View source for MC Eiht

{{Short description|American rapper (born 1971)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = MC Eiht
| image             = 2020 MC Eiht.jpg
| caption           = MC Eiht in 2020
| birth_name        = Aaron Bernard Tyler<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ascap.com/repertory#/ace/search/workID/898819326 |title=BAC IN TOWN |website=ASCAP |publisher=American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers |access-date=May 1, 2023}}</ref>
| alias             = {{hlist|MC 8| Eiht|Tony Smallz}}
| birth_date        = {{Birth date and age|1971|5|22}}
| birth_place       = [[Compton, California]], U.S.
| death_date        = {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}}
| genre             = {{hlist|[[West Coast hip hop]]|[[gangsta rap]]|[[G-funk]]}}
| occupation        = {{hlist|Rapper|actor|songwriter}}
| years_active      = 1987–present
| label             = {{hlist|Blue Stamp Music|Eiht Hype|Hi Power| Year Round|[[Real Talk Entertainment|Real Talk]]|[[Epic Records|Epic]]|[[Hoo Bangin' Records|Hoo Bangin']]|[[Doggystyle Records|Doggystyle]]|[[Priority Records|Priority]]}}
| past_member_of    = {{hlist|[[Compton's Most Wanted]]|[[War Zone (group)|War Zone]]}}
}}
'''Aaron Bernard Tyler''' (born May 22, 1971),<ref>{{cite web | title=MC Eiht on His Praying Hands Face Tat, Violence Decreasing in Compton| work= youtube.com | date= 21 July 2017 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0k4CJd5pBg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/P0k4CJd5pBg |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|quote= MC Eiht confirms his age of 46 and not 50 at 1:23 in this recent interview with DJ Vlad in 2017 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> better known by his stage name '''MC Eiht''' (pronounced "MC Eight"), is an American rapper. Many of his songs are based on his life in Compton. His stage name was partly inspired by the numeral in [[KRS-One]]'s name. He chose Eiht for its links to "hood culture", including [[Olde English 800]] (8 Ball) and .38 caliber firearms.<ref>[http://thugradio.net/mceihtinterview.html Thug Radio] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041204195215/http://www.thugradio.net/mceihtinterview.html |date=2004-12-04 }}.</ref> He is the ''[[de facto]]'' leader of [[West Coast hip hop]] group [[Compton's Most Wanted]], which also included fellow Compton-based [[rapper]]s [[Boom Bam]], [[The Unknown DJ]], [[Tha Chill]], [[DJ Mike T]], [[DJ Slip]] and Ant Capone. He is also known for his role as A-Wax in the 1993 film ''[[Menace II Society]],'' as well as voicing the character Ryder in the 2004 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]].''
==Career==
Tyler was born in [[Compton, California]], and grew to fame on the [[West Coast Hip Hop|West Coast]] as one of two MCs in the four-man crew [[Compton's Most Wanted]]. After enjoying increasing success with the group, which peaked with 1992's ''[[Music to Driveby]]'', Eiht took a role in the hit movie ''[[Menace II Society]]'' as well as a high-profile spot on the soundtrack. The song "[[Streiht Up Menace]]", which chronicles the unfortunate downturn of the film's protagonist within the pathological conditions of American inner city life, is considered by many critics to be Eiht's ''magnum opus''.<ref>{{cite web|title=MC Eiht Facebook Page|url=https://www.facebook.com/pages/MC-Eiht/12747462012|publisher=Facebook|access-date=29 May 2011|author=Blue Stamp Music}}</ref> The movie spurred him into a solo career, although his next two albums ''[[We Come Strapped]]'' and ''[[Death Threatz]]'' would be accredited as MC Eiht featuring Compton's Most Wanted. These albums were considered his best and took place during the most tense years of the 'beef' between Eiht and [[DJ Quik]], Eiht's childhood friends Boom Bam and Tha Chill of [[N.O.T.R]] were heavily involved with both albums and the [[DJ Quik|Quik]] beef, there are several explicit remarks towards Quik made on these albums by E, Bam and Chill. E was also associated with the West 159th Street Tragniew Park Compton Crips.
He states that he didn't wish to star in comedy films in order to maintain his public image. He later only appeared in the low-budget movies ''Reasons'', ''Thicker than Water'' and ''[[Who Made the Potatoe Salad?]]'' as well as providing the voice for Lance 'Ryder' Wilson in the video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]''.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0563810/ MC Eiht biography.] Accessed 2007-10-22.</ref> His music has also been included in the [[Grand Theft Auto]] series, both alone and with Compton's Most Wanted.
He put out ''[[Last Man Standing (MC Eiht album)|Last Man Standing]]'', the first album accredited only to MC Eiht, then broke from the label for Big Beat/[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]. Eiht never ended up putting out an album on the label, instead eventually signing with and releasing the album ''[[Section 8 (album)|Section 8]]'' on [[Priority Records|Priority]]/EMI in 1999.<ref>[http://www.thaformula.com/evil_dee_definition_of_a_dj_day.htm thaformula.com] Accessed 2007-10-21.</ref>
Eiht would hop between record labels and one-off releases in the next years, moving between independent labels Half-Ounce, D3 Entertainment and Lookin' Up Entertainment from 2001 to 2003. He would put out records with [[Spice 1]] and [[Brotha Lynch Hung]] in 2004 and 2006 on [[Real Talk Ent.]], releasing another solo album between them on West Inc./Native Records. His inability to settle at a label contributed to his joining [[The Warzone (group)|the Warzone]], a trio put together by [[Snoop Dogg]] and consisting of [[Goldie Loc]], [[Kam (rapper)|Kam]], and MC Eiht himself. In 2006, Eiht and the group appeared on the single "[[Candy (Drippin' Like Water)]]" on [[Snoop Dogg]]'s album ''[[Tha Blue Carpet Treatment]]''. In 2010, Eiht appears on the remix to [[Dam Funk]]'s "Hood Pass Intact".<ref>{{cite web |author=Martins |first=Chris |date=July 14, 2010 |title=At Last: Dâm-Funk Goes Gangsta With Compton's MC Eiht for 'Hood Pass Intact' Redo |url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2010/07/mp3_dam-funk_gangsta_mc_eiht_hood_pass.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002233302/http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2010/07/mp3_dam-funk_gangsta_mc_eiht_hood_pass.php |archive-date=2 October 2013 |access-date=9 March 2015 |work=[[LA Weekly]]}}</ref> MC Eiht also appeared with [[Young Maylay]] in Blaq Poet's new street single, ''Ain't Nuttin' Changed (Remix)''.
In June 2011, MC Eiht released his single "Fine By Me" accompanied by a music video directed by Director Hugo V. under his new label Year Round/Blue Stamp Records. Year Round Records is owned by New York-based hip hop artist [[DJ Premier]].
In October 2012, MC Eiht was featured on the song "[[M.A.A.D City|m.A.A.d city]]" by [[Kendrick Lamar]], from his major label debut ''[[Good Kid, M.A.A.D City|Good Kid, m.A.A.d City]]''. Eiht released the ''Keep It Hood'' EP, through BLUESTAMP Music Group on January 4, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Keep-It-Hood-Explicit/dp/B00AZH17V4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358704573&sr=8-1&keywords=keep+it+hood+mc+eiht|title=Amazon.com: Keep It Hood [Explicit]: MC Eiht: MP3 Downloads|website=Amazon |access-date=9 March 2015}}</ref> The album features cuts from [[DJ Premier]] and production from Brenk Sinatra.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.djpremierblog.com/2012/12/20/exclusive-mc-eiht-the-reign-prod-by-brenk-sinatra-scratches-by-dj-premier-cdq/|title=DJ Premier Blog » Exclusive: MC Eiht – The Reign (Prod. by Brenk Sinatra; Scratches by DJ Premier) CDQ|access-date=9 March 2015|date=2012-12-20}}</ref> In 2013, he plans to release a collaboration album with [[DJ Premier]].<ref>{{cite web |date=4 January 2013 |title=The Most Anticipated Albums Of 2013 |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.2020/title.the-most-anticipated-albums-of-2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002095736/http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/editorials/id.2020/title.the-most-anticipated-albums-of-2013 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |access-date=9 March 2015 |work=[[HipHopDX]]}}</ref>
In the summer of 2014, MC Eiht released a single with the Outlawz, Tupac Shakur's old group, titled "Shut ’Em Down", which made references to old Outlawz members Tupac and Kadafi. The song is a part of Eiht's upcoming "Which Way Iz West LP" and is MC Eiht's first LP in eight years.<ref>{{cite web |author=Jaffe |first=Lloyd |date=July 14, 2014 |title=MC Eiht Feat. Outlawz "Shut Em Down" Video |url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/mc-eiht-feat-outlawz-shut-em-down-video-new-video.29782.html |access-date=9 March 2015 |work=[[HotNewHipHop]]}}</ref>
==Feud with DJ Quik==
MC Eiht and his group CMW got involved in a long tumultuous rivalry with fellow Compton DJ/rapper [[DJ Quik]] that lasted for several years.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Harling |first=Danielle |date=2016-01-14 |title=MC Eiht Reveals Origins of Feud with DJ Quik |url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.37028/title.mc-eiht-reveals-origins-of-feud-with-dj-quik# |website=[[HipHopDX]]}}</ref>  The feud traces back to a track on DJ Quik's debut mixtape ''The Red Tape'', where Quik indirectly dissed both Compton's Most Wanted and [[N.W.A]]. During that time, Quik was a member of the Tree Top [[Pirus|Piru Bloods]] and Eiht was a member of the 159th St. Tragniew Park Compton [[Crips]]. On the track "Duck Sick" from CMW's debut album ''[[It's a Compton Thang]]'', they criticized and questioned Quik's street credibility.<ref name=":0" /> They hit Quik again in 1991 on their second effort ''[[Straight Checkn 'Em]]''. Quik didn't respond to CMW's disses on his debut album ''[[Quik is the Name]]'', but he responded to Eiht on the title track to his sophomore effort ''[[Way 2 Fonky]]'' & "Tha Last Word". CMW responded months later with a music video for "Def Wish II" which featured a DJ Quik lookalike having a surreal nightmare of CMW chasing & ambushing him leading to him getting killed & with "Def Wish III" leading to the peak of their rivalry. Quik then responded to it with "Street Level Entrance" & "Let You Have It", mentioning the "Def Wish II" music video, while facing label problems and other music projects.<ref name=":0" /> However, on the soundtrack to the 1994 short film ''[[Murder Was The Case]]'', on the track "Dollaz + Sense", Quik ruthlessly verbally attacks Eiht, calling him a movie script killer (in reference to Eiht's appearance in the critically acclaimed 1993 film ''[[Menace II Society]]''), a coward, and more. Quik fanned the flames even more by performing the song at the 1995 [[Source Awards]] in [[New York City]]. The feud stayed quiet until April 1996, where Eiht responded to Quik on his second solo album ''[[Death Threatz]]'' which featured the track Def Wish IV (Tap That Azz) exposing the backstory of how both artists met in person, & "Killin' Nigguz" which were the last diss tracks of their feud. The feud between Quik and Eiht slowly died down in 1997<ref name=":0" /> following the deaths of [[Tupac Shakur]] and [[The Notorious B.I.G.]], but the feud didn't actually end until the summer of 1998, where [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Daz Dillinger]], and other West Coast rappers helped Eiht and Quik squash the beef. MC Eiht and DJ Quik appeared in an interview on July 21, 1999 on [[BET Tonight]]. Since then, Quik and Eiht collaborated on various songs.<ref name=":0" /> Even though the rivalry was not on the level of the [[Nas]]-[[Jay Z]] rivalry or the [[East Coast-West Coast hip hop rivalry]] since it was not covered by the media, it has been hailed by most hip hop fans and critics that it stands out as one of the longest active hip hop rivalries of all time (from 1992 to 1998).<ref name=":0" />
==Discography==
{{Main|MC Eiht discography}}
{{See also|Compton's Most Wanted discography}}
'''Studio albums'''
* ''[[We Come Strapped]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Death Threatz]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Last Man Standing (MC Eiht album)|Last Man Standing]]'' (1997)
* ''[[Section 8 (album)|Section 8]]'' (1999)
* ''[[N' My Neighborhood]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Tha8t'z Gangsta]]'' (2001)
* ''[[Underground Hero]]'' (2002)
* ''[[Hood Arrest]]'' (2003)
* ''[[Smoke in tha City]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Veterans Day (album)|Veterans Day]]'' (2004)
* ''[[Affiliated (album)|Affiliated]]'' (2006)
* ''Compton's O.G.'' (2006)
* ''[[Which Way Iz West]]'' (2017)
* ''Official'' (2020)
* ''Lessons'' (2020)
* ''Revolution in Progress'' (2022)
* ''Lessons 2'' (2023)
'''Collaborative albums'''
*''[[The Pioneers (album)|The Pioneers]]'' (with [[Spice 1]]) (2004)
*''[[The New Season]]'' (with [[Brotha Lynch Hung]]) (2006)
*''Keep It Gangsta'' (with Spice 1) (2006)
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class = "wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1993
| ''[[Menace II Society]]''
| A-Wax
|
|-
| 1996
| ''Reasons''
| Himself
|
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Thicker than Water (1999 film)|Thicker than Water]]''
| Lil' Ant
|
|-
| 2001
| ''100 Kilos''
| Pooh
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas#|The Introduction]]''
| Ryder
| DVD released as the introduction to the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas synopsis. Voice only
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Who Made the Potatoe Salad?]]''
| T-Bone
|
|-
| 2008
| ''Bigg Snoop Dogg Presents: The Adventures of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment''
| Himself
| Voice only
|-
| 2013
| ''Streetwise x MC Eiht''
| Himself
| Short film
|}
===Television===
{|class="wikitable"
!rowspan="1"|Year
!rowspan="1"|Title
!rowspan="1"|Role
!rowspan="1"|Notes
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Legends of Chamberlain Heights]]''
| Himself (voice)
| Episode" "Inspired by Isis"
|}
===Video games===
{|class="wikitable"
!rowspan="1"|Year
!rowspan="1"|Title
!rowspan="1"|Role
!rowspan="1"|Notes
|-
|2004
|''[[Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas]]''
| Lance "Ryder" Wilson
| Voice only
|-
|2015
|''[[Grand Theft Auto V]]''
|Himself
|"The Lab" radio guest host, musical contributions
|-
|2021
|''[[Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition|Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - The Definitive Edition]]''
|Lance "Ryder" Wilson
|Archival Recordings<br>Remaster of ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'' only
|}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{Official site|http://www.mceiht.com}}
*{{IMDb name|0563810}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category}}
{{MC Eiht}}
{{Compton's Most Wanted}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eiht, MC}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century American rappers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:American male video game actors]]
[[Category:African-American male rappers]]
[[Category:American male rappers]]
[[Category:Crips]]
[[Category:Epic Records artists]]
[[Category:Gangsta rappers]]
[[Category:Musicians from Compton, California]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Priority Records artists]]
[[Category:Rappers from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:West Coast hip hop musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]