Eazy-E, born Eric Wright in Compton, California, rose to fame in the late 1980s as a founding member of N.W.A and a pioneer of gangsta rap, before building a solo career that helped bring West Coast hip hop to a mainstream audience. Short clips of his voice remain popular online because his delivery is so distinctive, instantly signalling an era, a place and an attitude. Editors reuse them for nostalgia edits, reaction videos and hip hop tributes, keeping his sound alive for listeners who were not around for its original release.