However, their music is as problematic as their rise and subsequent influence: while the lyrics perhaps justifiably criticised law enforcement authorities, they also often included blatant examples of misogyny and homophobia. Without N.W.A there would be no Tupac, no Snoop Dogg, no ScHoolboy Q, no Wiz Khalifa and no Kendrick Lamar. ‘Reality rap’, as Ice Cube called it, gave voice to a voiceless community. N.W.A’s original sound, biting lyrics and outright criticism of law enforcement officials made them the most notorious group in America. The record gave them hits such as Gangsta Gangsta, the aforementioned Fuck tha Police, Express Yourself and Straight Outta Compton. The group released Niggaz4Life in 1991 but it was 1988’s Straight Outta Compton that contained their most influential work. They achieved this despite only releasing two albums, a fact that may surprise many. Few seem to recognise the lasting impact N.W.A had not only rap but the music industry as a whole. Dre into rap icons, as well as being major influences on the careers of artists like Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent and Eminem, it’s surprising it’s taken Hollywood so long to cash in on the legacy of the group. Its importance has its roots in two key areas of popular culture: music and film.

The episode appears all too easy and convenient for audiences to take entirely at face value.ĭespite problems with its structure and oftentimes narrative cliché, Straight Outta Compton is still one of the most important film releases of 2015 and its cultural significance cannot be overstated. The racial stereotyping leads the boys back into the studio where Ice Cube lays down lyrics for one of the most powerful and notorious songs. For example, before N.W.A record their most notorious hit track Fuck Tha Police, they are harassed outside their recording studio by a group of cops. From a cinematic viewpoint, it’s difficult to grip audiences when they are constantly second guessing whether events unfolded in real life the way they’ve been depicted on screen. Its issues lie in the fact that biopics are very often problematic. Straight Outta Compton is by no means a perfect or even great film. The film covers much ground and sometimes feels more like a series of vignettes than an in-depth look at one of the most notable rap groups in contemporary American culture.

Dre’s bourgeoning producing career and Eazy-E’s death in 1995. The biopic takes us through the formation of N.W.A, from Ice Cube’s bitter departure to Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Easy-E, but DJ Yella and MC Ren may only be known only to hip hop aficionados. Traight Outta Compton focuses on the lives of the rap group known as N.W.A (abbreviated from N*ggaz wit’ Attitude) and audiences will likely know group members Dr.

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