Eazy E: “Take time for yourself. But a lot of people that are probably going through mental health, that’s Eric, because I’ve learned to do that living being the only kid with my grandparents, with my father before and when my father passed away.” (46:36)

Timestamp Reference:

• 00:00
• 05:28
• 31:12
• 50:40
• 46:36

Final Thoughts

This episode of For Good masterfully intertwines personal narratives with broader societal issues, offering listeners a blend of honest reflection, motivational insights, and educational content. Little Eazy E's candid sharing serves as a beacon for those navigating similar challenges, reinforcing the podcast’s mission to foster growth, healing, and a deeper connection to purpose.

Transcript

[Little Eazy E]

Be honest with you. I may not feel my father died of that.

[JoJo Simmons]

You don't feel he died of that.

[Little Eazy E]

Let's think about what Eze is about. Ladies, man, A lot of different women. He's not practicing safe sex.

[JoJo Simmons]

I feel like they just try to throw that on him because of that.

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I'm saying? I was just going to a lot of aid facilities where they give you help learn about the facts of this virus and what ethnicity attacks, what, you know, the government does and does not do to help it, and even cities like, wow, that's even worse than a third world country, and that's in America.

[JoJo Simmons]

Our community, I think, looks down on therapy. Like, there's something wrong with us or something. But we don't need to look down. We need to look up to therapy. We all deal with trauma. We all deal with PTSD of certain things, and we need to be able to let it out, especially black men. What's good, everybody? It's your guy, JoJo Simmons. And this is the For Good podcast where we focus on the good and never the bad, and we're measured on what we do and not what we have. My guest today is Little Easy E, my brother and my friend. I appreciate you coming out tonight.

[Little Eazy E]

Thank you, brother, for sure.

[JoJo Simmons]

So, first of all, tell me how you doing today before we get into these questions.

[Little Eazy E]

I'm good, man. There's a little traffic. Other than that, you know what I mean? Make sure that I'm, you know, nice ease and calm, you know what I mean? Other than that, it was good seeing you. So it was more so. You know what I mean? It was a chill day, you know what I mean?

[JoJo Simmons]

Like, I appreciate that a lot of people don't understand that, like, we're real friends, you know, And I called you, I said, hey, man, I'm starting this podcast. I think me and you would be really good. I want to interview you. Like, no question, I'll be there. I gave you a time. You showed up early. I didn't think you was going to show up early.

[Little Eazy E]

I was there when you was walking in.

[JoJo Simmons]

You showed up early. Appreciate that. I appreciate that. But it's great seeing you. I appreciate you pulling up, and I really want to take this time to get to know you more and let the people know about our history and what you got going on. And really, on this podcast, I really want to focus on just positive things, man, motivational things, stuff that you're doing in your community, you know, stuff that you're doing for your people, your family. Stuff you're doing for yourself, for your mental health as a father, things like that. So we're going to be touching on a lot of different subjects today, but we're going to start with this. I got little cue cards, man.

[Little Eazy E]

I feel like, you know, Steve Harvey. Come on with it, brother.

[JoJo Simmons]

All right, all right. So we know. People know us from growing up hip hop together, right? Yeah, but we actually met on the Sons of Legends tour, Correct talk.

[Little Eazy E]

Years before, Years before with Chris Rivers.

[JoJo Simmons]

And young Dirty bastard, JMJ's son.

[Little Eazy E]

That's how we go back with him. You know what I mean? We got history him.

[JoJo Simmons]

So what do you remember about the tour? And do you have any funny stories about that tour?

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, my goodness. What do I remember about the tour? We had a great time. The tour was just good. We did about three or four cities. It's crazy because you bring this up. The promoter actually is resting in peace.

[JoJo Simmons]

Yeah, Rest in Peace. His name was Troy, right?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, I believe so.

[JoJo Simmons]

Rest in Peace Detroit.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. God bless his soul.

[JoJo Simmons]

He brought us together for a good cause, man. He did.

[Little Eazy E]

And we had good time. And the significant story is when I first met. You gotta think when first thought to be like, okay, I'm finna meet Jojo. You feel what I'm saying? I'm like, you know, like me and my brother Derek, you feel what I'm saying? He was on a tour with us too, E3. We're like, yeah, he probably, like, probably won't be too much relate.

[JoJo Simmons]

It's all gonna be Hollywood.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, he grew up, you know what I mean? He still got his daddy. You feel what I'm saying? You know what I mean? They living, you know, high life. I mean, yeah, you know, he's.

[JoJo Simmons]

He don't know about us.

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I'm saying? Like, he ain't too much in the zone with us. And now you were with Keys? Yeah, yeah, my dog Keys still. And once we sit here and cross paths and we went after we chilled with Jojo, of course, we was young, smoked up. Thank you. Okay, so I didn't smoke that. We smoked.

[JoJo Simmons]

Listen, this is a class keeping it real, man.

[Little Eazy E]

We got. We. Yeah, we definitely did. And you know what? And during the time we were smoking, the funny thing or the significant thing that happened is the fire alarm went off, so we thought it was us. You feel what I'm saying? Like, damn, we ain't supposed to be smoking. They already told us not to smoke. I done ran him out, Jojo, like, what I smoke anywhere I go. You Know what I'm saying, my man? I'm going to do it. I do. They go to no, you know, I'm dealing with me. So me and my brother was like, hey, he cool as a motherfucker. Like, what? He just like.

[JoJo Simmons]

I ran my room and got more weed. I'm like, we gonna keep smoking.

[Little Eazy E]

What? I'm like, what? And so as we smoking, the alarm go off. I don't significant remember what happened.

[JoJo Simmons]

I know why. You want to know why?

[Little Eazy E]

I found out why what happened?

[JoJo Simmons]

So remember why this older couple was in a room and the guy put aluminum foil in his microwave.

[Little Eazy E]

Wow.

[JoJo Simmons]

That's why they. So we thought it was us.

[Little Eazy E]

We did. We thought it was us. We all left out. You feel what I'm saying?

[JoJo Simmons]

The story is way cooler thinking it was us.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Real talk. Yeah. We thought we was. We lit it up. They don't know who the it was.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

You know, it's just us.

[JoJo Simmons]

You feel that was a memorable. Definitely. Probably one of the funniest stories that's.

[Little Eazy E]

He was outside for some about a couple of hours at the hotel while we're on tour. And that was our first date of really chilling and meeting Jojo.

[JoJo Simmons]

But the thing about it is too, before I move on to the next question is that is the first day we met and kicked it. But we were doing things kind of the same at the time. Like, remember was it xxl? What magazine was it that was gonna do? They did interviews on all the Sons of legends. And it was me, you, E40 son, Diggy. It was all of us. We were all in a magazine. And that was the first day I ever heard that EZ had a son.

[Little Eazy E]

Boy with cash money.

[JoJo Simmons]

Who was it? I forgot. I don't know.

[Little Eazy E]

Damn. He out there. Damn.

[JoJo Simmons]

But it was a lot. It was basically all the sons of the legend. Dr. Dre's son was also involved. I remember that. So that was the first time that I ever heard of little Eazy. E. The okay, Easy. E has a son. So when I heard about you coming on tour with me, headlining the tour with me, of course I was happy. But what really made me happy was when they recruited me to come on Grown Up Hip Hop.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And they told me, well, we got this other guy because he goes by a little easy. Do you know him? I said, do I know him?

[Little Eazy E]

Same thing. They actually asked sign me up. Like, well, you might have Jojo. I think that you guys know each other. I said, sign me up school.

[JoJo Simmons]

Sign me up. Because I knew that me and you were Going to be dynamite on screen. And we proved that every scene that we were dynamite. And we talked about it. We had the game plan. We said, yo, man, we going to go here, do what we do. Sometimes I was Kobe, you was Shaq. Sometimes Shaq, I was Kobe. That's how we always used to come out of scenes. Like, listen, Shaq and Kobe. Everybody used to complain during scenes, right? And be like, yo, I want to hurry, but get out of here. Me used to be like, yo, let's just get the job done. Give them what they want. Get out of here.

[Little Eazy E]

Real talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

We were always able to do that and be easy to work with on set because we wanted to just get.

[Little Eazy E]

The job done with everybody.

[JoJo Simmons]

With everybody.

[Little Eazy E]

You knew what the real cause was and giving, you know, great entertainment, you know what I'm saying? And then it was natural with me and you. You feel what I'm saying, right? We kind of just, of course, knowing each other, it was like it was off and on, despite if we're in a situation where somewhere where we sit here, we got to sit here, and, you know what I mean? You know, chill, you know, hang out with the family, anything. We, you know, our, you know, our chemistry was on.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right? So let's. I want to jump into you and music and performing. All right.

[Little Eazy E]

Come on.

[JoJo Simmons]

So you have the opportunity to perform with people like Ice Cube and things like that. What is it like traveling the world, doing your dad's music, and what are the pressures associated with literally having to be your father and perform as him?

[Little Eazy E]

Well, it used to be Jojo. It used to be pressure. But, you know, I mean, I think we had this conversation before. It's like it became energy once you get to a certain stage and level, you know, I mean, when you kind of like, you. You. You own it, you feel it, you know, I mean, it's. It's easy going to perform my father stuff, and it's like, exactly what I got in the game to do. So traveling the world, it shocks you out, because a lot of you won't notice. A lot of people bring their kids, you know, like we did. We just did, like, Switzerland, Denmark, me and Yella. And one was all ages, and it was like a whole bunch of kids in the crowd. And a dude comes up and he's like, hey, this is my son's first concert. My first concert was when your father went to England.

[JoJo Simmons]

Wow.

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I'm saying? The only time, full circle. Yeah. He went and I brought my son so he could see the music that I listen to that he likes. So that right there is a humbling experience. Like, whoa. And they're like, you know what I mean? They can't see Eazy E, right? But they can see you, right? And you know what I mean? Like, you know, or my son asked me. He's like, hey, does he have a son? Yeah, he does music. He's coming here, dad. Let's go see him.

[JoJo Simmons]

Wow.

[Little Eazy E]

So I guess different stories like that, and it makes you just, like, humbling and you know what I mean? Then when they see the show, the dad and the son's like, man, it felt like it was your father spitting image, right? You know what I'm saying? And I'm like, man, especially with DJ Yella there. So it's like, man, it's a blessing, man. When I did it with Cube and the group and everybody, even Kendrick and Game was there was on my birthday, you know what I'm saying?

[JoJo Simmons]

That's a great birthday gift.

[Little Eazy E]

What you feel what I'm saying? I was like, man, something else. And then that's when we were doing rehearsal. That's how Cube introduced it. Like, you gonna do this part? And I'm like, oh, wow.

[JoJo Simmons]

Like, what, right?

[Little Eazy E]

It's like, oh, yeah, happy birthday, nigga. You know what I mean? So when we went out there and did it, it was just, man, it's a blessing. That's what I do it for. To keep my father's legacy. So performing this stuff is only a dream. And you get to travel, to work, to see different, you know, likes and walks of different people in the world.

[JoJo Simmons]

You said it's easy doing your dad's music, but what do you do to get an easy E mode before you get on stage? Like, what, is there a ritual? Is there something that goes in your mind before you get on there?

[Little Eazy E]

You know how we talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

Be your dad.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, you know how we talk. I'm gonna keep it real. Straight up prayer. You feel what I'm saying? I'm gonna just ask, you know. You know, my heavenly Father, you know what I mean? For the strength, you know what I'm saying? The courage we have a good show, a good outing, you know what I'm saying? I pray for the promoter to make some money so you can make some money.

[JoJo Simmons]

Everybody gotta make some money.

[Little Eazy E]

You wanna keep it real. People don't understand. And they don't. They, you know, they get away. And in Yella, you know, he's saved, so he's already on one. So our backstage and Wootu at this time in Our life is just me and him and probably whoever else is with us. And then we'll go to our, you know, different corners. And that's what I'm doing. I got my Loaf song, I'm giving it up, you know what I mean? And then I go. Then once I feel that it's just faith, like, hey, I'm just gonna go rock it one time I was sick, bro. You feel what I'm saying? I'm like, ah, this was way before COVID You'd have thought I had Covid, you know what I'm saying? I was like, I don't know, man. The same thing, dog. I prayed, dog, cuz why I didn't have no strength, right?

[JoJo Simmons]

I was like, you have faith in God, that's all.

[Little Eazy E]

You can have everything. And when I did my prayer, dog, and this is how you just know how stuff is so real is I got out there, bro. And when he kick on, it's always easy. We want easy. That's like, it gets you energized. You feel what I'm saying? Before I do boys in the hood, anything like that. So I jump with the energy, cuz Yellow already prepped it and you can hear it. We had a soul sold out show. And then when I seen them and went out there, I was like, he just gave me energy. And I went on one. I finished, went back to the room, ate some grapes, went back, man. Slept the whole night, slept it all off, woke up, had some breakfast, was like, man. And Yellow was like, you cool? And he's like, yeah. And he's like, Cause you was telling me I was like, I was weak.

[JoJo Simmons]

I did it. But you prayed and you got it. I'm sure Box was from up there giving you some of that energy.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, I was over there jumping around and everything. You would never think that I was that sick because I was weak.

[JoJo Simmons]

A lot of people don't understand as entertainers, we still got to do the job sometimes. And we'd be sick, we'd be sad sometimes.

[Little Eazy E]

This is Newcastle, you know what I'm saying?

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, yeah.

[Little Eazy E]

I was a hero. So it's like, man, I'm like out there, I'm like, what? Ain't nobody to sit there and take care of me or wootup or we gotta pause and we gotta wait. We over here, right?

[JoJo Simmons]

You know, so speaking about performing as your dad and I saw some stuff. You know, my team did some research and we see that. And I see that you decided to focus on preserving his legacy versus focusing on your own Music.

[Little Eazy E]

Real talk. Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

What is. Why have you decided, like, what was your decision behind that?

[Little Eazy E]

Because it's just. It's just. Just. It's just. Just realistically, it's like, I didn't get in this. I didn't. It's like, it go like this to where even, like, I give you credit. Me and you had this conversation, and I'm like, dog, you get off. Or we be in the studio and be like, man, I need that verse. Come on. Like, Jojo, Like, I can't just jump up there. I can get drunk and freestyle, but it's like, for me to write, it's going to take a while. Well, I didn't grow up with this passion. There's some people that did. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You feel what I'm saying? It's a lot of people that. Did you give credit, too? You feel? I'm saying? It's crazy because Cube did an interview, and he said that my father became one of the best rappers and entertainers that he knows. And this is coming from a writer, you know what I mean? Because why being around it for so long, you pick up the craft to sit here and know how to jump on that bike and ride it.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

So as far as the performance, I feel like I'm one of the best performers. You feel? I'm saying now, as far as in coming down and rapping, yeah, I became, you know, a great rapper. You feel what I'm saying? But as far as having that passion early, it wasn't night me. I'm an entertainer. It wasn't in me. I played football.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I'm saying? That's what it is. Why did you get into music? Where did the music come from? It seemed like it was just, hey, God said, hey, here you go. He got passed on to you. Like, it fell upon me to represent a legacy. And it's all organically not to feel forced or anything. I was mad he wasn't getting recognized. So I built a studio for myself and for other artists I was gonna put on. So I was in 18 years old, and I'm sitting there, all right, cool. I'm gonna do what I did when I was a kid. As a kid, we played around and mixed my father's songs. Say my name, say my brother's name, change it up. Take Ice Cube out or ran out. And we act like we was the switch it out. Yeah, we act like we was the group. So as a kid, I did that, and that homie was like, well, Just do that stuff you used to do when you was a kid. And I did it. So they're like, man, you sound like your father, man. Everybody always said, you look like him. Why don't you woot them? And the other. And as I thought about it, I said, yeah, because I was rapping about him not being recognized. And he was the first one to really start it right. You know what I'm saying? And then that's when it just went on like, who you gonna put money behind? Or your energy behind. Behind yourself. And you have a passion of what you want to do. Speak your story. So that's where it came from. It didn't come from that. So when people ask me, like, man. Cause that's real. I'm doing this for him. Didn't do this for me.

[JoJo Simmons]

I see a lot of people that when you do drop music, they show you a lot of love and support. You do a lot of views.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, yeah, you got.

[JoJo Simmons]

What would it take for you to drop another album if you wanted that?

[Little Eazy E]

I just left the studio two nights ago.

[JoJo Simmons]

So is there an album on the way? Okay, so there is another album on the way. So there is a little easy E. Original music from just you coming out?

[Little Eazy E]

Most definitely.

[JoJo Simmons]

More. More, obviously. Cause you put out some stuff.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, I put out some stuff with Daz Dillinger the Legacy last March and this March. I wanted to. I'm just lacking. So it looks like it's gonna come around. Maybe easy day in April, you know what I mean? Or fall around Father's Day, you know what I'm saying? I'm just gonna sit, put something. But I just did something that I feel like is equivalent to a single two days ago.

[JoJo Simmons]

I love it. I want to hear it after this.

[Little Eazy E]

Most definitely, bro. Yeah. So got to you knew I had to sit to let you listen to it.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, you already came through with some gas for me, so now I gotta hear the music. Exotics. Little exotics.

[Little Eazy E]

Little exotics. Cu the new line Compton Candy. It'd be sure at you in dispensaries real soon. But you know, I'm far. You know, it's. You got to call a little E. You know, I mean, you could get it out the back door, right? But yeah, that's my line. And I'm still in medical marijuana world, you know what I'm saying? I still have partners and I still created a lane to where, you know what I mean? I could keep a distro license and it's nothing but to do it. But do what you do. See, my other stuff was outdoor, which you know, we didn't too much. That's why you always ask me like what?

[JoJo Simmons]

But it was doing good though.

[Little Eazy E]

You don't to want, but you was doing good. Yeah, it was a consumer for it. It was real good. It was. Yes, for the consumer, you know what I'm saying? At a great price point, we'll jump.

[JoJo Simmons]

Into what you got going on. But as we still speak about your dad, he left quite a legacy. He has a lot of kids. What? 11? 11 kids, very much. Are you trying to catch up to him? You got five, right? Are you trying. Cause you got five. Is it a race or are you done? Are you trying to catch up to your dad? What's going on?

[Little Eazy E]

I got six be, but six.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, you got six. Yeah, it's my fault.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, but nah, it's just, just how life goes. And I love kids. I love my kids. You feel what I'm saying? And hey, you know, I mean, I guess the only thing that you say, you don't fall far, too far, too far from the tree, right? By as many kids as I have because you know, you know you like to multiply. Oh yeah. But God says it don't be fruitful, you know.

[JoJo Simmons]

All right. So I heard that you were working on a docu series about your dad.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

You still working on it? Can you tell us more about that?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, very much. Had some talks with some individuals possibly. I wouldn't mind going to a Netflix route, you feel what I'm saying? And putting it into it like you know, in a 10 part series, you know what I mean? Seasons over seasons. But basically just want to talk about him himself. Let's go back to when he was a kid, how he got to where he went to and the things he did as an individual, not so much as a, as a group, you know what I mean? Of course, everything that as a part of Rufus is involved in it, but this is a story based solely on him.

[JoJo Simmons]

Nice. Have you guys started shooting it or are you shopping it right now?

[Little Eazy E]

Nah, nah, nah. That's why I said the next meeting is with Netflix to shop it. Which I don't have a problem going that route because this is what I want it to be. Not a movie, not just this, more so.

[JoJo Simmons]

Well, I'm just gonna let you know, you know, your brother has a media and production company. So when you ready to shoot, we can definitely get that mini doc done for you. My brother.

[Little Eazy E]

That's how we get to work.

[JoJo Simmons]

We gonna make it look beautiful for you. You know what I mean?

[Little Eazy E]

Real talk, brother. But, yeah, just, you know, the accolades that he did as Eric Wright, you feel what I'm saying? And going into Eazy E, but really focusing on when he was young. And then most of the stories and the accuracy is coming from his mother, his brother, and his first bodyguards and friends, real true friends, that's still in Compton.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I think it'd be dope to get some artists in there, too, speaking about him and stuff like that. Speaking of documentaries, I just watched my dad run DMC's documentary on peacock, right?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And it had three episodes. It was really good. I called my dad, I said it was a really good episode. You know, one thing you've always told me, and we. We're gonna talk a little bit more about this later, is about feeling closer to your dad when you see certain things. I feel like when I watch documentaries about Run dmc, I feel closer to my dad. I was five, I was six. I was seven when he was at his hottest peaks. And, like, when I got older, I got to see him in his reverend times. And not to say that it wasn't great times, but the person that everybody saw, the rock star, I didn't see. So when I see these documentaries and I hear about them, makes me feel closer to him. You know what I mean? Let's talk about parenthood, brother.

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, my goodness.

[JoJo Simmons]

What is one part of it you didn't expect?

[Little Eazy E]

One part you didn't expect? Well, early stages, the young, the one that you didn't expect is just a hardship that you're gonna feel when your child is either sick, crying, or needed and you're getting less of sleep and, you know, this is real serious. And then you think about, this is yours. So you think about, like, what do I feed it? Feed it. Right, Feed it.

[JoJo Simmons]

But I know what you mean. You're responsible for a child, a person.

[Little Eazy E]

So it's like, you know what I mean? You're just making. Taking real cautiousness of this, cautiousness of that, like, you know what I mean? Just the importance of everything. Like a child sleeping on his stomach, you know what I'm saying? And paying attention to it. So, you know, I mean, the deep responsibilities of it. You really take an insight of it. Because my first two girls, well, my second daughter, I actually, he was birther and raised her. But my first daughter, I didn't. And didn't even know about her till she was like, you know, older, almost one or two years old. So I didn't go through that. I went through that more so with my children, with my second baby and my children, with my wife and my children, my wife, where I was in house, you know, I mean, my second daughter, me and her mom wasn't, you know, made too much. So therefore I'm there at a time. And then you kind of, you know, being a young hustler and moving, you miss a lot of different things. So with Ilani, Imani and Eric, I seen it all, you know, all day, every day. So it was like, whoa.

[JoJo Simmons]

Now I know you're very hands on. You'd be dropping to school, I would be around all the track meets.

[Little Eazy E]

So now when you first started to have your kids, you became, you know, I mean, insecure of where they at, you know, overprotective of them, you feel I'm saying? So they didn't too much, you know, they didn't even get dropped off at mama's too much, you know what I'm saying? So it was like, you know, that was my first learning of it. So I kind of sheltered them, you know what I mean? So when I sheltered them, it was just everything us, and it was all daddy. So, you know what I mean? It wasn't easy going to drop them off at a young age because it's like, oh, yeah, we don't, you know, but that's how, you know, you really be. And they can't, you know, they grew up be. Well, I got a track star, you know, I mean, got one finna graduate early and my boys want to play football now, which I didn't think was going to happen, but you know what I mean? And my youngest boy, he want to play anything that his brother do.

[JoJo Simmons]

So I think that kind of question is like, what do you. What is the. What did you not expect? Parenthood is a whole thing of what not to expect, right? Like when you, when you wife gets pregnant, you're like, what do I expect? You're never gonna know until it actually happens in parenthood. Yeah, like, parenthood is a bunch of questions for the parents themselves, right?

[Little Eazy E]

Like, you know, I didn't want to go on that part, but you went through it as far as even dealing with the mother, the change of her.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I'm saying? You're gonna get a whole different change of a woman than when we was going out on dates.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, we gonna talk about love and our wives in a bit. And we're not gonna jump into that yet. I got, I got the cue cards for it, but I wanted to jump into community work and what you've done for the community. Can you talk about some of the AIDS awareness work you have done in your father's honor?

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, man, so much, man. I went to Belgium, you know what I mean? I got noticed when a magazine in, I want to say Ghana, I want to say it, I actually will go look back up and we can correct it. And they put me in a magazine front cover about the work that I was doing. And I was just going to a lot of aids, you know what I'm saying? Facilities where they give you help, you know what I mean? They talk to the youth, you know, get the youth involved. And you run across a lot of different people who have been through a lot of different things in their lives by contracting this virus, right? And you, you, you learn about the facts of this virus and what it attacks and what, let's say, ethnicity attacks for it more so, you know what I mean? And what, you know, the government does and does not do to help it. And even cities that are like, would, would scare you on the statistics of how many, you know, each person in that, you know, it's like three to one, you know, I mean, one to three. You feel what I'm saying of a person in certain states, and I'm not going to put it, because if people feel like you point fingers at them and everything of different states and you're like, wow, that's even worse than a third world country. And that's in America.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

You know, I mean, so I found out a lot about doing it, but I've done it across all throughout our country. And like I say Belgium, and it's beautiful walking around, you know, me meeting individuals and get. Letting them tell their story as I tell my story. Even though, to be honest with you, I may not feel my father died of that. Right, you feel what I'm saying?

[JoJo Simmons]

You don't feel he died of that?

[Little Eazy E]

Not at all.

[JoJo Simmons]

But before we get into that conversation, because that's a deeper conversation, right. Do you think even with them saying he did it, helped you research and try to find out what it's about?

[Little Eazy E]

Because there's nothing away from how serious it is, is. And like I said, the facts that I found out and it's killing our people, right? You feel what I'm saying? It's like it was, it was directed at our people and then it got to a point to where it was. It ranged from the age of say, 23 to 32, 21 to 32 age. It has it now it's 15, 14 to 21. So that's when you sit here and you look at it and you see the statistics and be like, oh, nah, this is serious, right? And then it gets so serious to why they bring me out here because why the youth will listen to you and this younger generation that's contracting it. You see what I'm saying? And I'm like, wow. So it doesn't, it doesn't in, you know, lighten up the fact of what it is. It doesn't take away the fact of how serious it is. And it's something because when he did pass away, I learned a lot about it.

[JoJo Simmons]

But you don't feel that's why he died.

[Little Eazy E]

Nah. And that's when you do a lot about it.

[JoJo Simmons]

What do you think? Why do you think, hey, you feel me?

[Little Eazy E]

Only God knows at this point in time, but there's some funny stuff that, you know, went on. I just. Like a virus didn't take you. You feel what I'm saying? So something else had to in an instance of you were just in a vulnerable position. So, hey, you know, I mean, it's right, you know, you talking about somebody who. It's, it's just go down the line of individuals who own everything and are powerful and they feel like nobody can control them. Just talk about it, line it up. You feel what I'm saying? It's just, you know, me not to wish nothing but we just beating facts and real. Something happens in an instance, you know, oh, you know, I mean, I'm thankful and thank God that the ones that if something happened, you're least still alive, right? You know what I'm saying? But something happened, you know what I'm saying? If not, they're gonna get away and something later down the line is going to happen, you feel I'm saying it's going to be related to what everybody, quote, unquote, expects you do, right? You feel I'm saying? So let's think about what easy he's about, right? Ladies man, right? You feel what I'm saying? What is he, a lot of kids, right? A lot of different women? He's not practicing safe sex, you know, he's doing what he's doing.

[JoJo Simmons]

So they try to just. You feel like they just try to throw that on him because of that.

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I'm saying? But again, it doesn't take it away from how serious the thing is, because when it did pass away, I learned everything about it because why this is.

[JoJo Simmons]

What you wanted to know. You wanted to know what took your father away from me.

[Little Eazy E]

This is what took him away. So even when you 16 and a girl look at you in your eyes and be like, are you sure you don't have it? So that's what was.

[JoJo Simmons]

That was what was. So wait, a girl asked you that? Because when you lost your father, a girl asked you, you sure you don't have it?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. And I was 16, so I lost my dad when I was 10.

[JoJo Simmons]

I was gonna ask you. So, yeah. You lost your dad when you were 10.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And somebody asked you that at 16?

[Little Eazy E]

16. The girl who took my virginity took.

[JoJo Simmons]

Asked you, you sure you don't have it?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, they.

[JoJo Simmons]

I don't think they.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, which. But as. Yeah, but as a man and this goes to society, I don't knock her for that.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

I'm saying I don't knock her because.

[JoJo Simmons]

Of what was out there and wanting to. She was scared probably, right?

[Little Eazy E]

I mean, I'm gonna do this with you, but are we going to do this safely?

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I mean? I don't knock her. You from saying. But as a kid at that point in time, you like. Yeah. That kind of turns you into a shell, right? You know what I'm saying? Like, you know what I mean? So. But I don't knock her at all, you know what I'm saying? Like, at all. You know, you better find out that this is all right. And you know, doing what he. Do you feel me? And I was a virgin, you know what I'm saying, at that time. So as my age, I didn't understand that or didn't respect it whatsoever, you know what I'm saying? So, yeah, you want to learn everything about what you expect. This thing is supposed to why they want to say that we do. Why they want to say my little sister who was born six months after he passed away does.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I'm saying? Like, okay, this is the reason, this is why. But then again, let's go back and say, hey, well why did he have surgery then if he was sitting here, you know, at full blown aids, right? You know what I mean? Why white blood cells?

[JoJo Simmons]

A lot of questions, a lot of whys.

[Little Eazy E]

Thank you.

[JoJo Simmons]

A lot of whys.

[Little Eazy E]

So that's when I knew, like, hey, nah, this didn't happen. And there's other stuff that I'm leaving the documentary that happened.

[JoJo Simmons]

I'm figuring it's gonna be in the docu series. So we don't wanna give away too.

[Little Eazy E]

Much went on that'll sit here and enlighten a lot of people to sit here and put their own conclusion of what they feel. But we have an understanding.

[JoJo Simmons]

So losing your dad at a young age, 10, right. I know that probably took a huge toll on you.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And you probably not probably. I know you feel you didn't get the opportunity to know him as a man that you are now like a grown up, right. What would you ask him now? And I don't wanna get too deep, but like, you know, you're a man now and I think you do so well carrying his legacy. You're such a standup dude. Like from what I hear, you're just like him. You're so real. You care about people, you put people in position. That's everything that your father did.

[Little Eazy E]

Uh huh.

[JoJo Simmons]

What would you ask him right now, man? If you could have a conversation with pops, got these kids, got your wife, y' all grown up. Hip hop.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And your pops is here. Like my pops is here?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

What would you ask him? What would be a question you wish you could ask him?

[Little Eazy E]

That's a tough one because you think about his grandkids and the things that they do. So you know what I mean? It's just so much. This is a bucket full of them. But if you had to break it down to like something that was impersonal that me and my. I would ask my father, you know what I mean? It is some highly impersonal stuff that I ask him.

[JoJo Simmons]

But you ain't got to express. You don't have to tell us they're there.

[Little Eazy E]

But I will come to the fact of like what happened, right? Because I feel he, he, he knew it. Why?

[JoJo Simmons]

Because you want to know what happened?

[Little Eazy E]

He protected us, right. All aspects that people really don't know, you know what I mean? But made sure that we were okay, you know what I mean? And at the same time, as far as in his last few days, he was able to talk and was trying to say something, but had too many tubes in his mouth. And you know, all of this, you know, he's going through this. So if anything, I know he knows, you know, what went on, who had something with him, you know, who was a problem that he felt.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I mean, what happened? Because that was a turn of all of us having the problem we have in our life as my siblings, you know, I mean, of the, the heartache, the pain, you know what I mean, of growing up like that. And then that's why we love when you ask me about my children, that's why I give it so much to them. Because I couldn't imagine that leaving them. Yeah, I turned 11 April 23rd. I buried my dad April 7th. My son. My oldest son's 11. Wow. Psychologically, it's fucking with, you know, it every. Every year, every step, every day, you know, I mean. And you'd be like, man, I couldn't imagine ever, ever giving my kids. That's why it's always when I'm here. It's like, hey, you know, what you doing? I'm at the house, you know, I'm just here at home. I'm on the road. So you just don't ever think about them going through that. So, you know, I mean, you just want to ask him that question, you know, I mean, of what happened, because this was a turn of our lives being turned upside down.

[JoJo Simmons]

What would you do if you could spend a day with him? What would be a perfect day with you and your pops right now if he was here? What would you do?

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, man, that's a good one. Oh, yeah, that's a good one. Oh, man. Dang.

[JoJo Simmons]

It's a lot, right, that you could do with him? You get the studio.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, well, one. Yeah, we definitely would definitely talk for hours. Go visit his father, my grandfather, who raised me, you know what I mean? And then drive up to go have dinner with the kids and just conversate about what they doing in life. Things that, you know, I mean, I know he'll be proud of because, you know, my baby runs track. He ran track. His brother ran track.

[JoJo Simmons]

I didn't know easy ran track.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, well, he used to get out there. He didn't run track, but he used to get out there when my. His brother had a football game and be out there running race everybody for money, you know what I'm saying? So it's like, you know, look like, look at your granddaughter, you know what I'm saying?

[JoJo Simmons]

Now she's really doing it.

[Little Eazy E]

Look at your grandson. My first one, Eric iii. You feel what I'm saying? So.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I know that gotta feel amazing. I got a Joey, I got a Joseph the Third. So I know how that legacy feels to be able to say, look, I got a third one. And the legacy continues, you know what I mean, bro?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. With my son Ryan, you know what I'm saying, Right? My little one that looks just like me, built like me, but, you know, that's a good question, bro.

[JoJo Simmons]

So part of. Out of all of this, how is hip hop? Let's talk about hip hop, man. How has hip hop been a part of your healing? And does hip hop help with your mental health or does music help with your mental health?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, you can say not hip hop or music is, well, music. You know, hip hop music or all that. Yeah, well, you're good at that. That's good, Jojo, because, yeah, outside of hip hop, it helps a lot with healing because it's different, you know, genres of music that can sit here and put you in a different mood, what you're going through. And it's crazy because having a father who's big in music, you'll think that all the heartache and pain came from this entity.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I'm saying? So it's crazy how this entity can help you soothe things, you know what I mean? That you related to the individual that you lost in your life. So it's good, bro. You know what I mean? Good. My kids do it now, you know what I'm saying? And of course, kids that you. Look, I just tell my kids all the time, y' all don't know how good y' all got it, you know what I'm saying? Like, they don't.

[JoJo Simmons]

Not at all.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And really don't.

[Little Eazy E]

When they go and, oh, they're going through some or they're mad, they'll blast some music and this, that, and the other. So you even see it in individuals that don't have the sorrow or the heartache that you got. It's just anybody, you know what I'm saying? It can be helped. Good. With your mental, you know what I'm saying? So it's a good key. And the genre of music will more so is like, old school music will help you.

[JoJo Simmons]

That's what you listen to. That helps you through a lot. Yeah, that's probably helped you through some tough times, right?

[Little Eazy E]

Very much.

[JoJo Simmons]

Yeah. I know. We were in the driving up for a scene, and you were like, yo, play some old school music. Like, he was like, yo, what you know about this? I put on some old Barry White. I forgot what I put on you was like, what is. What you know about this, bro? So I know that. But that. That's interesting to know that old school.

[Little Eazy E]

Music is really like, where'd you learn it from?

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

I learned this from my. My mom's mom or my.

[JoJo Simmons]

My mom brings you back to a time uncle.

[Little Eazy E]

So it brings you back to that time to reminisce about them, right? And the good time.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right?

[Little Eazy E]

We played this when we was having a good time.

[JoJo Simmons]

Y.

[Little Eazy E]

And I knew she was happy and she was doing this and she was feeling. Feeling good. So you go back into that world and it made you.

[JoJo Simmons]

That's what music does for you, though. Makes you feel good, but it brings you back to the first time you heard it or when you used to hear it. And it brings you. It can bring you happiness, it can bring you sorrow, but it can. It definitely is a healer. You know what I mean? Music is like therapy.

[Little Eazy E]

It very much is, brother. Now, the state of hip hop, as you were saying, it's tough.

[JoJo Simmons]

I mean, we talking about music in a hole at this point, because hip hop.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, it's tough.

[JoJo Simmons]

I don't know if you can heal through this hip hop right now.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Not all. Nah. You gonna go crazy.

[JoJo Simmons]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Little Eazy E]

Put yourself in a bad situation with this hip hop music. So I was think, why hip hop doesn't do it? Like. Nah, like, okay. For example, you used to have people come up and say, hey, you know, I used to listen to your pops, man. Like, yeah, yeah. It was like, man, it got me through some times when I was younger, man, why I was gang banging. So you have a lot of new music that takes it to enlightenment. That's unnecessary for, you know, this world. So now this other music. Oh, it's gonna get you the same intentions of going to do something, right. Yeah, it's true.

[JoJo Simmons]

It's music.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

Well, not just music, but hip hop.

[Little Eazy E]

Hip hop.

[JoJo Simmons]

After you took a turn for the. The. For the left, and, you know, we're, you know, weathering the storm right now, but, you know, there's still a lot of talent out there.

[Little Eazy E]

Real talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

Let's get into marriage and love. Yep. Because I know you started talking about your wife Aaliyah earlier. You know, Aaliyah's family. You know, my wife loves your wife.

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

You know, our families love each other.

[Little Eazy E]

Yes, indeed.

[JoJo Simmons]

How important is your wife's role in your union?

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, very, very important. Because it's like you say, I'm a working man. So when I'm on a roll moving, who's a nurturer, the provider? At that time, I can maybe be keeping a bag home. But you know what I mean? Their mental, their school work, their safety, you know what I'm saying? Their nourishment, Everything is that second half. You know what I mean? You know, you cannot raise a kid with either.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

Without having either.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right. You need a balance. You need a balance all the way.

[Little Eazy E]

All the way.

[JoJo Simmons]

I feel like when it comes to a good woman and a wife that holds down the fort when you're gone, people need not to undervalue that because obviously Men do. We deal with a lot, you know, bills and the outside world and making sure everybody's good. But to be able to come home and know that somebody has your back and somebody has the house and somebody really there for you and is like, yo, like, I got you. Go handle the. You know, that's like a very under appreciated gem in today's world.

[Little Eazy E]

It is.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I know a lot of people like, oh, he's pandering sometimes. It's not about that. I really tell the truth about good women. If you get a good woman and she really holds down the fort and she's really there to help you build and straighten you up when you not straight. You know what I mean?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

That's a good person.

[Little Eazy E]

Real talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

You know what I mean?

[Little Eazy E]

And speaking from individuals, I would say myself. Not to speak on anybody else but myself. Really? That's coming from a player.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

Man, I had to hang the card up. So I know both sides.

[JoJo Simmons]

You know, I hang my jersey up.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Yes. Both sides of the world. So, you know, anybody can sit here and give you that flack about. It's not. Man, it ain't nothing like a good woman.

[JoJo Simmons]

It ain't nothing like. Thank you. Like, tell them. It ain't nothing like. People can say what they want, but it ain't nothing like a good.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

Real woman. That's for you.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And she ain't for everybody. She ain't for the streets, none of that.

[Little Eazy E]

She's for you.

[JoJo Simmons]

She's like, yo, I'm here for you. Like, me and you, we understand it. And people say we're spoiled because we've been with our women 15, 16 years or whatever. I know you've been with aaliyah how long?

[Little Eazy E]

19.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I've been with Tanise 14 years. Right. And I've been married four years. And you married about the same time. Four years. Because we got married the same year.

[Little Eazy E]

Oh, yeah. It took me a long time.

[JoJo Simmons]

It took me a long time, too.

[Little Eazy E]

You know, that player had to shake it and put that jersey. So it took me. But. Yeah, that's why. But been with her for three kids in a long time.

[JoJo Simmons]

Yeah. And. And ain't nothing like a good woman. That. That. That's a good sub line for that conversation. Yeah. So what do you do to show up in your marriage and what do you feel like there's something you struggle with in your marriage?

[Little Eazy E]

Struggle with now or past?

[JoJo Simmons]

You can answer. What do you do to show up first? If you want to toot yourself up first and then and then tell me.

[Little Eazy E]

The reals you got. It took me a while to be a real loyal, faithful man for a minute, to be honest with you. And that was before my marriage, right? So because we've been together for 19 years, so this relationship with this individual, we had a rocky road because we are both still young. And I was both. I was 21, 20 years old. So I'm still living the life, you know, I mean, now, as the time that goes on, is finding time for quality time. Because while we're both busy now, right, she had kids. She wasn't working. We're raising our kids. I'm on the road. I'm, you know, knucklehead here and there. I might be kicked out the house. Back in another time, we're back on our Sahara road, you know, I mean, so we're together a lot more now. It's like, hey, we're building for a future of three little ones, right? So it's like, hey, okay, cool. You know, I mean, let's. Let's work together to continuously elevating how we. We want to in life, especially having teenagers. So you find less time for quality time. You know what I mean? You're working, you know, I mean, I'm doing the kid duty, then you're doing the kid duty, and I'm on the road. I agree. And so that's what I probably lock.

[JoJo Simmons]

In of giving the quality time is big for women.

[Little Eazy E]

It is.

[JoJo Simmons]

And it's harder for men because we have so much going on, and we want to make sure that we give them the world and give the kids a. The world that. And I think. See, I know you said what you struggled with was infidelity before you were married. It was cheating and doing, like. And I struggled with that way long ago. But when I finally got over that, I thought, like, all right, I'm perfect now. Like, we're gonna be great, but there's always gonna be more struggles in your marriage or in your relationship. What I figured that I struggle with at sometimes is being in a present mind for my wife. Like, I'm so all over the place, and I'm trying to focus on bills and this and this and that. That sometimes she just wants me to be there and just, hey, what color is this? You know, and what do you want to do for dinner tonight? And I'm just always like, nah, you just choose it.

[Little Eazy E]

You just choose it.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I think that I struggle with, like, really just being there and not physically, but, like, mentally for her, where I want to just, like, Just listen to her. And that's what all a woman wants. Sometimes you just listen and you listen. They'll give you. They'll do it for 24 hours. They'll talk to you for 24 hours.

[Little Eazy E]

A white man can't jump. Like, if I say I'm thirsty.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right. Right. You get what I'm saying? Exactly. And I think that. I think a lot of men struggle with that. You know, I'm not. I don't think that it makes me a bad man. I just think that it's something that I'd like to work on and make sure that she's always feel supported and always. And not supported in a sense of, oh, I don't support you when it comes to your dreams and goals, but, like, supporting when it comes to the small things.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

Because those small things go a long way sometimes in relationships.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

All right.

[Little Eazy E]

Talk. You're not lying, brother.

[JoJo Simmons]

I'mma ask you. I think we got. Oh, we almost. We towards the end. We towards the end. So I know we were talking about Little Exotics, it was called. What else do you have going on? Are there any acting projects coming up or anything we should be aware of that you got going on? I know you've been talking about the Little Exotics or whatever else.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. So Little Exotics is what's going on now that, you know, we. We spoke on, because I came and blessed my brother with some. But a little bit of everything. I stay on the road, bro. Going back on the road to Australia. We came back because my father got a lifetime achievement award.

[JoJo Simmons]

Congratulations.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I'm saying? And that was after we also got a street.

[JoJo Simmons]

I saw you did it. Go accept that for him, too. Like, that must be an amazing experience. I mean, it's a bittersweet because it's like, I know you miss Pops. You wish he could be there to accept it, but you get to be there in that role, standing next to nwa, getting that, representing him well. And I know that's probably a bittersweet feeling, but it's probably a triumphant feeling as well.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, it is. Definitely. Jojo. It's. It's like you, you know, accomplishment, you know, I mean, that's why I feel like a lot of things, you know, are knocked down on my bucket list for this music game or hip hop or entertainment.

[JoJo Simmons]

Because you've lived it. You're living through what he's done.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Once we got the street naming, so the street's forever.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

So that's. That's the easy street in Compton. And Then after that, he, you know, we got a call that, you know, they're getting a lifetime achievement award. So when we did this streets, Easy street, we, me and my sisters started a foundation, Eric Wright Foundation. So that's also to speak on the things that we do is to help the youth. We did three toy drives already from the day we started.

[JoJo Simmons]

Amazing.

[Little Eazy E]

So Easy street started the day before Thanksgiving, and we have done three toy drives before the ending of the last year.

[JoJo Simmons]

Wow.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I mean? And we did it right on Easy Street. We did another one in Luders park, which is on the other side, the red rag side. You know what I mean? So you don't have no color lines or thought process or ignorant thinking when you're just about giving back for the kids. And I assist the. A lot of other individuals in their toy drives as well. So that's the Eric Wright foundation and basically a foundation for kids. You know, kids that grew up in most of our city. You don't have one or the other. You know what I mean? You have both. It's a blessing. And you still. We still loving and helping them, but, you know, majority of them don't have one or the other. Like, as we was raised and not have to be dead, you know, might be in jail or not present. You feel what I'm saying? So we wanted to sit there, help the youth, you know, and to do more for them. And again, yeah, so I'm working on a documentary, like I said. And, yeah, I'm dibbling, dabbling, acting ever since I did a movie on Tubi now called Bomb pizza.

[JoJo Simmons]

I'm on 2B2. All right, don't, don't. Listen. I'm on a couple tubies and I went, vi, listen, we was number one. I was number one on Tubi one time. All right? I'm gonna take my accomplishment, all right? I am a Tubi star.

[Little Eazy E]

So we got one bomb Pizza, me and Marcus Paul.

[JoJo Simmons]

Okay, I know Marcus.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, that's right. It's my dog. So we congratulations on that on there right now. I appreciate it. So I got a lot of calls to do, a lot of different little to be. Got you jumping, man. What?

[JoJo Simmons]

See, they playing. People get checks off to me, man. We are here getting these movies. I'm getting booked for another role too. They told me, you want a part three. I said, let's do it.

[Little Eazy E]

Well, I'm gonna put you in play with these people. Got me do it.

[JoJo Simmons]

You know what I'm saying? I love working with you, brother, so I appreciate that.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. So that's going on and. And you know, like Wes both are waiting on a reality show. I know a lot of fans out there waiting for that and want to see.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, growing up hip hop.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. So, you know, I mean, if that rings a bell, that goes. Other than that, I'm staying on the road.

[JoJo Simmons]

A lot of people want to know before I get the last two questions, where's the show? What's going on through the show? Yeah, we don't even know, honestly. We're just waiting on the call, like.

[Little Eazy E]

Waiting on them to see or figure it out.

[JoJo Simmons]

Man, I sound like an NBA deal with them. I got a six. I got a six season. I want a six season deal. I want a six year deal. They got me like dog on LeBron. It was like, oh, he's great.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. They just year to year, year to year.

[JoJo Simmons]

So I appreciate him.

[Little Eazy E]

It was fun. But other than that, bro, you had to stay in, represent his legacy into what I can do. You feel what I'm saying? Continues my father's legacy. But again, like you said too, it crossed over to individuals wanting to know that's why new music is coming. Because I have fans that follow me ever since the beginning and they just like, hey, E, we just want you to do this. You know what I mean? And that's how the movies come about. And seeing me do this and you know what I mean, coming to perform this, that and the other different states and countries. So I'm just standing for the move, bro.

[JoJo Simmons]

All right, so what have you been watching lately? What? What? What, like podcast music song. Like, what has been inspiring to you lately? What has been. What has, has inspired Little Easy E. What, what have you been watching and listening to that's like, yo, this, this is dope. This is inspiring me.

[Little Eazy E]

It's hard, Jojo, because you do a lot.

[JoJo Simmons]

Maybe even you just traveling. Because you inspire me by you just going to all these different countries, bro, and able to try. I'm like, man, he's in Dubai and then he's in Australia and then he's over here and he's back, back in.

[Little Eazy E]

Vegas back spending the money I made gambling this shit off. But really inspired me as far as getting into acting and filming. It just. I got go back to it could be shows like Snowfall. I just got into the BMF one, you know what I mean? I'm always a labor with shows. People like, oh, how does he dodant would do? Because I want to watch a whole, whole season. One night I got lying.

[JoJo Simmons]

I remember when you Started watching Game of Thrones.

[Little Eazy E]

Game of Thrones. So I was like, if you tell me anything, I'm unfollowing you. But people be like, e, why you always be late? I did that with snowfall as well.

[JoJo Simmons]

You want to watch the whole thing?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, I'll be on the road. I don't watch it. I don't have time to sit at home and sit here and catch it when everybody else is the premiere and all that. So it's a much more, you know, joy when you sit there and you run through three or four seasons and you know what I mean? Then I'm playing catch up, you know, maybe the last season of the whole, you know, I mean, situation. Other than that, that's how I like doing. I like watching the shy. So what these shows do to me is inspire me to sit here and create are the ideas of the journey that I want to go with my father's story or just a story period. On Compton. You feel what I'm saying? And. And that's it. Because that's. That's kind of like a, you know, kind of like a dream or, you know, I mean a goal is to sit here and produce or direct, you know, I'm saying situation and. And put it. Or, you know, I mean, but you know, of how I vision and look at things and are real generic stories though, right? You know, I mean, not fake stuff, but I want to give you a real story but get you the in depth of it. You feel what I'm saying And music wise, not too much dog like you say it wasn't so other inspiration comes from just family, kids. You feel what I'm saying? Individual probably, you know, going through trial and error. So just push you to do more. More so I can sit here, make sure everybody else is happy. Happy. You feel what I'm saying? Somebody asked me the other question as far as in like, hey, you know, I know you wake up happy every day or that's the goal. You know, I try happy. You. You're blessed. You're happy and you're blessed if you do wake up every day, right. And says, hey, well, you know, outside of that, what. You know, what will be the next thing to make you happy? Everybody else to wake up happy. You know, problem, you know, situation, you know, that's my goal, right? You feel me and that's like overly joy of your life. You feel? I'm saying if I'm waking up every day, I'm happy. You know, what's times that everybody being happy. You feel what I'm saying so. And healthy, you feel me? You know what I mean? I'm not going through a situation. So that's my inspiration to go and keep pushing, doing what I'm doing. You know what I mean?

[JoJo Simmons]

Just life is the inspiration. Being able to wake up, live life and breathe.

[Little Eazy E]

The kids. Yeah, the kids. Then when I see her ask you, it's like, hey, daddy, I didn't pop this tire on my car.

[JoJo Simmons]

There's always something going on, right?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. You gotta be sitting here, you know, able to see her like here, right here, here. You know, you're not, you know what I mean? Here comes that her joy gone, you know, I can't help assist to it. So that ain't cool.

[JoJo Simmons]

So if somebody's out there right now and they're like, I don't know what to do for my mental health. What have you done for your mental health lately? Or what do you do to keep your mental right, man.

[Little Eazy E]

Take time for yourself. But a lot of people that are probably going through mental health, and that's Eric, because I've learned to do that living being the only kid with my grandparents, with my father before and when my father passed away. So I've learned to sit here and cope with doing it myself. As a man. I might take a shower, I might just let it all out. I can't let my little ones ever see a weak point in me. You feel what I'm saying? So individuals like, hey, when do you care about yourself? I don't know. Maybe when I get in the shower, I'll give it thought.

[JoJo Simmons]

Yeah. And when I just when you're alone.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. When I do travel, it's work, but it is, it is a peace of mind to sit here and be alone to do what rebuilds me. Because why I was a kid who grew up, as many siblings I got, they all could tell you, like, oh yeah, him. Yeah. He was the only one over there. Like he was the only child. He's spoiled, you know, but that's me. So if a person can't do it by getting a loan and finding that time to just woo saw and relax and do it, talk to somebody.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right. You feel what I'm saying about setting boundaries?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, let's let person feel something off you. And when I say somebody, somebody that you trust and you generally care about that, you could sit here and be that open with to sit here and let out those insecurities, stress holds or anything else, you know what I mean? And I would say go there.

[JoJo Simmons]

And sometimes people don't have somebody to talk to, then a therapist is also not a bad idea for somebody to look into. A lot of people, our community, I think, looks down on therapy, like where something wrong with us or something. But we don't need to look down. We need to look up to therapy because that's something that we can all use as a culture because we all deal with trauma. We all don't matter if we come from a different tax bracket. We all deal with trauma. We all deal with PTSD of certain things. And we need to be able to let it out, especially black men. We need a space to let it out. And sometimes we need a space like this where it's just me and you talking. Or they need to go get a therapist or somebody that will really listen and just listen. Because therapy I found out and I don't have one yet, but I'm looking for one. It's really somebody just listening to you.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah.

[JoJo Simmons]

And I think a lot of men don't feel heard. So just having somebody listen really helps. And it goes a long way. Even if you don't have the answer for that person, you listening and letting them just spill it all out. Help somebody.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah, you're right. Right, brother. And it's crazy you say that because. Because me and my siblings, that's what we needed. But you're right. In our society, you know what I mean? Or living in a tough or urban area is looked upon as off, you know what I mean? We don't have the resources to have or know what that is. Because you got to think kids that age, I was 10. The rest of them were younger, you know, Aaron Eby was three years old. You feel what I'm saying? So when they go through that, they didn't never have to.

[JoJo Simmons]

They needed somebody to talk to, you.

[Little Eazy E]

Know, I mean, and that's what messed us up. And as we get older, we understand that that's needed. Why? Because you.

[JoJo Simmons]

You bring it with you as, you know, like you thought, oh, I'm just sad. But sad is something mental. And it's a mental health thing where you need to figure out how to address it. And you just, you, you know, you guys carried it. You still carry it.

[Little Eazy E]

You know, a lot of them do, you feel I'm saying? And more so my sisters, and they get to a point, even being adults now, you know, get to the point to where they'll vent to me. And it's like it wasn't for me to say nothing.

[JoJo Simmons]

Right.

[Little Eazy E]

I gotta go crazy in my mind, in my head, and like women. But it wasn't for me. And that's how I learned it. Because I got daughters. You feel what I'm saying? I got more daughters than I got boy. You know what I mean? And I. And having daughters is a. Oh, my goodness. So you learn to sit here and understand that sometimes it just shut up and let them vent. Listen. You feel what I'm saying? And I do this only with. With my girls, you know what I'm saying? Ain't nobody else really could get it. Dubai. And then when I learned that with my sisters, like, damn, try what you do with your. Your. Your hearts, right? My daughters, and listen to them, right? And let them just vent out.

[JoJo Simmons]

That's what I started doing. My daughter's only 8, and she comes to me and I ask her, how does she feel about it? Instead of, oh, how. Oh, that's good. Or, daddy, I'm. You know, how do you feel? So then I can get to the root of how she truly feels, and then I can answer her in the way that is more adequate for how she feels instead of how I feel about how she feels about something.

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Real talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

Because I don't want to give her a feeling. I want her to give me her feelings.

[Little Eazy E]

I get mine. Like, girl, if you don't, that shit ain't enough to be mad about.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, I tell my daughter all the time, I'm like, tough this.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what I mean? Stop worrying about them little heifers doing over there, man.

[JoJo Simmons]

Like I tell my daughter, you can be soft, but you gotta have some. You gotta be a little tough on life because life will be tough on you.

[Little Eazy E]

And the main one I do that with is one that I spoiled to death, which is Elani, which is all of them. You know, I spoiled all of them to death. But this one, though, she was just. She had about two years of just two baby showers. You know, all of this. And I tell her to this day, like, you so spoiled. But that's.

[JoJo Simmons]

Even when she was in the womb, she was getting spoiled.

[Little Eazy E]

My fault. Why?

[JoJo Simmons]

Because that's the same thing about Mia. Did you see her baby shower? The princess Mia and the gold trimmings. And now she don't think no is like, no.

[Little Eazy E]

For real.

[JoJo Simmons]

What?

[Little Eazy E]

Cause it's like you got different ones. Like, my older daughters, they're like, they're 21. People don't even know that. But my track star, she's a ninth grader, and she just. So it's okay, dad, whatever. Like, they're mad, but I don't Care about it. Like, she's just built that way. So the main one is my Ilani. Like, she is a prissy.

[JoJo Simmons]

What she makes Mia, man, let me tell you a true, real story before we get out of here. You know Mia, I never tell her, no. But one time I found out that she even asked me for something. And my dad called me, calls me, hey, Joe. I'm like, hey, what's up, daddy? He's like, mia asked me for some money for her Roblox. I'm gonna wire transfer some money to her tomorrow. I'm like, bro, wire transfer? Like, yeah, what money you sending? You know cash app exists, right, bro?

[Little Eazy E]

Yeah. Real talk.

[JoJo Simmons]

What are you sending her, bro? Send a little extra something something for you, for your favorite son. You know what I'm saying? But nah, you know? Yeah, yeah, man, having a girl has been wild. It's been wild, man.

[Little Eazy E]

I told you that.

[JoJo Simmons]

I look to you for more advice because you got grown babies, too.

[Little Eazy E]

It's going to be a bigger roller coaster once middle school and then high school hits, and you gonna be like, I'm just waiting.

[JoJo Simmons]

You know, my daughter is in second grade about to be done.

[Little Eazy E]

And then. Then the coldest part about it, I'm sorry to say it, but we speaking like man, is when they go through.

[JoJo Simmons]

Those woman things, I'm not ready.

[Little Eazy E]

What? I know you will not.

[JoJo Simmons]

I'm not ready.

[Little Eazy E]

I know you will not.

[JoJo Simmons]

I always tell tenes, like, that's your job. You gonna have to help her now.

[Little Eazy E]

You know what? Imagine when your wife and her are going at the same time.

[JoJo Simmons]

Oh, now the whole house is hell.

[Little Eazy E]

You feel what I mean? That's what you go get experience.

[JoJo Simmons]

Because she knows that mommy, when she on, it's like, all right, we can stand clear of the closing doors, please.

[Little Eazy E]

Jojo gonna be like, hey, man. Be like, hey, you smoking again? Yeah, you got older. You started smoking more like, yeah, you know, but you, you. You good. You got the good stage. But once they start turning the little ladies. Oh, my goodness.

[JoJo Simmons]

Well, I really appreciate you coming out here, brother man.

[Little Eazy E]

Like, no question.

[JoJo Simmons]

I think this was very insightful, educational, a little bit funny, you know, saying we got some funny stories and. And, you know, I really, you know, created this podcast to really focus on all the good you've been doing and what every. All my guests have been doing. So hearing about your community work and your research on AIDS and just everything that you've been doing has been really good, man. So I appreciate you coming out on.

[Little Eazy E]

The 4 Good podcast for sure. For sure. It was a pleasure. I had fun. I enjoyed it, bro.

[JoJo Simmons]

You did? Did you really? Did you enjoy it? I know I got a little pause deep and you had to talk about is off. Yeah, man, I didn't mean. I didn't mean to do that. But my team, you know, very efficient, you know what I'm saying? But I appreciate everybody tuning in to the For Good podcast, where we focus on the good and never the bad, and we're only measured on what we do and not what we have. It's your guy, JoJo Simmons. Until next time.