R.I.P. Video #71: Ed West

Recorded April 26, 2020

Broadcasting from my closet, here in Northeast PA, it's ya boy, FrankieThaLuckyDog here, sadly reportin' anotha tragic loss in tha Louisiana hip-hop community.

Edward James West, Sr., known in tha music business as multiple names, like Edward J. West, Ed, Ed West, Mr. West or Big Ed, passed away from COVID-19 complications on Friday, April 3, 2020; he was only 51 years-old.

West's music career began as a frequent collaborator in tha Louisiana rap business. West was featured on over 20 releases in tha undaground business, keepin' his soul active for tha undaground headz to devour. In May of 1993, West was a Production Coordinator for Hard Head Records, till tha end of 1995. Following up tha label work, in January of 1996, West became tha Vice President for Ruff Era Records, till tha end of 1999. Shifting more to an urban contemporary/gospel sound to kick off tha new millennium, in 2000, West, Dominic Davis & Larry Jones formed Collage III. Shortly after, West became tha owner of Collage III's label, Collage Worldwide Entertainment. In 2001, Collage III released their debut album, Living The Lyrics, on Collage Entertainment. In September of 2006, West became tha owner of Nu-City Construction & in May of 2007, he became tha director of One Vision, One Voice, designing "an innovative program for students to experience the academic discipline, art & business of music, while adding to their repertoire of artistic expression." In 2013, Collage III released another album, Under Construction, courtesy of Collage Worldwide Entertainment. West kept his passion goin' for music until April 3, 2020, when he passed away from Coronavirus complications. If West made it to see July 29th of this year, he woulda turned 52 years-old.


Music:

Living The Lyrics (w/Collage III) (2001)
01. "Never Forget"
02. "Open Your Heart"
03. "After The Storm" feat. S.T.E.E.L.
04. "Praise On"
05. "Ain't No Stoppin' Us" feat. Lady Girl
06. Skit
07. "I Keep It Real"
08. "Take It To The Street" feat. Krazy, Lady Girl & Muneco Medina
09. "People (Don't Forget About Ya People...)"
10. "Here To Stay"
11. "Why" feat. Ayanna Wright & Lorraine Fedison
12. "I Never Knew"
13. Skit
14. "Selah"
15. "Come By Here"
16. "Open Your Heart (Piano Version)"


Under Construction (w/Collage III) (2013)
01. "Praise On"
02. "Moving On" feat. Cash Epics
03. "2 Blessed (Rap Version)" feat. Y Luck
04. "Better Man"
05. "Freedom" feat. Mr. Magic
06. "You"
07. "Love Jesus" feat. Govenor Reiss & Kimberly "Kimmie" McMillian
08. "Time Waits For No Man"
09. "Keep Ya Head Up" feat. Pastor Samuel Blakes & Atonia Powell
10. "Open Your Heart"
11. "Blessed"


Featured On:

Murder Inc. Playin' For Keeps (1995)
- "Silence Me" feat. Ed West
- "Down South (Radio)" feat. B Shipe, Blo & Ed West
- "Down South (Street)" feat. B Shipe, Blo & Ed West

B-Lo & Da Ganksta A Mill & Stackin' (1996)
- "I'ma Baller" feat. Edward J. West & Steve Below

Face Forever World Of Crime (1996)
- "All For The Money" feat. Byron Anderson & Edward J. West
- "Rollin' In My Ride" feat. Legend Man & Edward J. West
- "World Of Crime" feat. Edward J. West
- "Time" feat. Edward J. West & Tanya Jarvis

L The Black Robbin Hood True 2 Life (1996)
- "Survivin' The Game" feat. Crazy Dahmer, Legend Man & Ed West
- "Dead End Street" feat. Edward J. West

Legend Man Pressure & Pain (1997)
- "Hard To Trust Ya" feat. Ed West
- "Heaven For A G" feat. Ed West
- "Misery & Suffering" feat. Ed West & Tereasa Betts
- "N.O.L.A." feat. Ed West & Ezell Swang

Murder Inc. Let's Die 2-Gether (1997)
- "Silence Me (Remix)" feat. Legend Man & Ed West

Bally B Gotta Be Greedy (1998)
- "We Roll Allnight" feat. Legend Man, Sporty-T & Ed West

Joe Blakk Blood, Sweat & Tears (1998)
- "Life's A Bitch" feat. Ed West & Hi-Demand

Krazy I Shed Tears For The World (1998)
- "Shed Tears" feat. Stress & Ed West
- "Me & You" feat. Ed West
- "Game On Freeze" feat. Legend Man & Ed West
- "Pray 4 Me" feat. Ed West

Bishop Darryl S. Brister & The Beacon Light Mass Choir It's All About Him (1999)
- "The Potter" feat. Edward West

Cold Blooded How Cold Am I (1999)
- "Hoe Fo Me" feat. B-Legit, Mac Shawn & Ed West
- "Escape-N-From Poverty" feat. Ed West

Krazy Please Don't Kill Me (1999)
- "Please Don't Kill Me" feat. Brother Peteh The Poet & Ed West
- "Let's Get Freaky" feat. Gadiva & Ed West
- "Going To Make It" feat. Ed West
- "See Daylight" feat. Skandalust & Ed West
- "Haters Everywhere" feat. Legend Man, Ed West & Sweetie

Rizzo Short While (1999)
- "You Mean The World To Me" feat. Ed West
- "Cuz" feat. Ed West
- "Short While" feat. Ed West

Twelve A'Klok Lost 2 The World (1999)
- "Dead Or Alive" feat. Big Ed

Decky Boy Better Off Dead (2000)
- "Life I Live" feat. Mr. West
- "Call Me Playa" feat. 2XL & Mr. West
- "Tomorrow" feat. Mr. West

Mr. Sleep Land Of The Breathers (2000)
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" feat. Big Ed
- "Breathers Shit's Too Deep" feat. Big Ed
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Radio)" feat. Big Ed

Blakk Flagg Street Poetry (2001)
- "16 Shots" feat. Jochan, Krazy & Ed West

Krazy Breather Life (2001)
- "Black Eyez" feat. Ed West

Big Ren Tha Streets Won't Let Me Go (2002)
- "Eyes Behind My Back" feat. Big Ed

Brick House The Dunndudda (2002)
- "Born Loser" feat. Ed West

Keyz Entertainment Raw & Uncut, Vol. 1 (2002)
- "Bugsy" (Muneco Medina feat. S.T.E.E.L., Droopy & Ed West)

Lil' Thug Thug's Diary (2002)
- "U Don't Know" feat. Ms. MaKeeda & Ed West
- "Take My Pain" feat. Collage III

Krazy Us Killin' Us (2004)
- "Us Killin' Us" feat. Ed West & Lil' Poppy
- "After Life" feat. Ed West & Sinista

Krazy & Nino Hoodhustlin', Vol. 9 (2007)
- "Eyes On Me" feat. Ed West

Dappa Fuck Outta Hea: The Mixtape (2010)
- "Fly Away" feat. Ed West

Joey Queans Rose Gold (2015)
- "Easy Dough" feat. Ed West
- "Living The Life" feat. Badabing Blusa & Ed West

Favor Reinvigorate (2016)
- "Now Or Never" feat. Ed


R.I.P. Edward James West, Sr.
7.29.1968 - 4.03.2020