From the first spoken words of Straight Outta Compton (“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge”) the tone is set. And as the bars unwind, starting with Ice Cube’s iconic opening line (“Straight outta Compton, crazy motherfucker named Ice Cube / From the gang called N**** with attitudes”), to MC Ren’s sense of bravado in spite of the fact he was the least recognizable member (“Not the right hand, ’cause I’m the hand itself”) to Eazy-E’s effortless flow that made him the early star of the group and the center of female fascination (“[I’m] a brother that’ll smother your mother / And make your sister think I love her”), to Dr. Dre’s succinct closing remarks (“Damn that shit was dope!”), the first track aptly lays out what has made N.W.A. such a defining force in hip hop for every single MC that followed in their footsteps. It’s raw, visceral, aggressive, violent, absolutely unhinged. And it’s fucking great for every single moment of it.
Much like Nas’ Illmatic set on the opposite coast on the streets of Queens, N.W.A.’s Straight Outta Compton is as much a sonic experience as it is an autobiography centered around growing up in a violently dense environment which shaped the narrators perspective and outlook on life. In response, N.W.A. took those day-to-day experiences and cranked the volume to 11, detailing exaggerated descriptions of street life, a militant resistance to authority figures (specifically the LAPD), and frankly sexist imagery that was demeaning to women. These elements would become mainstays in the genre of gangsta rap and reverberate in the bars uttered by every single West Coast MC which followed in their footsteps in the decades that followed, including to this day.
Listening to Straight Outta Compton today is just as visceral and bombastic as it was during the late 80’s. The album sounds as fresh in 2024 as it did in its early days which is a relatively monumental achievement considering how much ground they were breaking in both sonic style and thematic subject matter. Whether it be the production elements from Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince, the dynamic relationship between lead vocalists from Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren that sound so damn good playing off one another, or the fact that this album is filled with brutal stories told from cold hearts, it is undeniable. One of the all-time greats.
Standout Songs: “Straight Outta Compton”, “Fuck Tha Police”, “Gangsta Gangsta”, “Parental Discretion Iz Advised”, “Express Yourself”
Matthew. 