Jerry Heller Suing Dr. Dre And Ice Cube For ‘Straight Outta Compton’
Jerry Heller is suing Dr. Dre and Ice Cube for how he was portrayed in the summer box office smash hit Straight Outta Compton.
When Straight Outta Compton first hit the theaters, there was a feeling that the film was going to rankle some feathers. Ice Cube and Dr. Dre were obviously going to be the protagonists in the film, especially since they were the executive producers. At least one person had to be the antagonist, and it ended up being Jerry Heller.
As the story goes, Jerry Heller became globally known when he helped to launch the gangsta rap genre. Heller had met up with Eazy E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and DJ Yella back when the N.W.A was first starting out. The group needed someone with connections in the music industry and someone more business savvy than them, so the N.W.A. turned to Heller.
In legendary fashion, the N.W.A. exploded on to the scene. They caused controversy across the United States, which helped them become even more famous. Fans rabidly flocked to the various arenas across the country to enjoy their performances in person.
Things did not stay peachy for all those involved with the N.W.A. and their newfound global success. Jealousy and greed jumped into the mix. Fingers were being pointed by everyone.
When he found out that he was not being paid nearly as much as Eazy E, Dr. Dre decided to leave the N.W.A. and form his own label. Thanks to the help of Suge Knight, another antagonist in the movie and a person that might be pursuing legal actions against all those associated with the film, Dre was able to successfully launch his Death Row Records label, which verbally assaulted Jerry Heller and Eazy E at every opportunity presented.
Years have now passed, and the animosity has died down between members of the N.W.A. Eazy E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and Ice Cube have made up since then. To the surprise of no one, Jerry Heller was not welcomed back with open arms by the founders of the N.W.A.
When Dr. Dre and Ice Cube got together and decided to make a Straight Outta Compton movie, they knew this was their chance to tell the world their side of the story. That meant that Jerry Heller was going to blamed as the guy that broke up the N.W.A. Heller had very little chance of being painted in a positive light.
Straight Outta Compton blew up when it hit the theaters. Very little people thought that the film was going to be as much of a commercial success as it turned out to be. Straight Outta Compton has generated a little under $200 million in revenue, which is amazing for a movie that had a $28 million budget.
Jerry Heller wants $110 million in damages. The former N.W.A. manager is also claiming that Dr. Dre and Ice Cube used his portrayal and likeness without permission. Heller and his legal team reportedly sat in the front row at a screening on the opening night of Straight Outta Compton.
When asked for comments, Ice Cube initially ignored TMZ before telling them that he has yet to be served with any legal paperwork from Jerry Heller and his lawyers.
[ Featured Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images ]
