Straight Outta Compton

I thought it would be all stone cold gangster rap bangers, but was surprised by the more traditional hip hop tracks in there too, reminding me of it's age and I guess how much of a diversion some of the tracks were from what was around at the time. Yes it is misogynistic, etc, but I think mostly that was them committing to the bit.

Imagine a Senior Citizen working on this list of 1,001 albums to listen to before you die. This album might give them a heart attack! I listened to some rap music when I was a teenager 25ish years ago. But I could not make it through this album. It was a bit shocking to see how many people gave this 5 stars, but hey to each their own! I’m ready to move on!

4.8/5

i know some people claimed they couldnt give this a higher rating necause of the misogyny in the lyrics and i get it but this is definitely a genre defining album and i think a stone cold classic.

Classic, in the way that it feels small compared to where we're at. Intensity like this doesn't get put out anymore

35 years ago when I was a teenager this may have been cool but at 50 years of age listening to this just feels sad. The lyrics are crap, and the rapping is poor, in fact it’s so plodding you can barely even call it rap. Some of the music is ok, toe tapping even but all the posturing about d!ck size, bitches, gats and AK’s gets old really fast. It’s a joke really and it actually makes me feel ancient 🤦🏼‍♀️ 2/5 because I’ve heard worse and even Express Yourself isn’t enough to elevate it to a 3.

Compton's in the house! I think many of today's listeners maybe forget that it's supposed to be offensive. This is music to make your parents furious.

Wisselend tussen tijdloos en gedateerd, paar klassiekers, paar goede nummers, paar matige. Wat goed is, is ook echt goed!

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.

Hell yeah, a true gangsta classic.

I know this is an incredibly formative album in the rap scene... but holy fuck the misogyny is INTENSE. The persona of kill people, do drugs, and women are bitches does not really vibe well with me. 3/10

First 3 songs are great and Express Yourself is good too. The rest is eh to okay.

better than expected 1.5

Better than a lot of early rap 3.5

Fuck da police! Sit se oliki alamäkee.

Life ain't nothing but bitches and money

Instant classic

Not my cup of tea!

Appreciate the significance of this album, but it just didn't fully click for me. I wanted to love it, but a few of the songs were a little too unrefined. "Express Yourself" is an absolute top tier rap song though. 3.5/5 Will probably listen again

Certified hood classic

Not my type of music

Much better than I had expected. A very angry album. Too much misogyny. Glad I listened to it.

I've never been a fan of gangsta rap. The lyrics don't appeal to me. Musically, there are some nice moments, but I wonder if it's not due to good samples

This is another album it’s hard to oversell. Its influence crosses genres and economics; and it continues to influence today.

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

Fuck the Police

Instant 5/5

Interesting storyline of the violence experienced and perpetrated

Misogyny.

Classic record. Old cube is goated

Not a rap guy myself but this is really really good gansta rap

Classic

Classic old school hip hop album. Enough great songs to ignore the few meh ones.

Favourite song is “express yourself”, then fuck the police (which I like to listen to as I drive my electric car to my nice software engineering job, having no opps/issues with police) Ice cube has the best lyrics. Fun to sometimes look up the individual rappers, like yella, and check out their best songs Iconic album, and the movie is also worth watching

Just a great album

Such a good album. The title track is just so sick. Easy Es voice is my fave I think but they all sound so tight

So much energy and such a great opening to an album! Rest of the album a bit difficult to live up to the opening but still v cool.

Compton's N the house feels pretty empty. Otherwise, I wasn't a fan of hip hop, but this made me love it, I will probably listen to it again even though this genre isn't my favorite. Catchy, some basslines are just different than the ones I'm used to, in a very good way. It has pretty important themes, which are coming trough flawlessly. Cool album cover. Something 2 dance 2 is fun.

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.

Stilistisch prägend, inhaltlich ikonisch, musikalisch funky af, technisch ein wenig aus der Zeit gefallen. 4/5

Pretty slay, 3.75 stars. Would listen again. Fuck the police.

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

Expected this to be more of an easy 4 or 5 from how famous it is, but sitting down and listening to it was not easy. It honestly does not age well for me and I don't have the nostalgia outside of the couple of famous tracks.

Still as badass as it was the day it was unleashed.

Very personal but I don’t like old school rap.

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.

N.W.A. and Public Enemy is the reason Uncle Phil's hair went grey and thinned by the second season of Fresh Prince. Really strong despite slacking a bit in the middle.

In the early 90s I had a techno CD named The Difference Between Noise and Music. I love the question. Here, we have no human beings playing instruments. No singing. No melodies. No harmonic structure. It is, in fact, all but atonal. We have rhythm and we have poetry. Everything else that defines music is, in reality, missing. And yet it somehow grips people emotionally in the same way that music does. This particular combination of rhythm and poetry didn't grip me when I was 18 and it doesn't now. Dre's beats are the only redeeming aspect of the album. But they're a bit one-note; like a robot army's drums of war. And the lyrics...you gotta give me more than threats of indiscriminate violence and gratuitous mysogeny. "So what about the bitch who got shot? Fuck her! You think I give a damn about a bitch? I ain't a sucker!" Not for me.

A couple of absolute classics with a few more top level tracks peppered in. About half still feel like filler to me, though.

Funny how the last album we got was 'Under Construction' by Missy Eliott, and I said how refreshing it was that she was taking a stand for the ladies. Enter this album, which is the polar opposite of that. I might get lynched for giving this a 4 star, but I'm just a bit tired of the older hip-hop beats. It was the same feeling with Run-D.M.C. Eazy-E´s rap is also so annoying to listen to, don't like his flow at all. Still, you can't deny how influental the album has been for hip-hop, and catapulting Dr.Dre and Ice Cube, for example, towards very successful careers.

An iconic album! The opening tracks are all hits. I feel like the album has aged quite poorly and listen to by itself it isn't that great. Still it's undeniably an album which in the context of when it was released is excellent and took rap to the main stream. Very hard to pinpoint a score for me as I have quite mixed feelings about it.

Groundbreaking.

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.”

Couldn't handle all the misogyny, despite some funky beats. Wouldn't listen again

"damn that shit was dope" these beats go crazy. they do. not. do it like this anymore

3.75

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.

straight fire! raw and unfiltered!

Lots of foundational stuff. I forgot how good the D.O.C was. A distinctly different flow and rhyming pattern than the typical old school rapper. This group was better than the sum of its parts RIP Eazy-E Early Dre was more influenced by funky funk beats and I miss that . More groovy/danceable stuff. From the snoop era thru the chronic 2001, the beats had some catchy hooks but it was like weed laced with heroin. Smooooooothed out. Not for me

A lot more fun than I was anticipating!

Some works of art establish themselves as inflection points in their art. SOC is one of those albums. Dre blew doors off the boom bap standard with the innovative west coast g funk sound while Ice Cube and Wren's storytelling broke gangster rap to the world. I mostly don't find the album all that listenable these days but Straight Outta Compton still slams and is always good for stoking my mostly dormant teen defiance. Fuck that Police is timeless and a good reminder that police violence against blacks isn't something new. I'd definitely encourage Mara to listen to Express Yourself but the original Charles Wright version is my preference. The rest of the album has some catchy funk worthy of an old school party.

The great grandfather of gangster rap. These lyrics put a spotlight on the reality of urban street violence and the dangers of living while black.

lol I already bought this album

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

Surprisingly good beats- some of the lyrics were angry but sound justified. A nice throwback.

ok

Those are some very angry fellas

Great album to start, got a little repetitive for me near the end.

Brani Preferiti: - "Straight Outta Compton" - "Fuck Tha Police" - "Gangsta Gangsta" - "Express Yourself" Note: Un album che ha segnato la storia del Hip-Hop americano, piaccia o non piaccia il genere è un qualcosa di innegabile. La prima metà di questo album è un fuoco che inizia a perdere fiamma nella sua seconda metà.

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.

I knew the hits but had never listened to the rest of the album. It definitely drags near the latter part and like most rap albums hasn't aged well. However the highs are high and it has some bangers that are still prevalent to today.

Good 90s rap street album

Ground breaking

shiiit is overrated

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

Bursts out of the gate. Might have enough hits to get a five rating if the album were 35 minutes long, but the filler drags it down.

Nice rhymes, good energy, I'm pretty over the intense misogyny.

Solid. Classic. Crazy good.

The first 2 tracks were so good. The songs that follow aren't as good. The beats are on the same meter throughout the album and it gets old with every passing track. Other than F the police, the lyrics of the songs are horribly sexist.

All time classic, love Dre’s beats even if the verses haven’t aged the best. That being said “do I look like a motherfuckin role model? To a kid lookin up to me, life ain’t nothing but bitches and money” is all time hard (4.5/5)

Musically, this has actually aged quite well (probably due to Dre and Yella’s production) However, while the lyrics on tracks like FTP and the title track are still relevant today, there’s still a lot of evidence of misogyny and homophobia across the record (despite this being considered the norm at the time) Still, you can’t deny that this ended up being one of the most influential albums in music, let alone hip-hop Favourite tracks: Straight Outta Compton, FTP, Express Yourself

Classic

Never listened to this album all the way through before, enjoyed it although while some of the songs and themes are still timely re police violence and racism, some of the lyrics don't stand up to modern day listening. Rap has changed a lot since this album came out.

You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge. Despite all the legitimate critiques you can make against the often deplorable content, and lesser music made in its wake by imitators, this record still slaps when it comes to the sound and delivery. It's a sonic masterpiece. If I could replace nearly all the lyrics with those more in a PE or BDP vein and keep every flow intact I'd be listening to this record to this day rather than treating it like a historical artifact to appreciate. But then again, I was never the audience either and I can respect that.

Album gets better outside popular songs. A lot of lyrics about biker shorts.

A classic, genre defining heavyweight from the founders of gangster rap. Always love it

Oldskool hiphop, bisschen funkig. Nicht wirklich hörbar heutzutage

Hated it. 11/100

Another case of "good album in a genre I'm not usually interested in".

7/10

It's not my taste in music but I enjoyed it.

Gangster rap was born here. Offensive by today’s standards but still iconic. Essential Tracks: 1. Straight Outta Compton (Playlist) 2. Fuck Tha Police 3. Express Yourself

I love old-school rap. The beats are so much more interesting than current rap.

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

The hits hit hard. The entire album is a little more mixed. Some of the subjects are going to come across as dated. I try to keep the context in mind when rating this one. An iconic album but not as complete as I remember it.

Raw and un-flinching rap album, nothing sums up 80s America more than this

Important Record for the Genre! The Beginning of Gangsta-Rap. And Songs that were explicit. Its great and rip eazy-e

Probably the best album to listen to while running

Another Masterpiece. An hip hop album where the skits make sense and enhance the songs. Hate the lyrics and message all you want, this is real, and remains so. The cadence shifts and punctual liberties taken here shape talented artist to this day.

Serious beats serious lyrics and righteous anger from NWA, with wit and style. And album by the OGs for the OGs.

29/100

Good Tsp album with a couple of banging songs

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

Not my cup of tea, terrible

Takes me right back to high school. This is definitely my favorite rap crew and my favorite rapper, Ice Cube. Dr. Dre has the most ridiculous beats and samples and drops. DJ Yella makes some tasty jams. I love the bravado and rebellious attitude. It’s so interesting to see how taboo this record was when it came out and now there’s a movie all about it. It’s a momentous album that out gangster rap on the map.

I liked a lot of it but the sexist lyrics are tough to listen through. Fuck, fuck, fuck, motherfucker as well....

I enjoyed a few of the songs, but goddamn is this album just incredibly sexist. I cannot get behind it for that reason.

Way more aggressive than I remember

I enjoyed this album. Not appropriate for kids and zero respect for women, but the artists are clearly talented and a critical part of musical history and culture.

pretty cringe to listen to. elementary and corny rhymes. full of misogyny that should have never been accepted. other aspects of rebel lyrics are understandably appealing to a younger crow, but it no longer holds up.

Classic gangsta rap, still as good today

These guys are the pioneers of modern hip-hop and gangster rap in general. It is kind of crazy how much hip-hop changed not 5 years after this album came out. This is a good album, but the flow and instrumentals are very rudimentary, and "hipity hop" This group also birthed the extremely successful individual careers of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Easy E. This is a light 4/5

Not a rap fan

It’s so fucking cool. I can overlook a lot of technical issues just because the energy this album brings right off the bat is immaculate. It’s also cool hearing black dudes try to figure out how to sound cool in a gangster setting without coming off as ridiculous. They often do not succeed. (Parental Discretion Iz Advised? Who the fuck thought that looks cool typed like that?). Kinda runs long though. The entire album could have just been the first two songs, edited to be half the length, and it would be just as significant and likely more listenable. It’s okay. Just fine. I would recommend Glenn Gould’s performance of Scriabin’s 3rd Piano Sonata much more enthusiastically. Did you know Scriabin had synesthesia? Of course you did. Everybody knows that.

Just ok.

Oh man, early 90s hip hop misogyny is a little difficult to sit through. Definitely stops this album from being 5 stars for me. Otherwise, straight bangers throughout

NWA was cool, but the music was just ok.

The first 5 tracks a really good to great. It drags a bit from there outside of "Express Yourself", my favourite song of theirs. favs: Express Yourself, Gangsta Gangsta, Fuck tha Police, Straight Outta Compton worst: I Ain't tha 1

N.W.A. built on the foundation laid by Ice-T and Schooly D. Cube’s hyperbole and sense of humor combined with Dre’s beats were aided by the antics of the PRMC and a formal introduction of rap to white audiences through the unprecedented popularity of the Beastie Boys resulting in a real zeitgeist moment for the group. Without airplay, it became a big hit, made gangsta rap a viable product for the masses, and put the West Coast on the map. Dre would go on to be a better producer (with a hell of a business acumen) and Cube would go on to add a bit of social commentary to his angry street persona (and make many a dumb comedy), but this remains the collective’s most powerful statement together or apart. There are cringey moments.. rap more than any other genre seems to date itself not only through the prolific time stamps throughout its history but by being a record of the mentality of its auteurs. The album would be important beyond the hype given its subtle political message- young black men in America were mad (righteously so) and this was, if nothing else, a way to express that anger without the fear of incarceration. Unfortunately, through both the mechanisms of a society that was censorshiptastic (which was oddly directed with more penalty at African Americans - systemic racism at its finest) and other’s attempts to be real (even if they weren’t), gangsta rap wasn’t a healthy or prison free outlet for very long. They weren’t the first or even the best gangsta act, but they were the big bang and the album is a landmark for hip hop, in both positive and negative ways.

I cannot listen to, nor rate, this album. I bought it a while ago, cheap on CD because I felt it was one of those records you needed to own and managed to listen to it all the way through once since then. This is not for me, it wasn't made for me, it is not for me to understand. I'm sure we've all blasted a bit of 'Fuck Tha Police' and sung along with abandon, claiming that we are 'Straight Outta Compton', but after that it gets, for me, very uncomfortable. I don't like it, I don't like the themes, I don't like the language, I don't like the attitudes. But then, I'm not supposed to. Did not listen / rate. Oh, and I hate Easy E's voice.

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

I heard quite a few Beastie Boy samples from this album. Did I hear the Whoop, There it is music in there? Not a fan of the gangster rap genre. This album didn't change my opinion. I though there were some decent grooves and music, but overall, just not a fan. Straight Out of Compton and Fuck The Police are OK and I did enjoy I Ain't Tha 1 and Parental Discretion. I was surprised to hear a disco/dance tune on here with Something 2 Dance 2 and the rest of the stuff just ran together. 2.5

Straight Outta Compton is an album that I remember liking a lot more. I think coming off of the high of the Straight Outta Compton movie may have influenced that a bit because that movie is absolutely awesome (despite its revisionism). The album itself though is kinda boring with a ton of filler crap. The hits still hit and are as iconic as ever, but man wtf is Something 2 Dance 2 or 8 Ball? An unfortunate 2.5

4 “You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge” Has there ever been an opening line to an album so badass and yet so fitting? The development of gangsta rap with this album was a turning point for the genre, and depending on who you ask it either marked the end of the golden era or the start of a new one. As someone who grew up on punk music, I find myself in the latter category - an angsty album that’s both in your face and delivering a sociopolitical message? Yeah man, sign me up. So, this was one of the few rap albums I owned as a teenager, and at that point in time I would have told you this is an eazy 5. Well, I still really enjoy this album, but it’s not quite as great as I remember. I’ve seen a lot of people write this off as sexist and outdated, but to be honest that’s not really the qualm I have with the album - not that I’m pro-sexism by any means, but I’ve always kind of interpreted the lyrics to be the reflection of the true no-holds-barred way of life in Compton, California and in no way intended to be a glamorization. My issue was more of the fact that I just totally forgot how much filler is on this thing - I was thoroughly enjoying myself when I started listening and was really convinced this might still be a 5 in my book, but starting with Compton’s N The House I feel like the album loses a bit of steam and then never picks it back up again. Dopeman was a song I remember being a fan of in my younger days, but it really didn’t do much for me in my listening here, and apparently I somehow wiped out the fact this album ends on an incredibly out-of-place note with Something 2 Dance 2. Who the hell’s idea was it to end this thing with a dance number? … Oh, Arabian Prince’s. That explains a lot. Still a really good album for the most part - you really can’t go wrong jumping in on any of the first eight tracks. Either way, even if you hate it, it’s hard arguing with the importance of this album on all of rap music, and the careers and legacies each member has had since its release has made N.W.A. feel like a retroactive supergroup of sorts. An album 100% deserving of being on this list.

While some of the subject matters haven't aged well, some of them have, and almost all of the beats are still fresh as ever. Favorite tracks: "Fuck Tha Police", "Express Yourself", "Straight Outta Compton"

Express yourself - Remember the Titan's film comes to mind. Great cast and movie about overcoming one's prejudices and working toward a common goal. Great album all around, head bopping to the solid beats this exudes.

As a whole not as good as I remember but the singles will forever remain classic

West Coast hip hop,gangsta, raphardcore, hip hop.

Five stars, an absolute classic.

an all timer

Si fa ascoltare

Feels very dated. I was kinda surprised with some of the samples on this album that I recognized

Still epic.

Eazy-E cant rap, but the rest was solid.

J'ai groové, je réécouterais sûrement pour prêter plus attention au texte

It's the misogyny that turns me off, along with the marketing of criminality. That said, there are some bright spots: Dr. Dre's rap on Express Yourself is fun, and Parental Discretion Iz Advised is a good track.

On kyllä yksi parhaita hiphopin klassikko levyjä

A great album that shook up the music industry and American culture.

ACAB

Just not for me

Classsssic

Literally perfect microcosm of its era

3.5

Solid. Iconic. Fun. The only thing against the album is that the songs get repetitive pretty quick as most of them have a very similar beat. Most, not all. Also, lyrically, some problematic themes. Other than that, possibly the best debut rap albums of all time (if we’re not counting N.W.A. and the Posse) by one of the best rap groups ever. The influence is incalculable and I’ll always enjoy listening. 4/5

this is the first gangsta rap album ever and keeping that mind they created a masterpiece without any modern influences. dr dre, ice cube, eazy e and more are stars on their own. this being their debut album is crazy. controversial lyrics make this record. the perspective of the group is so interesting to look at and to hear.

Not my style

One of the more iconic records of this genre. The problem I’ve got with this and others like it is theyre just so one dimensional. Great music, great flow, but lyrically suspect. If I had a pound for every time there was a reference to bitches, money, or being hard as fuck, Id probably have about £147. It just gets old, quickly. Sadly the more important themes which they cover incredibly well are still prominent 30 odd years on which is fucking shameful. That said, it is enjoyable especially as background music. Production is great and they manage to include a few different influences throughout it (I’m sure they borrowed a riff or two from Bowie, especially in Gangsta Gangsta). First time I’ve properly listened to these outside of their hits, but I’ll be back. Probably a 3.5 but I’ll round up to a 4.

Basically the best west coast rap album, so much better than all the follow ups it spawned, including those released by NWA members. The beats hit harder, flow is better and even though the core theme is very gangsta it's much wittier than say Dre's debut album which makes it much more palatable. Even the skits are kept short and actually add to to the songs! I think the straps/hoes schtick is a bit too grating to give it full whack but overall it's great.

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.

There are some absolute classics on this album but I hadn't listened to the whole thing before. A whole hour of "bitches" and "hoes" gets old by the end with Dopeman being the worst of track by far. I listened to the 2022 remaster which sounds really good. The fact that some of these tracks are still relevant is sadly not surprising as this keeps coming up in other albums too. Overall I enjoyed the album and will listen to it again. Highlights: Straight Outta Compton Fuck Tha Police Parental Discretion Iz Advised Express Yourself

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

At the time it was highly original and went onto make the band members superstars and influence numerous others. There aren't many albums or bands that influence feature films but this did. It is powerful, angry and for the times it was on point. For the record itself, the quality slips a little on the second half.

Superb. Express Yourself is an amazing track. The first two songs announce an entire genre into the mainstream perfectly. Some lyrics haven't aged very well, but the significance of this album can't be denied.

One off for the language!

7/10. Pretty enjoyable, though only a few songs really felt like hits.

It's really good but there are some dinky-dinky-ass beats on this album. 8/10

Iconic.

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

A classic.

Surprisingly pretty good. I’m not a huge fan of rap, but most songs were good.

just not my taste

This album is certainly a strange time capsule. The sound and the beat and the samples … it all comes across as kind of goofy in retrospect (not to mention the amount of song titles that intentionally misspell words!), almost like the work of a musician intending to parody this sort of music instead of one of the progenitors of gangster rap. Liberal usage of n-words and f-bombs and some poorly aged social stances are enough to hold it back, to remind you that these fellows are serious. And yet, despite my eyebrow raising, I appreciate this. More as a historical moment, a cornerstone of music, than something I actually enjoy. I can't say I'd really recommend it, to be honest. Likely won't ever revisit it, but its inclusion on the list makes total sense.

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.

First half os great second half average.

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.

Pretty good actually

3.25

Chu pas capable d’écouter ça, sa sonne trop comme d’la bioune fâchée

This is basically everything I hate about rap- violent, full of swear words, anti police. On the other hand, the backing sounds/instrumentation is peak 90s in the best way.

Being white, middle-class, and British, I guess that I'm not really part of the target audience which is fine with me because all sound the same to me.

I've known this album since before I was even really into music, an absolute genre-defining classic. I've obviously already listened to a handful of the tracks on this album over the years, but have never given the album a full listen through before. Off my first listen I'm already discovering songs like Parental Discretion Iz Advised and Quiet On Tha Set that I've never heard before, that really solidify the album and the overall sound for me. 8 Ball was the first track that didn't hit entirely for me, I think it was mainly the beat that was throwing me off, however I feel this one could grow on me. Something 2 Dance 2 seemed really weird for the album for some reason, it could potentially grow on me but the lyrics and the beat really just don't do it for me at the moment and feel very strange. Favourite tracks off first listen (overall favourite is marked with a *) are the Title track, Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta, If It Ain't Ruff, Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Something Like That, Express Yourself*, I Ain't Tha 1, Dopeman, Quiet On Tha Set Least favourite tracks are 8 Ball, Something 2 Dance 2

I see why this was/is considered a good album but it's just not for me.

I guess it hasn't aged well.

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?

Absolute classic. The first three tracks alone bring this up to 4 stars minimum. Obviously the hits on here are absolutely essential music, but a ton of the albums cuts are also infectiously good as well and feature some insanely well executed verses. Plus, the influence this album had is absolutely palpable, you can really feel how much of this style was emulated (to varying success) in pretty much every hip hop album to come. Some tracks are pretty barebones compared to what the artists behind NWA are capable of, so I can’t give it 5 stars, but it’s damn close.

2.5/5

Fuck the police.

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.

I’m late to the hip hop party but enjoyed this album’s vitality.

Well this was a blast to listen through.

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

Idk what I was expecting but on the most part this was way better. Super engaging production, tight themes, well executed. I feel like it lost me towards the end, but the first half could genuinely be 5 stars

Love how relentless this goes

need to finish!

no

Not for me

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.

Don't kill me, but I seem to be a bigger Public Enemy fan. That being said, still a great album.

BEATS: I think the production is a bit shit, really. I guess for the title track it works as it’s abrasive yet sparse, meaning the lyrics have more impact, but in general it’s just dead samey and dull, and becomes a slog to listen to after a few tracks. The exceptions are Express Yourself and I Ain’t Tha 1, which are more playful and interesting. RAPPING: A bit of shock value is fine, offending the establishment is usually no bad thing and moving music/culture on to a point where more things can be said more freely is progress, I’d say. However, ’gangster rap’ in and of itself can be pretty tedious, (the fact that it became the norm rather than a novelty after N.W.A. isn’t a legacy particularly worth celebrating, in my opinion), but again, there is a lighter, playful side to the group which comes out just enough to offer some welcome relief from the straight-faced bragging about shooting folks. Oh, and Ice Cube is a cut above the rest of them. Nearly always the most engaging to listen to. 2.5 stars. I nearly rounded up to a 3 for influence, but such an indifferent score would actually be *more* insulting to a gang of hellraisers like N.W.A, right?

Yes, it is troublesome in 2023, but the beats and energy cannot be denied.

1988. Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself

This album makes me want to fire pot shots at the LAPD 👍

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.

absolutely classic hip hop album. this whole project is peak west coast hip hop as the trio has undeniable chemistry absolutely delivering on every track. rip eazy-e

Certified classic what can I say

5/10

Closer to - 9/10 closer to 10/10 than 8/10

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 one is tricky because I understand the context, I understand the historical significance and legacy it left. They were on the right side of history with the police in a conflict that still hasn’t been solved. But outside if the police stuff, the hatred especially of women especially, but also the Hispanic community and the homophobia just really makes it hard to fully get behind what they were trying to say.

Classic af 9+/10

A perfect Lightning in a bottle moment

No thanks

a classic - paved the way for a whole new type of rap music. also paved the way for misogyny, materialism and mindless violence. you cant have it all.

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.

This just isn’t my jam. I mean, I can understand some of the frustration behind the lyrics, but it’s just so angry and misogynistic…

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.

Fuck Tha Police is a classic anti-establishment song, Gangsta Gangsta is really fun despite it leaning into the more unsavory aspects of NWA, and Express Yourself is that fun little song you've heard in commercials. But after those 3 tracks, the quality dips pretty hard, and I'd probably recommend you listen to the solo outings of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube instead.

This album is so so good. Forever changed hip-hop. It's a melodic thrill ride, completely bombastic and hard hitting. Love it and an absolute classic.

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

Easy to see why it was such a big deal at the time. Everything sounds the same except Express Yourself which isn't very good. Title track goes pretty hard though with the horns. Interesting how it's sounding almost as quaint as Run DMC etc.

Some great some not so great but definitely history making.

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!

Cool album, Express Yourself is a banger

++

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

3.5/5

Gangsta rap is maybe a net negative overall and not my scene, but this album stands apart. It's the samples that make it, Wikipedia helpfully lists them for each track, loads of avenues to explore further. Yes it's offensive, it's not that it hasn't aged well, it was offensive then. That is kind of the whole point. First three tracks and Express Yourself obviously classics, also really enjoyed Ain't Ruff and Parental Discretion. Tracks I thought were a bit shit: 8 Ball,

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....

Look, I get the context is came out of and why that was important. These guys really cut through to a generation that are looking for a voice. Teenage boys of multicultural backgrounds all check this, Biggie and Tupac, those records speak to them, ours is not to reason why. Every now and then I get a laugh in class when I drop a "Ahmed is his name and he's coming straight out of Lakemba", gets them everytime... So does that make it worthy, no. It's a hard listen, ruthless, motherfucker, I don't give a fuck etc and having listened to so many of these drecky Dimery hip hop records I don't ever want to hear the sound of a machine gun again. I love the PE, same era, different coast and context I know, but those records have the universality we look for in all art, that does not apply here.

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.

Around 1989, Triple J, the Australian public 'yoof' radio network, just recently expanded to a national network, decided that it could establish its cred by putting "Fuck Tha Police" into rotation. It was a national scandal, mentioned in parliament, that the government-funded national broadcaster would play such an 'evil' piece of music. A Triple J journalist was suspended for playing it, which led to industrial action (including a whole day of playing Express Yourself, and nothing else, on repeat). You can read the details here: https://au.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/flashback-triple-j-challenge-authority-nwa-marathon-12171/ As a result of all the attention, NWA became a cause celebre and a way of signaling your rebellious nature, and this album sold a ton of copies in Australia. And a lot of people who bought the album based on "Fuck Tha Police", listened to it, and then decided that this was definitely not for them, and offloaded the CD. At the time I was working at Scratches Records, an alternative record store , that bought and sold second hand CDs. All second hand CDs were test played to make sure they were OK before they hit the shelves, and so I listened to this album a bunch of times in 1990-91. People were constantly coming in to sell their CDs of Straight Outta Compton. So I listened to this album all the way through a number of times when it was a relatively new release. Now, I liked hip hop. But this I couldn't hack. I understood the rebellion and rage of Fuck Tha Police and Straight Outta Compton. Express Yourself is a fair enough song. But the most of it.... violent, misogynist, homophobic, and deeply unpleasant. This is an important album and massively influential. Cube is a charismatic MC with pretty good flow, and Dre's production was the blueprint for West Coast hip hop. But I find this hard to handle, and am still upset that the success of this set the tone for much of hip hop ever since. It's influential, sure, but its influence is largely negative, and, frankly, I wish this album never existed. I do not want to listen to it ever again..

This was just ok for me. This era of rap isn’t one I listen to much except for the occasional nostalgic spin of The Chronic. It’s kind of novel listening to all these artists together before they started feuding later in their careers, but the music itself didn’t do much for me

Not bad, with a few exceptions. I liked Quiet on the Set quite a bit, and found myself bobbing around in my seat as the album went on. I actually think this is a bit of a grower and I'd revisit. 3.5/5

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

Sounds exciting and fresh to me

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.

If I were to have listen this for the very first time, I would probably give it a one star, mostly due to the lyrical content. However that isn't he case I can recall hearing this for first time in High school in 80s and to be honest not even sure what to think, it was aggressive and brutal and nothing I heard before. They made a statement with music, one can argue about the message but it was powerful and controversial. I don't listen to this album very often anymore but I will rate if I was 16 again.

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.

The hyper-violence and misogyny did not age well. This is a very strange record to listen to as an adult. Some of the production is interesting.

I'm not a fan of this type of music, usually. But there is no denying the talent on this album, the wordplay of the artists, and the interplay of each of them. I shockingly, to me, really found myself enjoying it all the way through.

Yeah yeah, fuck the police, we get it ... I detest hip hop

Really enjoy this album. You can argue that a majority of the album sounds pretty much the same but I really like that sound so I don't mind. Some great hits and the songs in between are mostly good. Small critique. They introduce themselves too much. Every song they say "Hey it's me rapping if you didn't know and the group's name is NWA" for the 5th song in a row

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.

This is a classic album for hip hop, no doubt about that. When you listened to it often enough you feel the limits of the early hip hop though. And it is still funny to me how activists these days hail it as some sort of emancipation for black people (which is certainly true to some extent) but ignore the positive attitudes towards guns, drugs, violence and the overwhelming sexism.

Bitches, pief paf! Goed en maar wel gedateerd; 3 sterren, omdat dit godfathers zijn inmiddels.

Echt jeugdsentiment. De raps klinken nu wel wat gedateerd, maar wat een impact hebben zij gehad op de hedendaagse rap en hiphop.

"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.

The sampling used in most of the songs was impressive. It was cool to connect samples from other artists too.

Neither the lyrics nor the beats have aged well.

The great grand pappy of generations of hip hop

The Blueprint

Little dated by todays hip hop standards but of course a solid classic with some unforgettable tunes.

The album's title track, "Straight Outta Compton," drops like a bomb with its gritty lyrics and driving beat. The song was a response to the police brutality and racial injustice that the group experienced in their hometown of Compton, California. Other standout tracks on the album include "F*** tha Police," a scathing critique of police brutality and racial profiling that remains relevant to this day, and "Gangsta Gangsta," which celebrates the gangsta lifestyle that was prevalent in Compton at the time. In addition to its hard-hitting lyrics, "Straight Outta Compton" also showcased the production skills of Dr. Dre, who of course went on to become one of the most successful producers in hip-hop history. The album's production is characterized by its heavy use of samples, hard-hitting beats, and minimalist instrumentation. Despite the controversy surrounding the album's explicit lyrics and subject matter, it has became a cultural touchstone for a whole generation of rap fans. Its influence can be seen in the work of countless hip-hop artists who followed in N.W.A.'s footsteps, including Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem. It’s a landmark album in the history of hip-hop with it’s raw energy and innovative production. One of the greatest rap releases of all time.

Brutal album! More hard-core than most punk and metal,I remember when it first came out my New Jack Swing loving friends were genuinely terrified by it. The message is clear and strong, the anger is evident. Some of the language is nothing but sexist trash and I wonder if it was every acceptable.

YES! That is all.

Culturally significant and is some great hip-hop. Some lyrics haven't aged well but the message is still clear and rings true to this day.

Obviously an incredibly seminal album for all sorts of influential and cultural reasons and it's very good in places but I think I preferred Fear of a Black Planet a few weeks ago by comparison.

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.

classic

This album has a lot of messages which didn't age well - Homophobia, misogyny and such. Some messages aged unfortunately well - The police vs the black community especially. There's no doubt that this was the album that sparked the golden age of gangsta rap, and really defined the sound of rap for years to come. Gangsta rap is by no means my favourite genre, but I can really appreciate this for its history. Favourite: Express Yourself

Very good

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.

Straight Outta Compton, straight into my veins.

Dre's funky verging on playful production juxtaposed with the abhorrently violent, at points hilarious, tighter than two coats of paint lyricism makes for one outrageously entertaining listen. I feel the fact that the National Library of Congress have deemed it culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant gives me brief licence to eschew (bless you) any misgivings regarding the violent sexism common of (almost) all hip hop of the day and fully appreciate it as probably one of the most entertaining hip hop albums of all time.

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

Seminal and influential. But some of the rhyming on this has not aged well. Misogynistic and bragadocious, without the humour or wit to suggest it's a tongue in cheek caricature. The beats were good and creative, but not incredible

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

Started good, unfortunately didn't get any better, or any different. Pretty much turned off halfway as it was just droning on with more of the same.

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

Express yourself

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

A legendary record by revolutionary musicians, pushing a powerful message for their people. The homophobia and misogyny doesn't hold up well. Not all of the songs on here are bangers, but the majority are classics. Highly influential group.

Not bad but not my jam.

Iconic 'Gangster Rap' album not really my style but still a decent bit to appreciate on the album.

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.

Amazing. Classic. Legendary. Express Yourself!

Perfect album to end the week on. I listened to this a few years ago when I was going through Hip Hop albums and also had been inspired by the movie. Straight out of Compton and Fuck the Police are classics. Knowing the behind the scenes of how this was created and all the greats that are part of NWA just makes this a very historical album. It isn't a perfect album, but with the hip hop we are getting on this list, it more than earns its place. I also hope Stevie extra enjoys If It Ain't Ruff.

Definitely a classic right here! It's still wild to me that this album was made in the '80s, it definitely feels ahead of its time. And yet, at the same time, many of the instrumentals do sound dated today. But the songs that bang STILL bang more than 30 years later. The title track, "Fuck the Police," and especially "Express Yourself," what a jam. There's a unbelievable amount of profanity and violence all over this, and it had all the right people quaking. The West Coast had something to say. Ice Cube and Dre would both go on to have illustrious solo careers, but this time and place was special. Definitely worth watching the movie of the same name to get some additional insight. I love this album; I may not love all of it, but it's so important. Favorite tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Express Yourself, I Ain't tha 1, Fuck the Police, Gangsta Gangsta, Compton's N the House, Something 2 Dance 2. Album art: Classic group shot right here, the whole group standing over you before you get shot I guess. Part of me always sees this as the view from inside a trunk, but I don't know if that's accurate. Great font too. 4.5/5

Hip-hop ochentero. No me gusta... Un 2.

West Coast hip hop,gangsta, raphardcore, hip hop.

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.

I mean I didn't hate it. I just don't see a reason to come back.

I’ll be honest, rap groups are absolutely hilarious to me. N.W.A. is literally just an edgier version of *NSYNC. I find it corny and it’s hard to believe that this was one of the defining albums in hip hop history. I’m resisting the inner urges to give this a 1. Never mind, the inner urges won.

This tried to be hard, but it came off as really goofy. I’ve never been a fan of Ice Cube as a rapper, and some of his rhymes in this are laughable. Not a bad actor though.

I had heard some songs from this album and wasn't expecting to like it much. But it was great. I really liked I Ain't Tha 1.

There's some great songs on this album, but the pervasive misogyny made this difficult to get through. This isn't the casual sexism that you get in a lot of other media; this album *hates* women with several songs that amount to little more than screeds against "bitches." It's a tragedy, because this is otherwise an album about a group of people who feel like media (and life in general) is not made for them, and they're rightly angry about it. But then they turn around and do the same thing to another group of people. A historically very important album, which I'm glad I listened to, but holy shit.

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