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Rating: 4.5 out of 5
One of the most prominent and influential rap groups ever in the history of hip-hop music has to be N.W.A. You can’t talk about hip-hop music without mentioning N.W.A. Not to mention, this group is sacrilegious. N.W.A. formed in 1987 and consisted of Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube, with D.J. Yella and MC Ren. They were a hip-hop group formed in the tough streets of Compton, California. They were among the earliest and most controversial figures in the gangsta rap subgenre. With the black community, they were LEGENDS, but among white Americans, they were targeted for their explicit lyrics and were banned from many mainstream radio stations. Even with the odds against them, they sold millions of records. Most of their music and lyrics speak about their dealings with racism and excessive policing. Even though the group found success with their debut album, Straight Outta Compton, members went on to have very successful and even more influential solo careers. Rolling Stone ranked N.W.A. at number 83 on its list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” with the group being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
When it was announced that a film version of the group was being made, excitement hit as the group’s story deserved to be told. Ice Cube and Dr. Dre were the film’s producers, as well as Eazy-E’s widow, Tomica Woods-Wright. MC Ren and D.J. Yella served as creative consultants. In honor of their first album, Straight Outta Compton is a biographical drama film directed by F. Gary Gray, depicting the rise and fall of the hip-hop group N.W.A and its members Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and D.J. Yella. In 1986, Compton, California, is a dystopian of drug use, sex, police brutality, and hard living. Eric “Eazy-E” Wright (Mitchell) is a small-time drug dealer who narrowly escape being arrested during a drug raid. Dr. Dre (Hawkins) struggles with what he wants to do in life and moves out of his mother’s home after she presses him about a job interview. Ice Cube (Jackson Jr.), a high school senior aspiring to become a rapper, has his bus threatened by a drug dealer. The three come together as Dre is intrigued by Cube’s lyrics on crime, gang violence, and police harassment that each of them has endured in their lives. Dre convinces Eazy to fund a startup record label called Ruthless Records, with Dre being the primary producer along with D.J. Yella (Brown Jr.) and MC Ren (Hodge). The group records their first song, “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” The song became a local hit, and the five men formed the group N.W.A. When Eazy Jerry Heller’s (Giamatti) offer to manage N.W.A and co-run Ruthless, the group has a debut album with Priority Records. Straight Outta Compton becomes a hit even with its conversational lyrics. As the group rises in stature, the ugly side of business starts to come to light. With each new song they make, they soon realize that they are better alone than as a group. As they navigate their own personal lives, they soon become global stars.
The film is excellent and honors the great and legendary group N.W.A. If you don’t know anything about the group, this film is a perfect way to get introduced to them. The film’s start was great because you saw the hardships of the three primary members: Eazy, Dre, and Cube. The film really focuses on these three individuals. When Boyz-n-the-Hood was made, it seemed like Eazy had zero musical rap talent. It took Dre to coach him up. We also see that Dre is the brain behind the whole machine with his beats. Cube was the strongest rapper of all of them. Watching them come into their own and believe in themselves was fun.
I love how the story shows how the group was controversial and targeted by many groups. The first one was the police. Have to give it to the police for trying to protect and serve but not doing anything. I think it is telling that the group was harassed more by black officers than anything else. One scene was when the group was in Torrance, and police rolled up on them and made them get on the ground. Heller yells and curses at the cops, but the damage is done, and the song Fuck the Police comes out. When the group tours and goes to Detroit, they sing the song and get arrested. What I like about the Detroit scene is how the white population is mad at the group and destroys their records. Eazy shrugs it off because he said they won because they bought the records and put that money in their pockets.
With fame and success comes the dark side of fame. The story shows that Heller is at the center of the group’s demise. He was skimming money from the group and isolating Eazy from everyone. When Cube asks about his money, you see the rift as Eazy and Heller are getting paid but no one else. When Cube leaves the group, he becomes a big star with his album and starring in Boyz N the Hood. When Dre leaves the group and joins Suge Knight, he gets out of his contract, forms Death Row Records, and finds Snoop. He also released the Chronic, one of the greatest rap albums ever made. Yet, Dre sees the dark side in Suge and leaves him to form his own label, Aftermath Entertainment.
I admit the ending was powerful because Eazy sees the errors in his ways and Heller. He fires Heller and tries to make amends with everyone by saying sorry. Even though he wants to reform the group, we learn that he has AIDS. This was powerful because of the person and how everyone cared for Eazy. His death officially ended the group.
I will not speak about each cast member because they all did an outstanding job. Not one person outshined the other. When each person had their moment, they shined and told the story of their respective characters. It was special seeing Ice Cube’s son play him in this film. Nothing like your son playing you and always asking for hints.
Straight Outta Compton is a great biographical film about the legendary group N.W.A. The group profoundly influenced hip-hop and will continue to have a massive influence. The cast did an excellent job in their respective roles. Watch this film and then listen to many of the musical acts by the individuals mentioned.
BONUS CLIP!!!!
