MovieChat Forums > Straight Outta Compton (2015) Discussion > Two questions: Death Row Studios Scene ...

Two questions: Death Row Studios Scene and Jerry's Involvement....

posted 8 years ago by GordonGekko_
4 replies | jump to latest

1. I may have missed it, but what was the deal with the muscular guy, in his whitey-tightys, sitting on the floor in the fetal position? Was it mentioned what the point of that was or why they were doing that to that guy?

Was this some sort of weird Death Row initiation ceremony (like fraternities do)?
Was this guy a member of some enemy gang or production studio?
Was he getting payback for something he did?

It wasn't made clear to me, but I may have missed some dialog or reference.

2. Why was E mad at Jerry toward the end of the movie? I heard and read about the general environment of the music industry pre-Napter and digital downloads. I do take note that Dre and Cube went to do their own thing (Cube mainly because he didn't like or trust Jerry and Dre probably because Cube left and he was intrigued by Death Row). However, from what I saw, both Dre and Cube went to other labels. They didn't break off and form their own labels until the late 90s. Cube still had to "answer" to Bryan Turner who managed him.

From what I saw in the movie, Jerry talked to him fairly respectful and was the first to take a chance on him. He helped N.W.A. become a household name. From the movie here are some of the things that I saw of Jerry:

1. He stood up for them when the cops were being bullies.
2. He warned them of potential problems (legal and judicial) if they continued bad-mouthing the cops. However, N.W.A. did what they wanted and Jerry stuck by them.
3. Even after being threatened at his home by either Suge or Cube's posse, he stayed.
4. He was emotionally invested in the group. The scene I'm thinking of is when they were all in the house listening to Cube's new album which dissed N.W.A. and had some "antisemitic" lyrics.
5. Aside from maybe a few instances, he treated E as a business partner. The movie didn't show if they had a platonic relationship, but I could see some closeness in the scenes they did show.
6. I don't know the details of their contracts or how much Jerry's fee was, but I would imagine it couldn't have been that far out of the standard industry terms of that time. Again, I don't know if he took more from N.W.A. than his other/former clients.
7. THIS ONE IS MOST IMPORTANT. I was nine when Straight Outta Compton was released. I really didn't get in to rap until the East vs. West BS that was going on in the early-mid 90s. However, from what the movie showed, at the time, rap (especially gangsta rap) was way underground (as-in only in LA) at the time. I'm a white-collar Caucasian from the Midwest. I tried to think of myself in Jerry and Bryan's position. There is no way in hell I would have gotten involved in a music group of a fairly unknown genre traditionally made up of Blondie and the Sugarhill Gang, formed by a former drug dealer and gang-banger, who sang about killing cops and committing crimes. Would have never happened for me or all of my inner circle. The tremendous faith that Jerry had in N.W.A., at least in what the film showed, was incredible. The unconventional locations that Jerry toured with them, meeting poor, uneducated people on the fringe of society, and who were likely all strapped to the 9s, deserves and applause. I would equate it to one of the members from N.W.A. managing a country group in the deep south. I can't remember another 'fish out of water' that was this poignant.

With that all being said, what is the general consensus about Jerry Heller? It was obvious from the film that Cube, and possibly Dre, hated his guts. I'm going to go out on a limb here, and maybe be chastised for it; but, from Eazy's singles I've listened to, he was not that good of a rap artist to me. I always found his voice to be nasally and squeaky. I'm not trying to dance on someone's grave or anything, but Dre and Cube were both far more talented than Eazy. To me, the argument can be made that, had Eazy lived, I can't see him continuing on in a successful singing career. Boyz-n-tha-Hood was, by far, the best single he ever put out. Grant it, in 1987, they weren't domestically known. However, none of his other released singles broke #40 on the US charts. I don't even need to comment on Dre and Cube's successes.

I would admit that there was a significant financial angle to Jerry's relationship with N.W.A., and eventually Eazy. However, I would wonder how much longer Eazy would have lasted had he gone out and tried to produce his own album. Most music artists are not good businessmen and most businessmen are not good music artists.

The contrast between Cube and Dre against Eazy is unparalleled. Cube and Dre are outliers. They made the right choice to go off on their own. However, if the movie was trying to make Jerry appear as a villain or manipulative towards N.W.A. and Eazy, I'm not buying it.

BTW...The entire cast did an excellent job. I was pleasantly surprised in the quality and success of this film. When I saw Pac in the studio, I got a chill up my back. That actor had to be channeling him. Bravo.

[–] ravi02 8 years ago

1.) The scene of the guy in his underwear being threatened by a pitbull was based on an actual incident at Death Row.

From an interview with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube before SoC was released: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/dr-dre-ice-cube-break-810256

But even as important B-stories were being sliced from the final cut, it became clear to Gray and Cube and even Universal that something was missing: Test audiences were confused by Dre's big split with Knight's record company in 1996. Why did Dre leave Death Row and spark the historic, still lingering feud? It was not made clear. So, in late June, with two weeks before the movie had to be locked for its August release, Gray filmed a scene in which Dre walks into a room and witnesses Knight (played by R. Marcos Taylor, a stunt man turned actor with a strong resemblance to the real Knight) calmly smoking a cigar as he uses a vicious pit bull to terrorize a cowering man in his underwear. "I was like, 'What the f— is going on?' " recalls Dre of the actual event that inspired that last-minute scene. "I was ready to leave anyways. This was the extra push. The guy in the underwear — all this s--t actually happened."

They put it in the film to show how out of control and corrupt Death Row had become. Success had gotten to Suge Knight's head and by 1995-1996, the label had ex-cons, gang members and corrupt cops wandering through the halls. Dr. Dre couldn't stand the violent atmosphere and left.

2.) In the film (keep in mind that Dre, Cube and Eazy's widow, Tomica Wright were producers and involved in the story creation), Eazy discovers that Jerry's been taking more than his share of the profits and was not only responsible for breaking the band up, but also for Eazy's dire financial state.

In real life, Eazy was never broke (he had several acts on his roster post-N.W.A and Bone Thugs N' Harmony, who became multi-million selling artists), yet Jerry Heller remains a controversial figure. Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Yella and MC Ren are his biggest detractors and still claim he cheated them, but Eazy's children, Michel'le and Lonzo Williams all have favorable things to say about Heller (some remain in touch with him).

The interesting thing is that Heller's always given more detailed breakdowns of his business dealings in his autobiography and interviews than Cube and Dre have ever given. I read that Dre would claim he was having financial issues, yet when Jerry Heller went to Dre's house, he'd see uncashed checks stashed away in Dre's belongings. Dre even laughs about having unopened royalties from Eminem albums on his most recent album, Compton!

While I can understand Cube and Dre's need to go solo (which was the best choice), I do feel like there's another side to the story from their accusations.

3.) On your opinions regarding Eazy's talent - you are not saying anything controversial. I think most of us rap fans would agree that Eazy was the least musically-talented member of the group. His flow was very basic and his lyrics (all written for him by Cube, Ren and D.O.C) were very cartoonish. He was mostly a label boss/businessman who happened to rap on the side.

Even if he lived, I see him continuing to be more of a label head/mentor while releasing the occasional album (kind of like P.Diddy does).

Still, Eazy remains a memorable figure because he at least had a memorable persona (i.e. he actually lived the life rapped in Boyz N The Hood) and he founded an influential label that created the careers for many artists from N.W.A, D.O.C, Above the Law, Michel'le, JJ Fad, Tarrie B, Will.I.AM (later to create Black Eyed Peas) and Bone Thugs N' Harmony.

[–] GordonGekko_ 8 years ago

Thanks for your detailed response. So the guy being hazed in his underwear was nothing more than just a thug bullying another man just for the hell of it? Good on Dre to leave. I liked how the film showed Dre's girl being apprehensive about dating someone who was tied to a "gangish" label like Death Row. Reminds me of organized crime via the Mafia. Once you cross that line, it's hard to break free. Something Pac learned the hard way. I doubt they will ever find out who was really responsible for 2Pac's murder, but I find it more plausible that Suge was responsible more than someone like Biggie. I think it was a brilliant marketing ploy by both east and west coast labels which many people took too serious and resulted in deaths.

I'm surprised Dre and Snoop are still alive today after separating from Death Row. Suge Knight has to be one of the scariest people I've ever read/heard about in the modern era. Right now he's where he belongs (locked up). I doubt they can ever prove he had anything to do with Pac's death though.

Thanks again for responding.

[–] ee_dixon 8 years ago

Of course it would be hard to prove that Suge had anything to do with Pac's murder and that's because Suge had nothing to do with it. Why would someone as big as Suge risk his live by having the shooter shoot across the car so the bullets can hit him instead of Pac. 2Pac death had nothing to do with the East vs West beef. They beat the crap out of some Southside Crip and he retaliated.

[–] danjbrew7887 8 years ago

Just want to add that Eazy was never broke, however many sources close to him at that time did say Eazy fired him in the fall of 94.

The assumption was he was stealing money but wasnt confirmed.