Movie Dude: Straight Outta Compton

by Mr. Movie Dude | ARCHIVES

The highly controversial gangta rap group N.W.A. (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) from Compton, California will be immortalized in the movie “Straight Outta Compton” set to be released August 14, 2015. N.W.A. is widely considered one of the most significant pioneers of West coast hip hop gangsta rap and have been credited by many as one of the most important groups in the history of rap music. The group was banned from many mainstream American radio stations. In spite of such great odds the group sold over 10 million units in the United States alone. N.W.A. was known for their deep hatred of the police system and the injustice of people of color, specifically black people.

The original members of N.W.A. consisted of Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube. MC Ren joined in 1988, with Arabian Prince leaving the group later that same year.  The “Straight Outta Compton” biopic confirmed that Ice Cube’s son, O’Shea Jackson, Jr., will play a younger version of his father in the movie. O’Shea, Jr. will join Jason Mitchell and Corey Hawkins who will portray group members Eazy-E and Dr. Dre. To round out the cast of N.W.A., Aldis Hodge will play MC Ren and Neil Brown, Jr. will be DJ Yella.

“In the mid-1980s, the streets of Compton, California, were some of the most dangerous in the country. When five young men translated their experiences growing up into brutally honest music that rebelled against abusive authority, they gave an explosive voice to a silenced generation. Following the meteoric rise and fall of N.W.A, “Straight Outta Compton” tells the astonishing story of how these youngsters revolutionized music and pop culture forever the moment they told the world the truth about life in the hood and ignited a cultural war.”

N.W.A. was assembled by Compton-based Eazy-E, who co-founded Ruthless Records with Jerry Heller. Eazy-E was determined to talk with Dr. Dre with the assistance from Steve Yano, a Los Angeles entrepreneur who sold rap albums out of the Roadlum Swap.  They met in Gardena, California and served as a clearing house for new music of that generation.

N.W.A. consisted of Eazy-E and Dr. Dre, who bought in DJ Yella. Dre and Yella were both formerly members of the world Class Wreckin’ Cru, as DJs and producers. Ice Cube was added to the roster after he had started out as a rapper for the group “C.I.A.”  N.W.A. released their debut studio album, Straight Outta Compton, in 1988. With the famous opening bravado of three tracks, the group reflected the rising anger of the urban youth. The powerful drive song “Straight Outta Compton” introduced the group, “Fuck tha Police” protested police brutality and racial profiling, and “Gangsta Gangsta” painted the urban voice of the inner-city youth. N.W.A. was given credit for pioneering the term “gangsta rap.” N.W.A. referred to their music as “reality rap.”

Dr. Dre and DJ Yella composed the beats for each song, with Dre making occasional rapping appearances. Ice Cube and MC Ren wrote most of the group’s lyrics, including “Fuck tha Police,” perhaps the group’s most notorious song, which brought them into conflict with various law enforcement agencies. Under pressure from Focus on the Family, Milt Ahlerich, an assistant director of the FBI, sent a letter to Ruthless and its distributing company Priority Records, advising the rappers that “advocating violence and assault is wrong and we in the law enforcement community take exception to such action.” This letter can still be seen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Policemen refused to provide security for the group’s concerts, hurting their plans to tour. Nonetheless, the FBI’s letter only served to draw more publicity to the group.

“Straight Outta Compton” was also one of the first albums to adhere to the new Parental Advisory label scheme, then still in its early stages: the label at the time consisted of “WARNING: Moderate impact coarse language and/or themes” only. However, the taboo nature of N.W.A’s music was the most important factor of its mass appeal. Media coverage compensated for N.W.A’s lack of airplay and their album eventually went double platinum. 1991’s “Niggaz4Life” would be the group’s final album. After Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and Michel’le departed from Ruthless to join Death Row Records and allegations over Eazy-E being coerced into signing away their contracts (while retaining a portion of their publishing rights), a bitter rivalry ensued.

Ice Cube said of the movie, “We’re taking it to the nooks and crannies, I think deeper than any other article or documentary on the group,” he said. “These are the intimate conversations that helped forge N.W.A. To me, I think it’s interesting to anybody who loves that era and I don’t know any other movie where you can mix Gangster Rap, the F.B.I., L.A. Riots, HIV, and fucking feuding with each other. This movie has everything from Darryl Gates and the battering ram. The World’s Most Dangerous Times Created The World’s Most Dangerous Group.”

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON GALLERY

To learn more about the controversial film on “The World’s Most Dangerous Group”, N.W.A, please visit

www.straightouttacompton.com