The cover photo is the same as N.W.A’s “Panic Zone” single and features people who do not appear on the record. The album peaked at #39 on Billboard magazine’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Featuring Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, The D.O.C. And the Posse is a 1987 release that compiled various Dr. Dre-produced tracks. The album features a collection of rap musicians at the beginnings of their soon-to-be successful career, including previously released tracks by N.W.A, Eazy-E, the Fila Fresh Crew, and Rappinstine.
Last week, Dr Dre released Compton: The Soundtrack – his first album in 16 years – with cover art that features the iconic Hollywood sign transformed to read C-O-M-P-T-O-N.
The timing, title and cover imagery of the album coincide with the new biopic Straight Outta Compton, a film that details the rise and fall of Dr Dre’s former rap group NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitudes), which, along with Dre, included Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Yella and Ice Cube.
NWA was active for only a few years, but their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton gave birth to West Coast gangsta rap – the controversial genre of music defined by its gritty depictions of inner-city street life.
In NWA’s world, however, Compton and Hollywood have never been far apart. In fact, the photograph for the cover of the group’s first album – 1987’s NWA and the Posse – wasn’t even taken in Compton. Instead, it was shot in a graffiti-filled Hollywood alleyway near the group’s first record label.
And in a deeper sense, NWA’s brand of rap music was always a cinematic blend of reality and fiction: a blaxploitation film with beats. The genius of the group’s approach – masterminded by member Eric “Eazy-E” Wright – was the way it manufactured a narrative of Compton as a rough, unpredictable place, while placing it at the center of NWA’s identity.
Selling the hood
For decades, real estate boosters have packaged the Southern California good life, using images of sunshine and palm trees to entice millions of Americans to relocate to the West Coast.
Under the guidance of Eazy-E, NWA commodified a more sinister version of the Los Angeles story, crafting a new brand of hardcore rap that moved from third-person descriptions of street life to first-person portrayals of the gangstas themselves.
Compare earlier recordings like Eazy-E’s Boyz-n-the-Hood – which describes the arrest, trial and failed escape of a fictional drug dealer named Kilo-G – to NWA’s Gangsta Gangsta, in which Ice Cube actually assumes the role of an unrepentant criminal, proclaiming:
Taking a life or two, that’s what the hell I do / You don’t like how I’m living? Well, fuck you!
Over Dr Dre’s booming beats and sampled sounds of automatic gunfire, Ice Cube, MC Ren and Eazy-E rapped about their sexual prowess and penchant for violence. Playing upon stereotypes dating back to blackface minstrelsy, they tapped into a centuries-old American appetite for racialized entertainment.
![The The](/uploads/1/3/7/4/137485028/157452833.jpg)
Meanwhile, in interviews, the group members were cagey. Understanding intuitively that their infamy was tied to record sales, they posed for pictures holding guns and refused to state clearly whether they were gang members, drug dealers or just kids looking to make a quick buck.
In truth, the only rap sheets NWA members had were notebooks full of song lyrics.
Although the group often claimed they were simply “street reporters,” the violent gang- and drug-filled world of their music ignored more prosaic aspects of Compton, such as its single-family homes and history as a black, middle-class enclave.
But in segregated Los Angeles, whites often avoided predominantly black communities and viewed black youth suspiciously. Straight Outta Compton played to their shrill, pervasive fears about gang violence, offering outsiders a vicarious look into a neighborhood most had only heard about on the nightly news.
Music fans ate it up: the album went double platinum and encouraged music industry executives to focus on developing more hardcore acts.
An underlying social message
Nonetheless, the larger-than-life personas populating NWA’s recordings spoke to complicated realities.
On tracks like Gangsta Gangsta Ice Cube might have sounded invincible – “I’m the type of nigga that’s built to last / Fuck with me, I’ll put my foot in your ass” – but all of that bravado masked real social insecurity.
NWA’s core members grew up in Compton and South Central neighborhoods that had been devastated by massive deindustrialization. The resulting poverty and unemployment proved fertile ground for the influx of cocaine in the early 1980s. They witnessed the dramatic rise in gang violence connected to it and felt the LAPD’s heavy-handed response.
With draconian names like C.R.A.S.H. (Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums) and Operation Hammer, the LAPD criminalized entire neighborhoods, conducting destructive search and seizure missions with the dual purpose of finding contraband and intimidating residents.
By embracing the role of the “bad guys,” NWA found a profitable way to capture public attention and strike back at the system – a musical strategy I explore in my recent book Sounding Race in Rap Songs.
For example, in the video for Straight Outta Compton, the group members rap lyrics about their indomitable strength, but portray themselves at the mercy of one of the LAPD’s terrorizing gang sweeps. NWA’s critique, which came years before the Rodney King beating, provided fans with a glimpse at the LAPD’s worst practices under Police Chief Daryl Gates.
In the group’s most famous and controversial song Fuck Tha Police, they parodied courtroom proceedings. White police officers stood trial as defendants, Dr Dre presided as judge, and rappers MC Ren, Eazy-E and Ice Cube served as prosecuting attorneys.
Testifying against the LAPD’s widespread racial profiling and excessive force, Ice Cube rapped:
Nwa And The Posse Album Cover
Fuck the police coming straight from the underground / A young nigga got it bad ‘cause I’m brown / And not the other color so police think / They have the authority to kill a minority.
A year after the police killing of Michael Brown and the ensuing protests, the timing the Straight Outta Compton biopic could not be better. #BlackLivesMatter and the Department of Justice report on Ferguson have helped shed light on ongoing patterns of police violence and harassment against black people nationwide.
Current events continue to make NWA look prophetic, and the biopic – along with Dr Dre’s Compton: The Soundtrack – will certainly profit from them.
Whether that feels like a Hollywood cash in for the group or another attempt to say something meaningful remains a subject of much debate.
N.W.A discography | |
---|---|
Clockwise from top-left: Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, DJ Yella | |
Studio albums | 2 |
Compilation albums | 6 |
Video albums | 1 |
Music videos | 5 |
EPs | 1 |
Singles | 8 |
The discography of N.W.A, an American hip hop group, consists of two studio albums, six compilation albums, one extended play (EP), eight singles, one video album and five music videos. N.W.A was formed in Compton, California in 1986 by Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, Arabian Prince and Ice Cube, with The D.O.C. and MC Ren joining later.[1] The group's first release was the compilation album N.W.A. and the Posse in 1987, which also featured songs by The Fila Fresh Crew, Rappinstine and Ron-De-Vu.[2] Their debut album Straight Outta Compton followed the next year, which initially reached number 37 on the US Billboard 200; it has since reached number four, and has sold over 1.5 million copies in the US alone.[3][4] 'Straight Outta Compton', 'Gangsta Gangsta' and 'Express Yourself' were released as singles from the album, all of which registered on the BillboardHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[3]
Ice Cube left N.W.A in 1989 due to ongoing financial disagreements.[1] The remaining members released the EP 100 Miles and Runnin' in 1990, which reached the top ten of the BillboardTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and has since been certified platinum by the RIAA.[3][5] N.W.A's second and final album followed in 1991: Niggaz4Life, commonly referred to backwards as Efil4Zaggin,[6] The album's singles were 'Appetite for Destruction' and 'Alwayz into Somethin', neither of which charted in the US.[3]Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video was released in 1992, featuring three music videos and previously unreleased footage.[7] Dr. Dre left N.W.A the same year, at which point the group had essentially disbanded.[1] Since the group's breakup a number of compilation albums have been released, including 1996's Greatest Hits which reached the top 50 of the Billboard 200.[3]
Albums[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [3] | US R&B [3] | AUS [8] | GER [9] | IRL [10] | NZ [11] | UK [12] | ||||||
Straight Outta Compton |
| 4 | 9 | 8 | 36 | 7 | 43 | 35 |
|
| ||
Niggaz4Life |
| 1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 25 |
| |||
'—' denotes a release that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Compilation albums[edit]
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [3] | US Cat. [3] | US Dig. [3] | US R&B [3] | AUS [8] | IRL [10] | NZ [11] | UK [12] | ||||
N.W.A. and the Posse |
| -- | -- | -- | 39 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| |
Greatest Hits |
| 48 | 5 | 22 | 20 | 9 | 50 | 43 | 49 |
| |
The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988–1998 |
| 77 | -- | -- | 42 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| |
The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 2 |
| 154 | -- | -- | 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
The Best of N.W.A: The Strength of Street Knowledge |
| 72 | 6 | -- | 47 | 33 | -- | -- | -- |
| |
N.W.A and Their Family Tree |
| -- | -- | -- | 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
Icon |
| -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
'—' denotes a release that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Extended plays[edit]
Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [3] | US R&B [3] | AUS [8] | NZ [11] | UK [12] | |||
100 Miles and Runnin' |
| 27 | 10 | 33 | 32 | 38 |
|
Singles[edit]
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [3] | US Dan. [3] | US Dig. [3] | US R&B [3] | AUS [8] | CAN [3] | IRL [10] | NZ [11] | UK [12] | UK R&B [16] | ||||
'Panic Zone' | 1987 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | N.W.A and the Posse | |
'Straight Outta Compton' | 1988 | 38 | -- | 33 | 13 | -- | 45 | 63 | -- | 66 | -- |
| Straight Outta Compton |
'Gangsta Gangsta' | -- | 45 | -- | 91 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 70 | -- | |||
'Express Yourself' | 1989 | -- | 38 | -- | 45 | 96 | -- | -- | -- | 26 | 13 |
| |
'100 Miles and Runnin' | 1990 | -- | -- | -- | 51 | 33 | -- | -- | 32 | 38 | -- | 100 Miles and Runnin' | |
'Alwayz into Somethin' | 1991 | -- | -- | -- | 37 | -- | -- | -- | -- | 60 | -- | Niggaz4Life | |
'Appetite for Destruction' | -- | -- | -- | 45 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
'The Dayz Of Wayback' | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
'Chin Check' (featuring Snoop Dogg) | 1999 | -- | -- | -- | 71 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Next Friday | |
'—' denotes a release that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Other charted songs[edit]
Title | Year | Chart peaks | Certifications | Album | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B [3] | AUS [8] | UK [12] | UK R&B [16] | ||||
'Fuck tha Police' | 1988 | 25 | 49 | 97 | 22 |
| Straight Outta Compton |
Videos[edit]
Video albums[edit]
Title | Album details |
---|---|
Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video |
|
Music videos[edit]
Title | Year | Director(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
'Straight Outta Compton' | 1989 | Rupert Wainwright | [17][18] |
'Express Yourself' | [19][18] | ||
'100 Miles and Runnin' | 1990 | Eric Meza | [20] |
'Appetite for Destruction' | 1991 | Mark Gerard | [21] |
'Alwayz into Somethin' | |||
'Approach to Danger' | DJ Yella, Donovan Smith |
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ abcErlewine, Stephen Thomas. 'N.W.A Biography'. AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^Henderson, Alex. 'N.W.A and the Posse'. AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrs'N.W.A Awards'. AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ ab'Top Five Most Wanted'. Billboard. Vol. 120 no. 32. Nielsen Business Media. August 9, 2008. p. 38. ISSN0006-2510.
- ^'Gold & Platinum Searchable Database'. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved September 9, 2015. Note: User must manually search for N.W.A.
- ^Birchmeier, Jason. 'Niggaz4life - N.W.A'. AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^'N.W.A.: Efil4zaggin - The Only Home Video (1992)'. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abcde'Discography N.W.A.'australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- The Strength of Street Knowledge: Ryan, Gavin (August 29, 2015). 'ARIA Albums: Disturbed Debuts At No 1 In Australia'. Noise11. Retrieved August 29, 2015.
- ^'Discographie N.W.A.'germancharts.de (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abc'Discography N.W.A.'irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abcd'Discography N.W.A.'charts.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abcde'N.W.A.'Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ abcdefg'Certified Awards'.
- ^ abcdefg'Certified Awards'. British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 9, 2015. Note: User must manually search for N.W.A.
- ^ abc'Canadian certifications – Nwa'. Music Canada. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ ab'Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40: 11 September 2015 - 17 September 2015'. Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
- ^'NWA - 'Straight Outta Compton''. mvdbase.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^ ab'Music Videos'. Rupert Wainwright. Archived from the original on May 5, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^'NWA - 'Express Yourself''. mvdbase.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^'NWA - 'Hundred Miles and Runnin''. mvdbase.com. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
- ^Niggaz4Life: The Only Home Video (Media notes). N.W.A. Ruthless Records, Priority Records. 1992.CS1 maint: others (link)
External links[edit]
Dj Train Death
- N.W.A at AllMusic
- N.W.A discography at Discogs
- N.W.A discography at MusicBrainz
Nwa Records
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