Jerry Heller Expresses Himself
Jerry Heller Expresses Himself
The legendarily controversial N.W.A manager talks about never being consulted on ‘Straight Outta Compton,’ why he still defies the accusations of financial malfeasance, and what he really thinks about Ice Cube
As for Cube, he says, “We were never friends. Even when we were in the group. He was younger than the other guys. And I was older. He lived at home with his mother and father, who were professional, educated, very bright people. He went to Taft High School in the Valley. We were never close.”
Cube’s “No Vaseline,” the track on which he viciously attacked Heller for being the “Jew” that
“break up my crew,” still hits a nerve.
“I think it’s one of the most vitriolic attacks on the Jewish people that I’ve ever seen,” Heller says. “And yeah, it hurt me. But I never believed that just because he wrote one of the most anti-Semitic songs of all time that he was anti-Semitic. It was just a way to sell records. Or maybe he did hate me. I don’t know. I could care less.”
Throughout our conversation, Heller is stock-still. He never flinches when discussing Cube.
“I don’t have the kind of respect for him except that he knows how to make money, OK?”