Reviews (page 11 of 14)
Many a review ago I mentioned that I'm able to tolerate misogyny/homophobia/various social ills from past days when the music is bumping. "It was a different time," I say to myself. "No need to get upset." I guess that's still true, but there is some startling shit on here. The way they write about women in particular is, uh, not awesome. The beats knock, the performances are charismatic, and I won't argue that this isn't a classic. But jeez, "Dopeman" in particular had me actually grimacing. Highlights: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself, Something 2 Dance 2
Hm
classic eighties rap
Obviously hugely influential, but this is a bit of a chore to listen to these days. Express Yourself and Fuck The Polics still hit though 👍
Straight Outta Compton is the debut album from N.W.A. It is considered to be one of the greatest rap album of all times. This is the first successful gansta rap album - most of the lyrics are celebrations of violence and misogyny. The band "Fuck the Police" attracted the attention of the authorities in the 80s, and added to the notoriety of the album, and the band. Like much of the genre, there is less of the melodic that is typical of most genres. Most of this album is angry and violent - certainly justified, but does not create a listening experience that makes great music. There are some surprises on this album - "Express Yourself" sounds like the product of a different group.
Lovely grooves...and then the misogyny begins.
great album but violence and sexism overshadows
Legends for a reason. I'm a huge Hip Hop fan, and therefore kinda embarrassed that I never listened to this whole album straight through before.
Good but kinda dated, I feel like a dick saying that
Kinda funny kinda wholesome Singles slap I aint the one to get played like a poo-butt Samples go hard Very cali
Got this the day after Snoop’s first record. I like how political this is compared to that. But like most West Coast rap of this era there’s things that don’t age well - mainly the homophobia and over usage of the N-word.
There’s not much I can say about this one, it’s an absolute classic in hip hop, and it definitely deserves its title as one and all the respect it is given. However, it’s far from the greatest of the genre. A great stepping stone, responsible for much of what hip hop has today, but definitely not perfect. A handful of instant classic songs alongside plenty of others that just don’t reach the same heights. I feel like I’m being a little too negative here, I don’t hate this album, not at all. I love so much here, and it’s definitely a worthwhile listen, but hip hop has grown and evolved so much since then.
Primer acercamiento a N.W.A. en formato LP. El primer álbum de estudio de la agrupación es sumamente relevante para entender el fenómeno del Gangsta Rap y el West Coast Hip Hop. Así, si hoy en día hablamos de mega artistas como Kendrick Lamar es gracias en parte al quinteto de Compton. Este trabajo tiene todo lo que necesita un álbum de rap: las rimas, los beats y la actitud. Las letras crudas y agresivas de Cube, y las juguetonas bases de Dre y Yella demuestran esa grandeza. No obstante, es este último elemento, creo yo, el más determinante del éxito del grupo. El álbum realmente se siente como si estos jóvenes de California se estén comiendo el mundo, lo cual finalmente hicieron con su resultado. Ahora, s bien no creo que sea un trabajo excelente, si es sorprendente que se trate de la antesala de lo que harían algunos de sus miembros por separado (como es el caso de The Chronic por Dr. Dre y Death Certificate por Ice Cube). Si tuviese que destacar algún elemento que no fue de mi agrado sería la duración: quizás haber recortado algunos temas habría sido ideal, pues lamentablemente no todas las canciones pegan como los primeros dos temas del LP. No obstante, ello no desmerece la importancia e influencia de este trabajo, el cual es una escucha segura para cualquier amante del hip hop. FAVTRAXS: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta, Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Express Yourself LEASTFAV: Compton N The House (Remix) 3.5/5
The first platinum Gangsta-Rap from 88.
It was okay.
Certainly an album that marked a turn for hip hop music. It is certainly aggressive and rough but some of the social issues it points to still apply. Fuck The Police was as true then as it is now and it's the best track on the album.
The gangsterist of gangster rap, and the a random dance track at the end
Not for me. I appreciate the importance of this album. Rating reflects that.
Yeeeeeeesh. Some of those lyrics didn’t age well.
Influential, and Dre's production is fantastic, a pinnacle moment in hip hop history, but the lyrics are mixed, with a lot of points that still ring true today, but tons of homophobia, sexism, and a general view of violence for the sake of fun. It is hard to even say "that was just the time period," as groups like Public Enemy already had It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, something far more nuanced with just as good production. However, it is tough to deny the impact here. I mean, you still have people quoting the first two tracks' opening lines constantly, and there are tons of production moments that overshadow the lyrics so much that it is easy to tune out anything too hateful, but sometimes it just felt like being edgy for the sake of it. It spawned so many careers that did go on to create greater projects, but when it comes to classic hip hop groups, easy to put NWA on a lower bracket if this is their best material.
The beeeeeaaaaaaaattts. The beats. Amazing album. It’s really mean though.
Classic beats but hard to get by the lyrics
good
3 Stars. (8/15)
Went on a bit loo long, but I generally didn’t mind this. Varied enough to keep my interest for most of the hour, but I probably won’t listen again.
Enjoyed it but not enough for a higher rating.
I had a pretty hard time with this at first, and I'm still kinda wrestling with Straight Outta Compton obviously being a landmark record with some pretty cutting-edge DJing and MCing at the time. It's a bit overlong, but the beats get better as the record goes on, some of the corny flow settles down into some old-school flow. Some of the sampling is ahead of its time and obviously influenced generations of hip hop artists to come. Still, I probably won't have this on for my own listening enjoyment, and while a lot of the material hasn't aged well, other parts of it are derivating even given the time period.
Wow this gansta rap classic drops the hell off after track 3 (except Express yourself and I ain't the 1. I can see why Cube and Dre left to do their own things
So violent ad sexist 😬 it’s a solid album though.
great singles
Fuck the Police and all that. It’s still very relevant 36 years later. The misogynistic lyrics are extremely outdated and off putting by today’s standards, though.
I used to love this album and I understand the impact it had on rap/black america as a whole, but it’s 2024 and I can’t condone anything that glorifies beating women (esp when members genuinely were beating women, tho thanks for apologising Dre, I guess).
Good
My kindergarten class absolutely loved this!!! Fav songs: - Straight Outta Compton - Fuck Tha Police - Express Yourself
Wow, an iconic hip hop album. Not my genre, but good beats throughout. Highlights: straight outta compton, express yourself
You can’t deny the impact and influence this album has had for years and years to come. So many samples have been taken from this album, and just about every underground DJ mixtape has had tracks from this album on them. On a personal level, it’s kind of unfortunate, but albums like this really fall flat for me these days. Overall, I have to say my life is good, I’m pretty happy, and now when I listen to these types of albums, it reminds me of a younger, less evolved version of me. Yuck!!!
Tja, hierdoor begint het weer te kriebelen. Een reviewachterstand van een week ongeveer, dat wordt even aanpoten. Maar deze glipt er even tussendoor uit de losse pols, want dit is gangsta rap, misschien wel mijn favoriete hiphop genre. En het is voor dit genre ook zo'n enorm belangrijke. Een opstand tegen police brutality en ongelijkheid, een oorlogsverklaring aan de politie, maar ook de verheerlijking van grof geweld en het objectificeren van vrouwen. In feite de belichaming van de gangsta rap. De mannen komen zo keihard binnen op de openingstrack Straight Outta Compton. De classic Fuck Tha Police doet het ook altijd goed. Gangsta Gangsta heeft al een vleugje G-Funk, een stijl die pas een aantal jaar later écht populair werd. Gesampled van Ohio Players - Funky Worm. Lekker hoor. Er staan ook nummers op die niet helemaal aan de bekende nummers kunnen tippen, het is geen gangsta rap album als All Eyez On Me of Ready To Die waarbij letterlijk elk nummer een knaller is. Straight Outta Compton een groundbreaking album dat zeker gezorgd heeft voor de exponentiele groei van de gangsta rap en g-funk. Het album is verre van perfect, maar deze hiphop pioniers verdienen een dikke voldoende. Rating: 7,5/10 Highlights: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Dopeman
6,5/10 Норм, классическая чёрная рэпчина. Негры делают то что умеют лучше всего. Не имею ничего против хоршей рэпчины, главное чтобы не русской. Вообще, само по себе существование термина "русский рэп" это сюр, данный "жанр" должен называться коричневый звук. Возвращаясь к альбому, опять же classic, я бы даже сказал true story.
A very impactful rap album. Some of the beats are pretty funky, although some of the production elements sound dated today. MC Ren, for being featured on so many tracks, has lots of unremarkable bars. This is definitely an example of what people who don't like rap think what rap is. I think Ice Cube has lots of poignant lines and biting deliveries. Some songs seem aggro for aggro's sake, like "I Ain't The 1." I can appreciate the album in small doses, but I'm a big fan of the works spawned after this
An important album in the hip hop landscape to be sure but if I'm being honest the album is pretty mid. Aside from Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police and Express Yourself there isn't much here worth listening too.
It's iconic, but is it actually good? The singles are what you would expect, but they're as good as this album gets.
lyrics, beat and a great tempo - enjoyable; dated? sure, but it was groundbreaking back in the day
Classic
Misogynie und homophobie abzug >:(
Some great songs and obvious classic but it's a bit too ''early'' in terms of rap style for my taste
I guess I never really listened to this album all the way through. I was aware it was controversial, and I’ve definitely heard some of the songs, I think I listened to this all the way through years ago. That being said, I didn’t realize how sexist this album is. I would say it’s of its time but I’m pretty sure this wasn’t acceptable even for the 80s. No, I think they were doing it for shock value, and if that’s the case it still didn’t age well. I still like some of the stuff on here, Express Yourself is low key the best song on the album. That and the hits are all solid, even though I can’t stand Eazy E. His voice just irks me. But this one def takes a hit for how poorly some of the songs aged. However, one song has definitely stood the test of time, and unfortunately its message still holds true today. This country really needs to take a deep look into the rampant racism in policing.
Loves the sampling, Express yourself and Fuck that Police were high points. Don't love the misogyny.
Truly a land of contrasts
I don't like rap. The language is awful. But I really like the sound and stories of the songs.
while not exactly my type of music, solid beats, fun samples weaved in, etc. Obvious seismic impact on the music scene, solid entry on the list
I was going to say Straight Outta Compton is a world changing album but unfortunately that’s not true, sadly it’s at least as relevant today as it was in 1988. The aggression, anger and energy of the opening few tracks most have been shocking in 1988. Fuck Tha Police is one of the most iconic songs ever written. The album drags on however, once again, a hip hop records that’s too damn long 7.7/10
After listening to Straight Outta Compton, I have found it is pretty groovy and fun. In some ways, it kinda feels like an early version of Cypress Hill, another hip hop album i quite like. The lyrics still give the idea that the group doesn't really have a good relationship with the cops and that's the kind of lyrics i like most of this album. The album was also rather well produced with all the samples coming together quite well. It is a rather good hip hop album that i think is perfect for all the gangsters still out there. Best Song: Straight Outta Compton Worst Song: Express Yourself
Quite enjoyable 7/10
Good album with some excellent lyrics.
Listened
Was considering a 4 but too much explicit language…
I oscillated between 2 and 4 several times while listening to this. I mean within the genre, this was no Arrested Development where everything was top notch. Some great tracks. Some historic tracks. Some duds. Some offensive world views that shouldn't be perpetuated and applauded. Let's average to a conflicted 3.
I respect this album because of its influence on Hip-Hop and music as a whole. Additionally, it certainly has some incredible songs. I give it props for this. However, the album is just so jarringly sexist that I can't really get into it.
Tough one. Some good tracks and great lyrics, but also pretty misogynistic, crime and violence celebrating, young man bravado. Obvs hugely important, and often a lot of fun. I liked, but didn't love.
While I'm not a huge fan of gangsta rap or the messages it sends - this album is incredibly important in both the musical and historical landscapes of the time. Angry, raw and brave. I can't understand what its like to have grown up and lived in Compton, and while I find a lot of the lyrics challenging there is no denying how impactful and influential this album is sharing for an hour what it might be like to walk in the shoes of Dr Dre, Eazy-E and Ice Cube. It was groundbreaking at the time it came out, and as a big Beastie Boys fan I loved hearing all the samples in the NWA tracks. Probably not something I will revisit, but worth a listen!
This is a seminal album. Late-80s hip-hop was exploding into a fragmented place that would birth a universe. Public Enemy, Run D.M.C., De La Soul?, Tribe Called Quest, and N.W.A. all took direction to make that reality. N.W.A. took the hyper-masculine reality state to the stratosphere on this album. Every member of the group has their skill set on full display at full volume in support of some of the most violent and virulent lyrics imaginable. This is what it meant to be young, angry, and powerless as a black man in 1988. None of it is real, but it comes from the place of distorted realism in a young man's mind. Messages may not have aged well, they may ruffle feathers, but this was the world.
This album is legendary. Do I like it a bunch or want to listen to it often? Not really. It basically invented gangsta rap (apologies to Ice-T) and introduced the world to Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E. I had an uneasy relationship with the lyrics as a young man and my uneasy relationship with the lyrics and misogyny has only gotten more strained as a middle-aged man. "Straight Outta Compton" and "Express Yourself" are the standout tracks for me.
Let's get one thing out of the way: this album is incredibly dated. The flows are legitimately primitive. Rightly so as this is still early days for the genre, but, to a modern ear, it feels very basic in a lot of ways. That said, the social commentary that can be found in this is still very relevant. It would probably hit harder if it wasn't balanced by bragging about crimes, though. I mean, yes, the police shouldn't be treating you like that just because you're young and black. But also maybe don't pull a gun on a shop owner because he's asked if you're drunk, you know?
Cool
Important album for the foundation of Gangster Rap. Some catchy songs and beats!
I know this had a huge impact on many genres and hip-hop/rap as social commentary. It's just a lot all in a row!
Ein sehr gutes Gangsta Rap Album. Hervorragend produziert. Die Texte sind sehr fragwürdig.
I found myself really enjoying a large potion of this album. There are some really tasty bass licks and the tracks have a lot of energy and movement.
I don't know if I like Ice Cube better as a rapper or as an actor, he's pretty good in both
Not my favorite rap album 6/10
There are two things you will learn from the album: 1. N.W.A. hates the police. 2. N.W.A. hates women. Front loaded album with the first two tracks being the most well know, the middle being not great to straight up bad, with the end being ok. It was strange hearing so many Beastie Boys samples in this album to the point where it made me think they produced it but after a google search found N.W.A. was heavily influenced by them. 6/10
A classic, of course.
Fun and can imagine pretty groundbreaking at the time, some amazing iconic songs on there and ages more gracefully than other hip hope from that sort of time. Highlights were gangsta gangsta, straight outta Compton and fuck that police
In terms of a rap album, this wasn't too bad. Not a fan of rap, but I could make it through this album and didn't completely mind it started again. Express Yourself is probably the best on this album. 3/5
I don't think I have listened to this record all the way through before. It is pretty great and about what I expected. I don't know that it's my favorite, but it's good and I can appreciate that it's important.
It’s not really what I normally listen to but you can see why it was so big at the time. Still love Express Yourself.
A landmark album that has aged well musically but not aged well at all lyrically. It has one of the all time great hip hop openers.
Much better than I expected
So much of this is so musically exciting, but with age and context it’s so hard to get past a lot of the content. Same thing happened with a previous Ice Cube solo record. I’m very familiar with this one, my young self listened a lot. I know the merit, I’m just not sure it’s worth it to me any more.
You can brand this a classic, even if it's not your cup of tea. The first two tracks alone have become Rap Standards, songs that are known even to those who have never listened to rap.
Loved it when I was a teenager. Great for nostalgia, but I’m not in any hurry to listen to the entire album
The influence of this album (and group at large) on subsequent rappers is undeniable, however, besides the big hits there isn't much to discern most of the songs from each other
Yes I'ma climb, but you know you need this And the knowledge is growing just like a fetus Or a tumor, but here is the rumor
Funky. Nice funk/soul instrumentals. Shallow lyrics. Audio quality is poor on certain songs.
It’s wild that music about killing, bitches, and drugs can eventually turn into corny mixes and versus, but that is understand with how far hip hop has come in the decades since. It’s apparent how well mixed and produced this is, but it is most certainly a period piece with some classics, and some songs that have served their purpose.
I basically only listened to rap in high school. This was the fourth rap album I bought and it certainly widened my world view as a white suburban 14-year-old. I wore this tape out. Dre brings some great beats to the album. Cube and Ren are great MCs. I’m not an ignorant teen any more though. And the level of misogyny here is through the roof, so I’m going to knock it down a few stars for stupidity.
I read something about how when NWA came out with Fuck the Police hip hop took over being the music of rebellion from rock. It’s certainly an interesting take that I don’t really disagree with. So I get the significance of this album and the rhymes and beats are really good. However the misogyny and homophobia so common in that area of hip hop is kind of jarring in 2024.
I am a fan of aggressive music and clearly this album fits the bill. I liked it enough. To deny its power and influence would be silly but it just doesn’t land the same today. I mean a movie was made about it so it was clearly popular. However, it just doesn’t hit the same as it would have back then. I felt a lot of the lyrics were focused on the same 3 topics and it got pretty stale outside of the main singles that everyone knows this album for. A landmark album that I can appreciate for laying the land for what comes after but one that misses the mark for me personally.
- I know this album was incredibly important, specifically in bringing gangsta rap into legitimate mainstream consumption, and I have a lot of respect for that...but I do feel like it becomes repetitive after awhile. One of those artistic achievements wherein I believe being "the first" is a more important piece than the actual quality of the product. - The first four tracks are solid. But, I think diminishing returns are found almost immediately. The opening track ("Straight Outta Compton") is so goddamn electric. And even if "Fuck Tha Police" is not quite as kinetic, the thematic material boosts it. But, I find myself wanting to tap out about halfway through it all.
good album, but gets a bit repetitive
It's always a little cheesy when people tell you how cool they are. Even if these guys were as hard as Nas in NYC, they come across as posers a little bit because how much they feel the need to tell you how hard they are. Nas actually came across as hard because the music portrayed that very well. I didn't hate this record but I also didn't love it. Dr Dre and Ice Cube can flow pretty well. I don't care as much for the Easy E sections though.
Klassiker. Manche Songs besser als andere. Wär mir zu anstrengend am Stück, aber auszugsweise ganz nice.
Boo hoo, there's swear words in my gangsta rap. - Every fucking 1 star review While I see how spamming the word 'fucking' every time you need two extra syllables is lazy, that's not really what they're saying. Fucking fucks, fuck 'em. As always with rap albums for me, it felt too long. And for no good reason either, there are songs that just sound like freestyle near the end, could've ditched them. Despite that, a solid album, I enjoyed the first half.
A super group of great rappers. Performance wise, very excellent. Content, well, not my favorite. Amazing how those angry young men became wealthy and then less angry
Of course I’m aware of this album, but this is the first time I’ve listened. I like it, but honestly don’t understand the hype around Eazy-E.
Not my genre. Had seen the movie but never listened to the music/album. Movie gives it context that a suburban white dude would never know otherwise.
I can see how it was influenced by a lot of music before with the references and utilization of samples and how it influenced music afterward. I do think the overall messages revolting against police violence and racism are important and I like them owning the idea of the truth being rough, however, I do think the heavy handed inclusion of homophobia and sexism undercuts that message. While it did have it's moments of feeling a little too cartoonish, it was cool to listen to something I normally wouldn't.
Lyrics are awful but beats are good
There are some pretty solid tracks on here - the title track, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself. But I didn't like it quite as much as the Public Enemy album we got a while back.
Just another perfectly okay album. A lot of probably unintentional humor in the young macho puffery, and a lot of political commentary that induces little but eye-rolls. Rhythmically kind of simplistic, but some good rhymes once in a while.
Enjoyable to an extent - was good to give this album a full listen
Technically great. Hard to get behind most of the lyrics. Ice Cube especially sounded great. His best work until Are We There Yet?
It's fine. But repetitive. All songs blended into each other. Not my favorite lyrics. Understand the historical significance though
That was some straight up hardcore gangster rap right there. I can understand that album was probably super influential for most hip hop artists in the 90s/2000s. I wish I liked early rap more because of how much we are listening to it, and I have liked listening to it as it comes up to broaden the genres. But it still just does not do it for me. Express Yourself is an absolute classic. I did not know that it was NWA because it does not fit this album at all.
Verkar inte gilla kvinnor så mycket...
What an iconic album. A quite good one too. The flow is pretty insane. Arguably one of the most iconic rap albums of all time. I enjoyed it. It was really long however. 3.5
Not my regular go to music, but appreciate the musicianship.
Definitely a raw, definitive album; not a genre I listen to a lot, but I appreciate the value it had to the for the Hip-Hop/Rap movement.
Definitely a product of its time. Great hip hop album, although the messages sent by some of the songs are a little old school and sexist. Can definitely feel the difference between this and something like Wu Tang where flow began to diversify.
Beats are timeless, views on women have aged like milk.
Clutches pearls..."Oh the language!". Powerful lyrics and old school rap. Loved it then and now.
I respect NWA for the dialogue they start with their controversial music. It's very provocative. I don't respect how misogynistic they are.
Strong beats and the essential building blocks for future hip hop
Gangsta Gangsta was alright but like....lol holy cow what a difference in style of rap from this generation to then. It's crazy for me since I always learned the background of NWA before i really listened to their music. Admittedly, it's cringe lol, i was back when i was a kid too, but it's so much more cringe now. What crazy though is as cringe as it was they were really out there doing gangster shit, even though their rhymes were "wack" giving it a 3 out of 5 after thinking it over again, not really my style of rap and the ego showboating drove me crazy lol
A little too “gangster” for me. Didn’t really enjoy the womanizing songs lol
Important but dated
These guys are absolute pioneers of hip hop. Without them there’d be no Eminem (my favourite artist) so I’m glad this album exists. I don’t really enjoy this style all that much but I can’t deny it’s great and is a certified classic.
Liked
good: funky beats, interesting storytelling, nice samples bad: too vulgar at parts, a little long fav song: express yourself least fav song: i ain’t the 1 6/10 not quite my style; might like it more if it was shorter
interesting statement of the times. a good listen
There are some great tracks here that are actually a lot of fun. "Express Yourself" is lovely. But I won't lie, as iconic as this album is, this just isn't my type of rap. Way too many hateful lyrics, sexist, homophobic and violent throughout. Some of it is beginning to sound a little dated. And not every member of N.W.A. is on the same technical level. I love the sampling and when it gets a little funky, but overall, it just isn't for me.
3.4
Album Nr. 27 Für meinen Geschmack nur Mittelmaß - aber dafür das bisher beste HipHop-Album, welches mir bisher vorgeschlagen wurde.
Great highs but lows are there low 6
enjoyed it
The first tracks were kinda okay, but it’s way too long in my opinion.
I really like this album, but on my rating scale it's a 3 because I don't think I'd ever put it on and actually listen to it. Express Yourself, I Ain't Tha 1 and FUCK THE POLICE are my top tracks.
Aun sin ser mi estilo preferido, suenan bien.
I’ve been getting into old school rap and R&B a lot in the past few years. Straight Outta Compton has been on my list to listen for some time. Good album, but I prefer their east coast contemporaries, Public Enemy. Oddly, this is great camping music.
Nokkur góð lög og margt drasl. Margt þarna innihaldslaust en fight the power skín alveg í gegn hjá þeim á sumum lögunum. Ak47 murder bitch bla bla gefur mér bara kjánahroll samt. Var edgy á sínum tíma en orðið svo helvíti þreytt núna.
Skemmtileg lög á fyrri hluta en alltof löng plata. 10 lög hefðu verið alveg nóg. Þetta verður bara endurtekning á því sama og meira fokk, bitches og dick, sem eldist ekki vel. Rappið vissulega að slíta barnsskónum en Public enemy gáfu út It takes a million sama ár, sem er fullorðins. Don´t believe the hype meira segja samplað á plötunni. En platan skilaði sínu og kom þeim á kortið.
Not really my thing. But, okay.
a lot of their songs didnt really age well, but the hits are great. although the run time is way longer than I remember. absolutely a product of its time and awesome for what it ushered in, but I dont know if it stands up to today.
My wife “Okay we get it. You hate women” Me “No babe they don’t hate women they hate bitches. And unfortunately all the women they know are bitches” There’s some great songs on here but it’s about 7 songs too long. Pretty relentless and one note for the most part as well
I can understand why our parents were so scared of this when it came out. In retrospect though it’s really just a bunch of fun macho posturing topped off with a goofy dance number. A while ago I listened to this album to start “expanding my horizons” and dug a couple tunes but it didn’t really grab me. I can appreciate it but it’s just not really my jam. Songs added to Spotify: 0
Wildly misogynistic lyrics, but I should have seen that coming. The music is pretty catchy though, and the angry energy is infectious
I watched "Straight Outta Compton" back when it came out. Hearing the few songs from this album on it, I would think they would be ore impactful. But some of them have lyrics that are just... sophomoric at best. (Looking at you, "Dopeman" and "I Ain't The 1".) Still, the bite of the first two songs alone, WOW! It's an important album, to be sure. But it's not something I can listen to over and over again.
Never explored this album before, but I enjoyed it. I prefer some newer styles of rap but I still appreciate the classics
Express Yourself is fabulous The rest gets pretty old pretty quickly and has dated considerably
I can see why this album is on the list, but it's not for me. Some things just don't age well, even if groundbreaking for the time or pointing out injustice. 3/5
This is a record that gets equal parts helped and hurt by context. It is the unfiltered feelings of young men who feel that society has failed them, their families, their friends, their entire neighborhoods. The rage at the marginalization they face is what makes the best lyrics on this album hit hard even today as we realize that not a whole lot has changed. Of course, what hurts the album is also that this is the unfiltered feelings of angry young men. These guys love sex, drugs, and guns and they’re not afraid to tell you about it. Homophobia and sexism in the lyrics run rampant, which is not unusual given the context, but definitely makes it a little bit embarrassing to listen to in front of other people. I swear I’m not even one of those pearl-clutching people who would complain about these themes in Rap music, it’s just really dialed up on this record. Aside from that, I feel like the tracks aren’t particularly amazing outside of the hits. I think Ice Cube introduces himself to us about 6-7 times on the album. Eazy-E (RIP) makes it a little awkward to hear about all the unprotected sex he’s having knowing how he would someday perish. Dre’s production is great but certainly unpolished, you can see the seeds of what he would someday become. I think this lands right in the middle. Top tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Express Yourself, Something 2 Dance 2
This album did not age great. The group has a charm that is hard to ignore but some lines fall flat, some songs are really boring and forgettable, but on the singles they’re great. It’s hard to say this shouldn’t be on the list given the influence of not just the album, but the members as well. That being said, I think this album will lose more of its charm as time marches on
Clásico e influyente. Temas que han envejecido genial, otros tantos que no son gran cosa. 7/10
I don’t like it so much, not bad, but not my style
Some great tunes and a few forgettable ones. Notable tracks: Straight Outta Compton Fuck Tha Police Express Yourself
Nicht mein persönlicher Favorit, aber sehr stabiler Klassiker des West Coast Old-School-Hip-Hop. Die Beats sind sehr gut, die Texte sind nicht wirklich mein Geschmack und die Delivery ist halt für die Zeit sehr gut gewesen, aber nicht mehr sehr modern.
Good beats and flow. I really enjoyed a couple of tracks. However a lot of the songs sounded almost identical to me, I couldn't tell you which was which. I was tired long before the end of the album. Very repetitive. The lyrics are a bit dated as well. It does have a certain appeal though.
Oh, again
Bastante vanguardista para la época. Muy buen sonido. Top 3: 1. Something like that 2. Fuck the Police 3. Express Yourself
Hørte ikke det hele men det er old School vred hip hop. Fint nok.
first song screeams hip-hop gangster right off the start
It wasn't that bad! Pretty chilled beats and samples, very much as any hip hop tracks from 80s, and quite "gangsta" lyrics, but compared to some of the contemporary music, it's not that outrageous. Just an album that for some reason became very influential and well-known. Only issue is - it's not in my style. Still though, pretty good job!
Honestly this is a tough listen and not in a fun way, I mean ZERO complaints about the music itself, but the lyrics are pretty over the top and violent/sexist and while I know they're going for hyperbole I just am not having a fun time. Respect for the musicians, but I don't love this one.
Ice Cube: suck my ding-a-ling Eazy E: suck my wing-ding-ding-a-ling Dr. Dre: I will never 😤 smoke weed 🤮 MC Ren: My name is MC Ren The production is awesome on this thing, and the first two songs are two of the greatest rap songs ever. The album is def an enjoyable listen but I will say they pretty much keep the same flow the whole time and all the songs go like a minute and a half longer than you’d think they would. Good album but you can tell it ended up being a precursor to at least Dre and Cube making better music in the future. 6.9/10
The highs are high. The lows are low. The album was too long to get a high rating IMO. There is definitely some absolute timeless raps on this album tho
Express Yourself was my favorite beat, and I felt like the content aged really well. Otherwise, the album was like The Chronic -- had a place in history and legend, just not my playlists.
Revolutionary
I’m not doing this project to talk on the cultural context and significance of an album, that’s been covered. I review these purely through my response to them. I expected this to be cooler than it is. Straight Outta Compton sounds kind of lame sometimes and it’s incredibly homophobic and gross about women. So uh, fuck that. Some nice samples though eg Express Yourself.
Seminal, absolutely. Still has undeniable energy and momentum. Frustratingly it is still perfectly topical. But the lyrics and attitude toward women (and others) haven't actually aged well. Can't really argue with them about the police, though.
Thoughts before listening: I know this is a classic full of iconic songs but I've never listened to it. I do know a few of the songs, and they're fun late 80s/early 90s California gangsta rap. I'm sure the lyrics will be a turn off for me, but I'm excited to hear this album. Review: I really enjoy this album, but as with a lot of the hip hop on here the lyrics make it a tough listen. Still though, I love this era of hip hop where they are rapping over backing tracks that are mostly sampled from 70s funk bands. I like NWA's group approach with distinct individual voices and personalities from each of the members. Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube especially are icons of the genre so it is cool to hear them together interacting on these songs.
Cool, to see the evolution of grangsta rap which i skipped until the tupac/wu-tang era
Eh
Liked this more than most old school hiphop
Yeh it is iconic but not my cup of tea
More culturally significant than good listening
Ever wondered what it would have been like if Blood Sugar Sex Magic was by Dr Dre and Ice Cube rather than the Red Hot Chilli Peppers? Well now you know. 3.5 stars.
3. Laying some respect on the impact this album must have had at the time, but I did struggle to stay focused on it. My main criticism is just the lack of diversity in the album; in the beats, production, lyrical structure and rhyming. Everything just feels very similar from track to track. Love the wide and unapologetic use of sampling though - one of the things I enjoyed most listening was trying to work out where I recognised them from. And there are definitely a couple of bangers sprinkled in there.
Kinda one note, not a lot of variation song to song.
It's OK, but I'm not in a hip-hop kinda mood these days. I like listening to this raw kind of rap sometimes, but it's not usually my style. I can bump to it nonetheless
Good. Enjoyable.
lyrics that say something!
Have listened to it through before. Of course this is a significant album in the progression of hip hop but I feel like had I grown up with it in my prime it would have more of an impact on me today. Today's market of rap and hip-hop is so saturated that it's sometimes easy to wash over albums
What a difficult album to judge cleanly in a pithy review. “Straight Outta Compton” isn’t so much an exercise in songwriting, musicality or storytelling as it is the birth of a movement. With boundless verve and aggression, a posse of L.A gangsters - Eazy E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, DJ Yella, Arabian Prince, The D.O.C, Krazy Dee - channel their lives on the streets of Compton into sixty breathless minutes. Listen to that long, low trombone ringing out across the whole of the opening track, like the foghorn of a ship that’s bringing in a whole new genre. And then it sends the shockwaves out across its domineering first three tracks, from the wilful power of “Straight Outta Compton” to the iconic anti-establishment “Fuck Tha Police” to the mission statement of “Gangsta Gangsta”. If the opening stretch of the album is an unassailable force, the rest of it only holds moments of greatness for me. Today, “Straight Outta Compton” feels nowhere near as artful or consistent as “Enter the Wu-Tang”, hip-hop’s other most celebrated debut from the rival coast five years later… but it is more of a party. While the beats are hollow, often repetitive and unmistakably 80’s, many of the samples are fun and engaging. The tight and brittle funk in “Gangsta Gangsta” and “If It Ain’t Rough”… the pizzicato strings in “I Ain’t Tha 1”… the synth bass in “8 Ball”… they’re all vital pieces of the jigsaw. It’s mainly scratching, brass and slinky funk guitar dominating the soundscapes, with some surprising embellishments (a quick “Let’s Get It On” lift, a piano solo in “Parental Discretion Iz Advised”). The more lacklustre tracks for me were the ones which were much lighter on instrumental samples and were structured around drums only: the empty braggadocio of “Compton’s N The House”, the misogyny-endurance-test of “Dopeman”. These place much less emphasis on the sampling and more from the quality of the lyrics, but anyone looking to “Straight Outta Compton” for poetry is going to be disappointed. N.W.A were chasing the “Parental Discretion” label like a nerdy kid chases the Blue Peter badge: violence, misogyny and homophobia all jostle for attention across the album’s sixty minute running time, in skewed and ugly lyrics I won’t trouble myself to type out. And even putting the content aside, the verses are fairly bog-standard, with straightforward rhyming, rhythm and meter. So my favourite tracks here are the album’s biggest anomalies: “Express Yourself”and “Something 2 Dance 2”, the two least explicit and hateful offerings. The latter ends the album on a disarmingly upbeat note, with a lively Sly and the Family Stone vocal sample. Both of these tracks present a different side of N.W.A, out to party and revel in the art they’re creating, which is much easier to stomach today, being far less problematic or dated. It’s a flawed album from flawed artists, but it’s impossible to deny the magnitude of “Compton”, or the full force of its greatest tracks.
a few goated tracks, also some mid and forgettable tracks lyrics did not age well good samples especially on express yourself the style is a little too on the nose gangsta rap for me which makes sense cuz it was the first one to do it but still 3/5
This came out when I was in high school. I now teach at a high school. This has not held up well lyrically.
Höpöhöpöä teatteria, mutta hyvin rullaa. Vaikuttavaa, koska koukukasta olematta varsinaisesti melodista.
Obviously essential - groundbreaking album within rap. Launched gangsta rap. Not really my thing but listenable.
Surprisingly well mixed and able to understand the lyrics more than most modern rap. Simple yet effective beats. Really heavily violence/drugs/misogyny throughout, further above the social commentary that is also there. Kinda lost me towards the end being a little repetitive.
First 3 songs are great and Express Yourself is good too. The rest is eh to okay.
Better than a lot of early rap 3.5
Fuck da police! Sit se oliki alamäkee.
Glad it exists. I get they meant to shock people who needed to be shocked, and they took it to the furthest extremes they could. Some interesting moments, mostly predictable. Ez had a cool voice. I’m impressed with the variety of flow present in this album.
A little repetitive
I think the popularity of modern rap has made this album a little outdated. Damn. Got some classics though
Horribly problematic but a classic I guess. ACAB also btw
AJ: Gangster rap kings, fer shizzle
I think with more time than a day I can be more into this album, but rap still seems not for me just yet. It hasn't clicked yet or maybe I haven't found the right group. I can see the history and why it was popular but it sounds like most other rap albums I have heard.
Despite having known about this album, this was the first time I'd listened to it. Firstly, I was expecting something a lot harsher, despite the language. Secondly, it was a bit more basic than I thought it would be. An important album for sure, despite it's themes aging poorly, but only a 3/5 on the quality scale.
Misoginy homophobia but it slaps
This album was quite revolutionary. The track "Fuck tha Police" drew an FBI agent's warning letter, which aided N.W.A's notoriety, with N.W.A calling itself "the world's most dangerous group." LOL. I used to not like rap very much. I totally blame being raised in such a prominent white area with SOOO much racism. But over the last decade or so I have learned to appreciate SOME. I listened to Eminem yesterday on my bike ride. That mother fucker is hella talented!! The movie that came out in 2015 about this album gave me a lot more insight into the history of this album. In spite of all the hype around this I'm only feeling 2 stars. Okay there were a few good songs there towards the end. I got a giggle out of the last track A Bitch Iz A Bitch LOL 3 stars then.
A couple of absolute classics with a few more top level tracks peppered in. About half still feel like filler to me, though.
This album probably hit a lot harder before Ice Cube sold out. “Man, fuck tha police… but also I will play one in a movie if you pay me enough.”
Definitely a classic hip hop album but a little outdated imo
The beat and music was really good but the lyrics are of course over the top.
First two tracks are super good, kinda loses me a bit in the middle. The energy is nice but some the lyrics are questionable Favorite(s): Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself
Those are some very angry fellas
A mixed bag that’s not held up quite as well as I expected. Obviously the raw energy and anger of FTP still makes you sit up and Express Yourself is a stone cold classic. The rest is up and down. Still has to be listened to though.
Good 90s rap street album
Musically enjoyable and I recognise the talents of all involved, but it’s not the hiphop I enjoy. Still, it’s a very iconic album and influenced tons of artists following! 7 out of 10
Another case of "good album in a genre I'm not usually interested in".
It's not my taste in music but I enjoyed it.
Yep, this is misogynistic as fuck, and that's obviously a mark against it. Looking beyond that there's some good tracks on here - quite an array of different sounding tracks - you can tell the influence of the 80's scene coming into the 90's. I quite like how aggressive something like 'Fuck Tha Police' is. If It Ain't Ruff is good. Express Yourself is a tune.
Cool
Like the variety, from Fuk Da Police to the Sly sample in last song. Hate Gangsta Rap macho music but who am I to criticize the lyrics being a white, privileged Dutch guy. Give me Public Enemy's political hip hop anytime, still 3 stars.
3/5. What an opener, back to back the first two songs tell me what they are about. Later in the album, they decide to also show the less flavorful part of themselves, and it does not age well. Plus, many of the flows are similar throughout and I mix up some songs with other ones accidentally. Mostly great beats and important messages, from an honest group of fellas. ACAB.
Classic, good hiphop vibed
Just ok.
Noch nie etwas in der Art gehört, deswegen persönlich 6/10, aber Tracks mit melodischeren Samples Waren sehr gut.
Musicality: 2 - some nice beats but not anything I'd call very creative Production & Sound: 4 - clean Artistic Expression: 5 - mostly unique, there's some sort of meaning there Performance: 4 - they're all good at what they do Engagement & Enjoyment: 4 - I like it, if not for the lyrics Good album, not really great lyrically but it sounds good
As a whole not as good as I remember but the singles will forever remain classic
Si fa ascoltare
Feels very dated. I was kinda surprised with some of the samples on this album that I recognized
J'ai groové, je réécouterais sûrement pour prêter plus attention au texte
3.5
Listened to this whilst cycling from my house into the centre, and felt very pumped up afterwards. I enjoy the flow and the lyrics, and the sampling and beats hit pretty hard. I am trying to justify giving it 4 stars and not 3, but mainly because I can't remember any of it immediately afterwards and won't listen again, 3 it is.
Here we go again.... More misogyny and rapping about how tough you are. Zzzzz Tbf, this is much better than the 90s solo stuff from Dre and the other West coast rappers. They are actually rapping about real issues in this. Fuck the police is sadly still relevant 35 years later. Aside from all the boring posturing, there are some great tracks on this, the best ones are: Straight outta Compton Fuck the police Express yourself 3.5
3 This album is 35 years old and it sounds it. Know it’s a classic that set up a generation of hip hop, but the flow so damn rigid and uniform. It always hits in beat and indistinguishable
Surprisingly pretty good. I’m not a huge fan of rap, but most songs were good.
This was actually quite interesting to compare to other rap bands out at the time and where all the samples come from. Some tracks were pretty one-dimensional in their message, music and meaning (the 'police' song especially) but others were better (Express yourself). I liked the interplay of the different MCs (although this had been around for a decade at least) especially since some of them went onto megastardom. Finally I'm loving reading all the wokes struggling to cope with the nature of the lyrics. Bless their little sensitive souls.
Created Gansta rap which in the end probably wasn't a good thing. Gets some nostalgic stars as I remember listening to this and Dr. Dre's The Chronic allot back in the late 90's
Inte överförtjust i pratsjungning, och de svär ju som borstbindare. Ok ändå.
While I appreciate what these guys did to represent an unseen subculture, what they did to popularize rap music, and the musical ingenuity that went into this album, I can only get so excited about the content of gansta-rap.
3.25
i mean, one of the most iconic albums ever? not one i listen to regularly (or at all) but that fact doesn't reflect its quality. 3.3/5?
2.5/5
A historic hip hop album understandably so, but the lack of sound expansion throughout the album makes it a pretty boring listen by track 4. Flow stays the same throughout no matter who’s rapping and the beats stay redundant.
probably one of the most influential and famous hip hop albums ever and some tracks are brilliant, however it does sound quite dated in terms of both sound and subject matters and is way too long imo 3.5
This album is a lot of fun to listen to and F**k Tha Police is a fucking banger, but it doesn’t pack the same punch that Public Enemy’s Fear of a Black Planet did.
Great beats! This style of rapping and a lot of the lyrical content haven't aged well unfortunately. I get that NWA's attitude was intentionally abrasive, but these guys just didn't see women as people. Express Yourself is also a very funny inclusion on an album largely about raping and killing. All that said, I like some of these songs, and I recognize how important this album was in the evolution of rap from the 80s to the 90s. I'd just rather be listening to Dr. Dre's production on something else.
This album has been a gold standard for the entire rap genre since its inception. That being said the first two songs are known by everyone who can understand the english language, but the rest of the songs in my opinion don’t live up to the standard set by the first two. One thing that stands out with this album is the typical “Ah shit man,” and blaring police sirens and other snippets before the actually music starts, i’ve always been a fan of those for whatever reason. All in all it was a good album, not great but good.
I'm not sure I'd ever listened to the whole album before, and my knowledge of hip-hop in general is marginal. Interesting to listen to and I'm glad I managed to do so. It's obviously massively influential and clearly belongs on this list, but I'm not sure I'd really go back and listen to all of it in one go again. Some nice moments but it dragged a bit and seemed quite long and a bit monotonous at times. Which was unexpected. That's five three stars in the last six albums. Maybe that's just me settling into a scoring system after 47?
This was really fantastic , funky and catchy hip hop, with so many iconic and legendary tracks. but goddam there is so much misogyny in here. like such a crazy amount. like whole tracks just dedicated to the bitches being untrustworthy.
On the positive side, it was a groundbreaking album, launching the gangsta rap genre that still survives. And musically at least half of the tracks are pretty catchy. On the negative side, I don’t like the violence, the mysogeny, and the tough guy act.
A landmark album with three incredible, genre-affirming singles and a lot of other songs that are there I guess (Parental Discretion Iz Advised also slaps) Also - I think the Eazy E hate is kind of out of nowhere, he has some good verses, but considering the track he is most prominent on is 8 Ball I am not at all surprised, that song is ass. Dopeman is also not good, and Something 2 Dance 2 has always been incredibly out of place
This is an old favorite from way back took me right back to high school. You got to love tracks like straight outta Compton, dope man, Express yourself!
Very impactful for obvious reasons considering the context of the time. Still pretty entertaining. Beats are harder and bouncier than a lot of other 80s hip-hop, and Ice Cube and Eazy E are both distinctive and energetic rappers (MC Ren...... well he's not BAD i guess). As far as the subject matter, it's a pretty accurate document of the mentality and vibe of this time for them, if not an accurate document of what was literally happening, lol. Not the kind of thing I'm really attracted to or like to surround myself with these days, but I get it and it's valid artistically. Also what was going on with that last song. Did the label just demand a crappy dance instrumental. Best song: Fuck tha Police
While dreaded a dose of yet another rap hip hop, which is not one of my preferred styles, This one is - at times - actually funny a bit catchy and less unpleasant/malevolent general. And then Express Yourself is a bit upbeat. Still, would I ever listen to them again? No.. . Not really. Maybe only that one track....
I tend to agree with the exquisitely-named reviewer for Q magazine, Charlie Dick, who, at the time, wrote : The all-mouth-and-trousers content is backed up by likable drum machine twittering, minimal instrumentation and duffish production. Still this regressive nonsense will be passed off as social commentary by thrill-seekers all across the free world. And it was. Straight Outta Compton, as an opening track, is a very clever scene-setter. Then Fuck tha Police was just iconic at the time. It’s with the next track, Gangsta Gangsta that the sexist, mysoginistic shit just gets a bit too hard to listen to - and there’s too much of it from then on, for my liking. The one exception is what they do with the Charles Wright classic, Express Yourself - I hope he got a healthy cheque for their using it. And I think they did pretty well with it.
I feel like I respect NWA more than I really care about them and prefer most of their solo material. A lot of this sounds kind of trite and dated more than anything. When it’s good, though, they can be quite clever. C
Way too lit. Was trying to fight the automatic doors at the convenience store. Listen with caution.
Didn't think I would enjoy this album but found it surprisingly entertaining.
It helps to think of this as a snapshot in time of what street life was like from the perspective of a young person living it. Yes, we should cringe at the violent, misogynistic lyrics. Musically (not lyrically) for some of this I was wondering which came first, the Beastie Boys or NWA. But maybe it was a lot of what was happening at the time.
Good album, bit too repetitive. Some really good songs though.
This album bred so many rappers for decades to come. Never could really lean into the aggression of it all, but the beats are crazy. So many samples to make groundbreaking songs and runs for a full hour. Its' influence is the reason why I wasn't allowed to listen to rap growing up. Some parts of this definitely wouldn't fly today, but this was always meant to be something that made people scared and angry. Not my deal, but reverent of it.
Bitches, pief paf! Goed en maar wel gedateerd; 3 sterren, omdat dit godfathers zijn inmiddels.
"Gangsta rap Nieke, dit is Gangsta rap' ;-) Ik ben doorgaans niet zo'n fan van het genre maar er zijn een paar uitzonderingen. NWA is er eentje van. eerste helft van deze plaat is top. Daarna wordt het een beetje slappere hap. Maar heb er toch wel weer van zitten genieten, in de file.
Ben nu wel benieuwd naar Randall. Moest soms grinniken om de teksten.
Hasn't aged that well - a lot of the lyrics are painfully misogynistic, and the rapping is a bit of a mixed bag. Dre and MC Ren are great, Ice Cube is pretty decent, but Eazy-E not so much. That said, when they're not talking about women the rhyming is great, and it's clearly something that birthed a whole genre. Also, way more variety than I expected - Express Yourself is something else entirely. Agree with Phil, not as good as Public Enemy from a couple of weeks ago, 3/5.
I am a little burned out on early gangsta rap so this more a slog than I would hope. the funk and excellent background track beats is awesome. Though I am pretty tired of hearing about Easy-E's dick. 8-Ball sucks. Express Yourself is awesome.
Suburban white parents, get in your bunkers! Obviously this record was a big no for me growing up. I would've been beat with a belt if I had caught listening to it. But even then, as a kid who just disliked hip hop in general, I just never payed much attention to this type of parental advisory album. I migrated toward the metal stuff. Nowadays you couldn't pay me to own a Twisted Sister record. This album is almost too influential for its own good. It's great, but I think the reputation it has is bigger than what it actually is. A lot of the lyrics are sharp, clear, and still relevant today, but after six or seven tracks, it gets stale. There's not much in the way of production that's mind blowing here, and I think the album suffers from being the first of its kind. Other artists (including ones IN this group) would come along and perfect hardcore hip hop using what they learned from NWA.
I've been through this album a number of times in my life. Def it is striking. The lyrics are pushy and aggressive - comically at some points. The 'production' is quite impressive actually - Something 2 Dance 2 was a surprise on this front. Overall I tried to interpret this as a 'painting' of 'what it's like' rather than a /glorification/ of the themes/ideas. It's otherwise hard for me to listen to music with this lyrical bent. Sonically and /politically/ a ground-breaking record, even if it isn't my thing exactly.
Intense. Not bad.
A classic, need to revisit with more patience and attention to lyrics. Good album overall
I first listened to this album back in 1988 when I was 14 years old. My step-brother had a copy. I already liked rap like the Fat Boys, Beastie Boys, Run DMC, and Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince. But N.W.A. was different, with content I knew my parents wouldn't want me listening to, but I listened anyway. Now, almost 35 years later, listening to it is much different. The lyrics are pretty juvenile and silly. In one breath, dropping F-bombs all over the place, then the next rapping "I kick so much butt" and "I don't give a hoot." Complaining about being harassed by cops after bragging about being criminals and shooting people. OK. Despite that, I have to admit it's still kind of fun to listen to. The beats are nice, the rapping is pretty good for the most part. Eazy-E's stood out the most, maybe because he had the most unique voice out of the group. The tracks I like the best are the ones where they trade off verses like in the title track.
Legendary album and ground of MCs that paved the way for so much. While the rapping is top notch, the production has come such a long way since these guys, it’s hard to listen to this and remain excited after 5 songs because it lacks a diversity in sound and becomes a bit repetitive.
Decent but like Many of the other "Rap-Group" albums just too wild and all over the place
I like it, but..... Wish it had more musical variety and innovation. The rhymes of course re clever, funny, angry but its not enough for me to really enjoy and come back to listen again. 3 stars
This one is tough to rate bc the beats and delivery on Straight Outta Compton are excellent. I’m just not a huge fan of the content gangster rap, the gang violence and sexism make this tough to listen to. Also based on a bit of research on the members, it sounds like they’ve very much exaggerated on how hard they actually are, aside from Eazy E it doesn’t sound like any of the others were true criminals and I highly doubt any of them actually shot anyone, so they’re kinda posers? Either way, this is a classic and is historically important. 3 stars
Rap just isn't my bag. But as far is it goes I found this album to be better than most. I for sure have a great appreciation for pre 2000 hip/hop/rap. Guess that just shows my age.
Great to jam & realize we are at the same place as when this album was created regarding police violence. The misogyny was too much for me to rate this any higher.
Similar to the Clash’s first album, influenced almost everything after it in that genre and paved a way for rap. But definitely has some dated themes that are a product of the time. Influential, but not a repeat listener for me
Mad decent, still relevant in a lot of unfortunate ways
The songs are very similar.
To be fair, this is not my preference in music.
It was aight. A handful of really good tracks surrounded by some rather forgettable ones. Loved the beats for the most part though. 6/10
Listening to this album as a white woman in my Subaru Outback in the drive-thru of a suburban Panda Express, I recognize there’s a cultural merit to this album that is out of the context of my own experience. But I can see how anthems like Fuck Tha Police offered a much needed catharsis in the late 80s, and unfortunately have a timeless quality as so many of the social frustrations this album vents still carry on today. Kinda like with Public Enemy, I enjoy hearing the songs as single units, but find it difficult to sit and listen to the entire album. Nevertheless, enjoyed it.
not as good as I expected. ice cube was great whenever he appeared, and I could hear the album’s influence over today’s rap albums easily - but the production has aged horribly in my opinion, and that detracts a *lot* from the album, especially in the second half. would still recommend for folks into how hip hop is the beast it is today.
Better than I thought it would be
Fun but too much swearing 3/5
Decent hip hop. Too much swearing
It's historic and ground-breaking but I feel a bit ragged after listening to it.
Good
Ok 2 eller 3
Börjar jättebra, största delen av skivan e medioker till helt trevlig, 3 låtar e blassics allt som allt... en av tidernas bästa covers också!
Honestly this was cornier than I expected it to be. Most songs too long. Tough guy gangster rap, still pretty cheesey
I have respect for it, but I just can't give it a higher rating. I get a feeling I would like the songs this album is sampling more than the actual songs on the album. Some of the lyrics were pretty sexist too. Hip hop might just not be my thing.
Another powerful important album that I just don't resonate with musically. I wish I could rate this higher, but I just don't want to listen to it.
A lot of motherfucking
Bunch of good songs bunch of meh.
Good beats. Same message today as in 1988.
Interesting from a historical perspective, I reckon -kinda a transitional album for hip-hop. Has the early hip-hop problem of sounding really basic compared to the rhymes and rhythms that the genre spawned later. I gotta hand it to them - the Attitude is very much what they're brining to the table. Some pretty cringe tracks, tho. "I Ain't Tha 1" 😬 Fave track - "Fuck Tha Police" - as relevant today as it ever was!
Classic Hip hop. Title track still sounds great the rest a little dated but very influential album
Sonically really good by the lyrics are brutal and not in a good way
Its completely seminal but also a bit Fur Q
Streit (evt straight)
Here’s an album that 100% deserves a place on this list, but my own impression is a bit of a mixed bag. Some songs feel like an extended roll call, where it seems like it’s done and then you hear “Hey MC Ren, tell em” & the song goes another two minutes. However their most famous songs, “Fuck the Police” and the title track, keep their momentum throughout. “Parental Discretion”, something of a celebration of the black & white sticker on the front cover, is also a highlight to me.
Un nouvel album d'âge-de-pierre-rap dont le thème (Ice-cube) peine à convaincre.
Ich hasse alt schule rap
I don't love this album - the lyrics are so aggressively violent and misogynistic, the sound is old fashioned and uninteresting to me (with the exception of the track Express Yourself, which is really good) - but I can appreciate the impact and importance of this album and I've enjoyed several NWA spin-offs far more than the original. 3/5 for legacy/import.
I'm not into rap, but I kind of liked this. It has great beats, and the mix and the words have a boldness and clarity that I found striking. And yeah, fuck tha police. 3 stars.
A bit too long, start is on fire but gets way too stale and repetitive in the final stages, mainly the beats just feel uninspired. I don't think this stood the test of time that well, compared to other albums of similar origin (and I am not talking about the lyrics on which most people fixate).
Wiedermal ikonischer Sound. Stellenweise allerdings in Sachen Lyrics schlecht gealtert.
Solid album. Can see why it was popular. Don't love it personally
This album is really good classic gangsta rap. While I like it, I realize I like east coast 90s rap more than west coast. I have to recognize the influence of this album. This almost feels like it's from the 90s. There are elements of production on this album that are ahead of it's time too. Best Songs: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself Worst Songs: 8 Ball, Compton's N The House, Quiet on Tha Set
Undeniably influential, some bangers; more dated than I expected, got bored by the end.
Great in places, samey in others.
Classic rap album! First time listening to full album.Dre’s beats were dope.Cube's lyrics were sharp as hell. Eazy was just a cool ass dude, don’t fuck him over though! Lastly, Ren…this dude slept on! His flows and lyrics were impeccable! FUCK THE POLICE!!
How does “Something 2 Dance 2” fit with the rest of this album?
Not my favorite style, but I can see why others like it
Classic 90’s album, but not my taste