N.W.A.: M.C. Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Yella.
Recorded at Audio Achievements, Torrance, California.
N.W.A.: M.C. Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Yella (rap vocals).
Recorded at Audio Achievements, Torrance, California. Includes liner notes by Phyllis Pollack.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
Adapter: Ice Cube.
Audio Remasterer: Kris Solem.
Liner Note Author: Phyllis Pollack.
Recording information: Audio Achievements, Torrance, CA.
Photographer: Eric Poppleton.
The year 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of N.W.A's landmark album STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON, one of the two most important gangsta rap albums ever (the other being N.W.A. founding member Dr. Dre's THE CHRONIC). The album sounds as ferocious and frightening as ever, as it continues to voice the "power of street knowledge" to the masses. Like the similarly themed 10th Anniversary edition, this version of S.O.C. contains a handful of reworked versions of songs by some of the biggest names in post-N.W.A. rap, including Snoop Dogg ("Gangsta Gangsta") and Ice Cube protege Mack 10 ("Dopeman"). The collective force and power of Ren, Eazy-E, Dre, Cube, and Yella can not be underestimated, and this 20th-anniversary disc is evidence why.
How do you define five of today's most controversial and successful rap artists? Three letters--N.W.A. (aka Niggas With Attitudes). While hip-hop was dominated by New York-based rappers, N.W.A. took a stand for the West Coast, paving the way for a music's migration. STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON universally established Ice Cube, Eazy-E, M.C. Ren, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella as prime figures in the hip-hop nation, and gave every gangsta with a rhyme a reason to grab the mic.
Straight out of Compton, California, N.W.A. delivered real raw hip-hop without any fear of voicing their true opinions, which is just what they did on "Express Yourself," where they emphasized the theme of keepin' it real. Their motto may as well have been what Ice Cube stated on "Gangsta Gangsta": "life ain't nothing but b**ches and money." Yet, the group dissed more than the usual suspects--women, various suckas, whack MCs--going so far as to ridicule the "boys in blue," on "F**k Tha Police," a song so controversial that N.W.A.'s record company received complaints from the FBI and various Policeman's Benevolent Associations.
The hard-driven beats of STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON showcased Dr. Dre and Yella as producers/DJs on the forefront of a movement that has come to be known as "gangsta funk," and took N.W.A. to the top of the rap game.
Straight Outta Compton wasn't quite the first gangsta rap album, but it was the first one to find a popular audience, and its sensibility virtually defined the genre from its 1988 release on. It established gangsta rap -- and, moreover, West Coast rap in general -- as a commercial force, going platinum with no airplay and crossing over with shock-hungry white teenagers. Unlike Ice-T, there's little social criticism or reflection on the gangsta lifestyle; most of the record is about raising hell -- harassing women, driving drunk, shooting it out with cops and partygoers. All of that directionless rebellion and rage produces some of the most frightening, visceral moments in all of rap, especially the amazing opening trio of songs, which threaten to dwarf everything that follows. Given the album's sheer force, the production is surprisingly spare, even a little low-budget -- mostly DJ scratches and a drum machine, plus a few sampled horn blasts and bits of funk guitar. Although they were as much a reaction against pop-friendly rap, Straight Outta Compton's insistent claims of reality ring a little hollow today, since it hardly ever depicts consequences. But despite all the romanticized invincibility, the force and detail of Ice Cube's writing makes the exaggerations resonate. Although Cube wrote some of his bandmates' raps, including nearly all of Eazy-E's, each member has a distinct delivery and character, and the energy of their individual personalities puts their generic imitators to shame. But although Straight Outta Compton has its own share of posturing, it still sounds refreshingly uncalculated because of its irreverent, gonzo sense of humor, still unfortunately rare in hardcore rap. There are several undistinguished misfires during the second half, but they aren't nearly enough to detract from the overall magnitude. It's impossible to overstate the enduring impact of Straight Outta Compton; as polarizing as its outlook may be, it remains an essential landmark, one of hip-hop's all-time greatest. [The 2002 reissue adds an extended version of both "Straight Outta Compton" and "Express Yourself," the B-side "Bonus Beats," and the legendary "A Bitch Iz a Bitch" single.] ~ Steve Huey minimize