Straight Outta Compton

Hard one to review…… Great album for original sound and uncomfortable topics and unflinching lyrics But also awful due to the casual misogyny and objectification that is woven through the songs

An important album that could've used some editing. Cut this down to a tight 30 minutes and it's a perfect 5. At an hour? 3 feels right

I know this is groundbreaking. There are clearly great moments and aspects. But I have trouble listening to so much misogyny and violence.

It is a combative yet playful record, and the first two tracks are fantastic.

This is a complicated album. NWA were and are some of the most talented and innovative artists in music. Any hip hop artist (and many artists in other genres) owe a lot to this group and its members. And frankly, while I probably loved this album in my teens, in my forties, I’m not sure I want to hear some of this stuff. It’s brilliant and groundbreaking. And misogynist and homophobic.

"Dre makes the beats so fun-fun-funky" its true. You can hear the roots here of the production that would dominate the 90s emerging from the sparse drum-machine big BOOM BOOM TISH formula with layering samples from a deep well of jazz, funk and soul - taken to an extreme on what's basically a genre-reinvention cover of Express Yourself, but more varied on most of the other tracks that borrow from 4-7 songs at a time to put a rhythm together. Having a bunch of different rappers performing across the album keeps it fresh, but the songs are all too long/repetitve and the album could be trimmed down a bit too.

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

Sigh. Listening to this album exhausted me.

I really don’t like gangster rap, but there isn’t any doubt that the genre has been influential. Straight Outta Compton was among the first and given its place in music history, it was worth a listen. This is a high energy album with some cool, albeit dated, beats. Much like punk, this works and gives with the theme of the record. I found my head boppin’ while listening. The anger against the injustices created by the police do hold up, unfortunately. What I can’t get behind is the homophobia and misogyny on display here. Sure, it feeds the image they are trying to create, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is not okay. Beating down other groups of people is not tough, it is cowardly. From my perspective, that truth works against the image N.W.A. is trying to create, but I guess it worked for them. It is interesting to get this album the same day as a solicitation for the Southern Poverty Law Center decrying the rise of hate and extremism. I get the anger on display here, I really do. The ongoing injustices are real. However, as we suffer through the second Trump administration, with a MAGA movement fueled by hatred and anger, I question whether this approach to change is productive. Anger begets anger. I’m glad this project is giving me a greater appreciation for hip-hop, but not this one. I fully admit that its failure to resonate stems, in part, from me being pretty far removed from the world they describe.

Yeah yeah this album is important, groundbreaking and whatnot, but I really dislike gangsta rap. These guys just keep talking about themselves and what they gonna do and all I keep thinking is 'sit your ass down and shut up, get over yourself ffs'. So annoying, the beats, the guys, the lyrics

On 'Something Like That', Dre explains what it takes to be a good MC: "To create something funky that's original / You need to talk about the place to be / Who you are, what you got, or about a sucker MC." Which pretty much nails all of his group's shortcomings. For his part, the beats are far fresher than the raps.

I really hated this. It's so fucking long and repetitive and boring. All you really need to listen to is straight outta compton and express yourself. Those are the best songs on this album. The former is a classic, that opening verse is iconic. The later has a great sample that carries the whole track. It's fun. The rest of the tracks are too long and have boring instrumentals, monotonous flows and lyrics that don't age well. Fuck the police is wayyy too long. For the first verse, chorus and post-chorus, i'm into it. But then it goes on for another 3 minutes... so i'm out. Across the board, the beats are made up of very generic, stock sounds. Thats not necessarily a bad thing, but they just don't do much with those sounds, except on that goofy instrumental-ish outro track, that one was fun i guess. The rest were nothing special... but i assume they were groundbreaking at the time. The lyrics are a lot. They're anger is warranted. Talking so directly about racism and police brutality and gang life was groundbreaking in the 80s. I understand how important these messages are, i just didn't enjoy their version of it. A lot of rappers have tackled racism and police brutality since and handled it better in my opinion. The lyrics on a lot of tracks were tough to get through in 2025. If only the instrumentals were exciting, so i could ignore the lyrics and just focus on the music. But again the instrumentals are pretty bare so the lyrics are the star of the show. It's a 1.5 from me and i'm gonna round down.

Absolute degenerate ghetto trash. Zero stars for these niggas. The decline of Western Civilization in one album.

Horrible

Same review as yesterday. Dr. Dre is a sack of shit.

Gangsta (c)rap

Argh

Never choose this. ever.

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 was a tough album to endure - I listened to the first 3 ‘songs’ and stopped listening to the album generator for 2 months! I gave it another go today and realised it’s not for me - too many issues to start I haven’t got the energy……..

Over my head why this is revered. 3 planks spouting fantasy lyrics in a monotonous, single paced, rhythmically tedious, naff fashion. Pile of nonsense.

Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A. (1988) These artists are engaged in a competition to see who can be the most gleefully vitriolic. This is groundbreaking gangsta rap, and it is very well done. It sounds great. It features concussive beats, precise rhythms, colorful (if obscene) lyrics, innovative sampling, a superb sense of meter, inventive, complex rhymes, and even a couple of relatively harmless tracks (“Express Yourself” and “Something 2 Dance 2”). But overall the album carries a message that disqualifyingly nihilistic. It is not resignedly nihilistic. It is not despairingly nihilistic. It is intentionally and programmatically nihilistic. And it is hateful. And it is violent. And it is cruel toward entire classes of people. More importantly, as an exercise in the poetic arts it is rhetorically deficient: it attempts to persuade and dissuade while failing to make elementary distinctions; it is self-contradictory; it makes dubious assertions unsupported by evidence; and it is peppered with non-sequiturs. What results is a display of high intelligence that is highly misguided. The phrase “cancel culture” has gained currency of late. But that’s not what’s going on here. What we have here is “torture culture”. This is an album that deserves to be heard (at least once) by the serious listener because of its undeniable social influence and because its engagement is required for any honest endeavor to see where the tens of millions of followers ‘are coming from’. Ignore it at your peril. People who refuse to listen to ‘this crap’ are, at best, shielding their souls at the cost of redeeming the souls of others (including children and grandchildren). A thoughtful assessment of the messages in this album will justify within you a healthy dose of skepticism, pessimism, and cynicism: skepticism to the limit of sin against faith; pessimism to the border of sin against hope; and cynicism right to the horizon of sin against charity. In the fifteen years prior to this record’s release, there were millions of unborn children in the U.S. who were killed in the womb with legal sanction. The value of human life in this nation was thereby grossly diminished. This record, therefore, should not shock you. It should, however, prompt you to connect a few dots. And contemplate the Paschal Mystery. 1/5

Hated it. I hate rap. This was particularly bad. Glorifying violence and drugs, chants about killing cops. Not for me.

Very nice

Big fan of them referencing themselves 8 ball references the beastie boys which is pretty rad

What a great album. They were so young when this came out too what a treat. It is interesting how easily people dismiss 'gang culture' when it's a a set of people they don't like. The Mob is almost worse than the bloods and crips in many ways but as a society there seems to be plenty of Mob movies and tv shows where you get to know and care for them. Let's not forget the loveable Cuban gangster played by an Italian American that is everywhere in the culture. And don't get me started on biker gangs and other shit like that. For those that are like "I don't like the language, why do they have to cure so much, why do they have to blah blah blah", allow me to quote a great punk band The Smut Peddlers "Because Fuck You, That's Why".

more bangers

Реальные генгста

That is an album, loved it.

Groundbreaking, brilliant, funky, raw.

perf

Fuckin good. Said it, and will again, this is raps finest era. I’d call this a perfect album. Yes, it’s all pretty much one track gangster rap as far as topic, but the lyricism is intelligent, I love all the samples scattered in there, and a few of these beats are so damn good. It’s just banger after banger. A group of assassins. AND, without NWA, we might not have the movie Are We There Yet?…and is that a world you want to live in?

This album is classic. It was groundbreaking and subversive. The older I get, the more obvious it becomes that Ice Cube wrote most of the lyrics for all of the songs.

The album that really started gangsta rap. Yeah it’s misogynistic, homophobic, violent, etc., etc. but for gangsta rap this is a modern masterpiece

fuh da police!!!!!!!

yeahh i love that. definitely gonna listen to it again

This pioneering anti-cop album paved the way for Ice Cube to exclusively play hard-nosed police captains.

West Coast hip-hop, gangsta rap.

Hip-hop at it's best. Not a big fan of this genre, but this one was always my favourite with its undeniable pure street cred in-your-face rebellous energy.

Timeless and flawless.

I had heard this album when I was a teenager. The beats and music in general takes me back. Their voices are very unique. There is a good mix of lyrics from chillin' to making a statement. Re listening to this was a blast.

I had heard multiple songs off this album before listening to it today. The lyrics still remain solid and the beats remain funky.

the OGs

крута

This is street knowledge 🙎🏼‍♂️

Muy buen album! Se sintió un poco como el inició de algo icónico. Me gusta que se siente una unidad y también una fuerza 4,4 de 5

Great stuff. I have a soft spot for early hip hop. This was a common soundtrack in high school.

5*

Gran disco

Very good album. I don’t listen to a ton of rap but I can definitely see why this is so famous.

Through back chestnut hills elementary

Yes!!!

Had listened to this entire album previously, own it. Always a fun listen.

yeahhh

I love this album. It speaks truth to what these young guys were seeing growing up. The album art is iconic and this album is responsible for inspiring so many other great rappers. Again, bias for 80s/90s rap. Favorite song - Fuck the police.

Total classic. Still holds up. It’s definitely front-loaded, but even the poorer songs are still memorable in their own way. The aggression and ridiculous lyrics make it all so bombastic, it’s great. 5.

9/10

I mean cmon its gas

Classic OG

One of my favorite albums. Everything is firing on all cylinders. A fantastic group of rappers who's individual strengths helped cover others' weaknesses. This is definitely a must listen album, especially if you have any interest in rap (and more specifically the gangster rap of the late 80s and 90s). Fuck tha police.

Iconic rap album, changed hip hop forever

indeed

Outstanding album!

Very good HipHop album with great flow and bars. Some of it's a bit problematic, but still a solid 5.

"I have trouble with the violent and misogynistic lyrics" Did you try thinking?? Critically, even?! Jokes aside, this album is fucking TNT. Shit was so popular the LAPD got their budget increased.

10/10

Straight Outta Compton Fuck tha Police Gangsta Gangsta Express Yourself

Real niggaz don't die straight up gangstas

It is very interesting. Limitless violence.

Yeaaah, boyee. Now we're talking. Look, the album is dated now, sure, but it's like 5 decades old. But it's still more potent, caustic, daring, and powerful than any hip hop album since. Plus it has a collection of bangers. It peters off towards the end, but it's a clear five stars. Anything less than 4 stars and you hate music and hate life.

First class album

Are you kidding me? 5 star of course

Bars. Beats. Fun. Funky. Lyrical. The rhymes are top tier. Really good production. Knew a couple of these, but Express Yourself really surprised me, catchy and funky.

The fact the 'Fuck tha Police' is still as relevant today as it was when it was released is depressing, yet proves that N.W.A did in fact, have something to say.

There is really not a lot to say other than this album is awesome and incredibly fun/important

Straight outta Compton is a classic gangsta rap album, Which influenced and popularised gangsta rap as a whole. it had one of the best Eazy - E and MC Ren performances. needless to say, that songs such as "Fuck tha Police" singlehandedly killed censorship, allowed to talk shit about cops and goverment, which gave us tons of good rap songs Album has songs that are unusual for gangsta album - Talking about expressing yourself and having something 2 dance 2. Where Dre talks about individuality and creativity freedom. For 1988s and to this day this album still feels amazing, def top 25 rap albums OAT.

Fire start with Straight Outta Compton and Fuck Tha Police back to back, the two tracks from the album I was most familiar with. Gangsta Gangsta isn't far behind with a sick beat. The other highlight of the album is Express Yourself, with a more mainstream appealing sound. The storytelling throughout most tracks on this record is a blast, sometimes clashing heavily with the uplifting beats with very dark themes like in Dopeman. Even a track like Something 2 Dance 2 which shouldn't work for this album does, thanks to the impeccable production. The album overall impressed me the most by how polished it is from start to finish and even though I'd remove a couple of tracks to make it a more compact album with no skips it's undoubtedly a classic and feels way ahead of it's time and I can only guess how groundbreaking it back then, as today it sounds like a kick start to 90s Hip Hop. 9/10

Amazing cohesion from young MCs with seemingless boundless energy. Better interplay than Wu-Tang. Despite being known for the gangsta tropes, there’s that sense of community found in De La and Tribe. Also a surprising amount of homoeroticism.

so cool. every second of this is like wow, they are so cool. no one does it like them

An obvious classic. This is another one that my dad showed me as a young lad, so it's always stuck with me. I feel like I get something new out of each listen, though it may be that the length makes me tune in and out at different times. It's tough to listen to a full hour length album without getting distracted these days. I would blame that on getting old but that seems like something that would get easier with age, so maybe its just donkey brains.

A hugely influential album in my life. Yeah, the raps are outdated, but the politics are still valid and these beats still bang. "Express Yourself" is incredible use of a sample.

Game changing album, the first time I heard this I was dumbstruck at how raw, poetic and emotional it was. And it still has the same effect. Express Yourself will forever hold a THPS4 shaped place in my heart. 5.0/5.0 Best Song: Fuck Tha Police

This album is a classic for a reason: engaging and occasionally hilarious, musically interesting and mature and throughout it all just unbelievably, effortlessly cool

She rubbed her legs like a cricket. Everytime I listen to the album I hear lines that make we say wow. Such a great group. Too bad Ice Cube didn’t get his $$$$$ they could have made even better.

One of the best ever. When rap was rap.

Very good

Brilliant album

Tbh it’s a very important album, but the cultural relevance that it serves now would be the contrast of how ice cube is now a sellout, and how a lot of rappers today are pro institution. This album serves as the epitome of this.

leuk en classic

I mean...this is fucking iconic shit. Grew listening to these tracks alone at various points in my life. It's Straight Outta Compton maaaaaaaahn. 5 out of 5 all the way.

Top clasic hiphop albums

Album 154. Straight Outta Compton (https://open.spotify.com/album/12UO1VN1TffieQyDyzjivp?si=u8QulCJuRMuaq4Q6ZCY0lQ) — N.W.A. (1988) Finally, I've been waiting for a good hip-hop album for so long. Yesterday I thought why why there have been no hip-hop albums for so long and finally that's what I need. Ice Cube is brilliant — Brilliant Cube. A classic N.W.A. album and their best 5/5 Liked: — Straight Outta Compton — Fuck Tha Police — Gangsta Gangsta — If It Ain't Ruff — Express Yourself — A Bitch Iz A Bitch

Oh boy am I excited!! What an album, what a collection of talent as well.

Fuck the police is so neatly made. You can hear every track so clearly. It gave me the feeling of using a correction tape on something I wrote wrong. Gratifying. The rest not bad. Similar bpm does make things sound boring. But it’s an easy five for just a few amazing tracks. The rest can just be sitting there doing nothing.

this album is just so iconic. its two first songs, 'Straight Outta Compton' and 'Fuck Tha Police' set the stage for an piece of work that is unapologetic and extremely raw. the entire album is a showcase of what these young men experience in their day to day life. its one of America's first looks at what it was to be poor and black in America in such a way that holds nothing back. that said, we even get some dance music of the time with 'something 2 dance 2' and '8ball' (shout out to the Beastie Boy samples on that track), showcasing Dre's beat making skills that would come to define an upcoming generation. i would i think rate this a 9, but i think im going to round up for cultural significance.

Oh boy something incredibly awesome to break up all the classic rock I've been given lately! I wasn't allowed to listen to this back in the 80's, not because of the language or subject matter, but because the "N" stood for the "N" word, and my parents hated that word. So you best believe I bumped this album in my car all day today and enjoyed every second of it. Sorry Mom and Dad, but not sorry and I promise I didn't say the "N" word when singing along but substituted "brother" and "neighbor" instead. Some of the tracks sound like that great house party music we loved to dance to back then and "Fuck Tha Police" just goes as hard now as it did then. I can't love this enough.

Great album. Listened to it many times.

I'm not a big fan of a lot of the west coast rap that became popular in the 90's, but this album is much funkier and appealed to me much more. I think it is a tad bloated, but for the time it came out, it is pretty astounding, and I can hear influences on both west and east coast rap to come.

Phenomenal music. Amazing tracks, lyrics are nuts. A time capsule that holds up beautifully

I had to give this 5 stars or Danny AND Andy would beat me up.

You can not argue the importance of the album.

4.5 1x old classic... i am thinking a 5 is justified based on the amount of play i used to give this. tons of great tracks, even though it's a rare listen these days

Fuck da police

A revolutionary hip-hop album. Versatile and energetic songs, filled with stories, feelings and opinions. Could listen to the album again and again - it is fun, action-packed and well written. Many songs are now a rap classic.

Most of the songs on this album are absolutely legendary. This is one of the definitive 90s rap albums.

One of the best rap albums you'll find

Seminal hip hop album that all others are measured against.

These boys got attitude.

Energetic and angry!

As a racist police officer who hates women I am very conflicted 5/5

FUCK DA POLICE

Classic political Hip Hop that blows a lot of modern hip hop out of the water.

I think I prefer Ice Cube The Predator more but both are 5

My previous review was a joke: this is my favorite 90’s rap/hip-hop album. One of the few that’s in my yearly rotation. BUT THERES ALWAYS ROOMS FOR JOKES Ice Cube is more likely to star in “A CAB” than protest police these days!

One of Helen's favorites. I didn't know the band. It's cool

simply the most influential hip hop album ever made , showcasing Ice Cube as a writer and Dre as an emerging producer and lyricist, with unforgettable performances from Eazy-E.

אלבום משהים

Great album

Nostalgic listen

This was a huge album for teenage me, even as a white kid in Australia. Grabbed a lot of attention with 'Fuck Tha Police', but there was plenty else to back it up, they weren't one trick ponies. 'Express Yourself' remains one of my favourite hiphop tracks to this day, and the early production of Dre shows why he became such a huge force in the 1990s. Some of the lyrics and themes do sound a bit dated today, but this was nearly 40 years ago now, and there is universal themes that are easily relatable today elsewhere.

Favorite Track: Express Yourself

Based

One of the most iconic hip hop albums of all time

YES YES YES

so good wtf

Powerhouse.

I did see the movie in Theaters

I was only familiar with a few of these beforehand, but it's all so fucking good. A lot of different styles while staying cohesive and catchy as fuck. Definitely a moment in time

hip hop is so fire

This album still rocks--beats, lyrics, vibe--it's the real deal.

Skip loves this album.

bueno, sabroso, aunque ya al final se escucha un poco repetitivo pero son cosas del género

5 stars

It’s just so good. Production and flow is unbeatable

A classic for a reason. The beats are completely timeless and some of the best in the entirety of hip hop history. Their attitude towards women is exhaustingly juvenile, but also tongue in cheek and a product of their times. I’ve loved this group ever since I heard the censored version of “Gangsta Gangsta” on a “Rapmasters 9: Best of the Hardcore” cassette I got from Walmart in 2nd grade. I was SHOCKED to find out they swore so much when I first heard the real thing🤣. What a great, nostalgic, and super fun listen!

ageless

This might be the most radically different week of music day to day I’ve had on the site since I started. I’ve jumped from Taylor Swift, to Jimi Hendrix, to N.W.A. And the ladder 2 of those are both absolutely deserving of 5 stars, and are pivotal, important albums that still kick ass today. Can’t wait to see what I get tomorrow, it’s either going to be something really good or notably bad, I almost guarantee it. No in between, those are the only options. Straight Outta Compton is a pivotally important album not just for rap, but for music in general. There’s a good reason why it was put into the National Recording Registry. Among the cavalcade of positive things it accomplished, some of the many notable feats include launching the careers of multiple now famous rappers including the wildly successful Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, became the first gangsta rap album to sell over a million copies thanks to breakthrough and important songs like “Fuck Tha Police”, “Straight Outta Compton”, “Gangsta Gangsta”, and “Express Yourself”, had an entire documentary made about it, drew attention to many cultural issues by the sheer power of spoken word alone enough to get the entire crew targeted by the US government, and most importantly it’s just actually catchy as shit. I don’t personally believe any of the rappers here miss a single beat throughout the length of the album. Another really cool aspect about this album is just how diverse the track listing is. It helps of course to have like 8 different rappers available at any given moment, but each song really feels different. The difference for instance between “Fuck Tha Police” and “Express Yourself” is almost staggering, both lyrically and tonally. Where some rap albums suffer with annoying skits that never impress me, this one doesn’t have a single one, which is so relieving to hear. I’ve never cared for them, and I never will. They ruin the flow of most albums they appear in. It’s also never repetitive, and looking at each song by name is easy to remember which one is which, a rarity with album like this. Notably, that’s due to having a lot of people contributing, which I previously mentioned, but that’s still obviously a good thing. A lot of the comments mention how vulgar and offensive this album is as if that’s even remotely an issue, or something inherently wrong with the album itself. You have to think of the context here though. These guys were young, Black teenagers from Compton in the 80’s, so of fucking course it’s going to be vulgar. Sure, the subject matter in some of the songs, notably “I Ain’t Tha 1” aren’t great, but again, these guys were young, inexperienced, and pissed off at the world. Rightfully so, and at the bare minimum that song still at least slaps, lyrics aside. This album rocks. It’s probably the most important rap album ever released, and sadly a lot of the greater themes addressed in it are still relevant today. Is “Fuck Tha Police” the best song on the album?? Yeah, probably. It’s my favorite at least.

Banger

fuck the police fr

Essential listening Best Song: Gangsta Gangsta Rating: 9/10 Stars: 5

loved the flow, even if it was a little simplistic

I think I first found this album when I was about 10 years old. As a kid in suburban Australia I'm not sure how exactly, but I remember we were allowed to bring tapes in to class in sixth grade to play and I accidentally brought this in. It still sounds amazing now.

Classic

Classic og

Funny, I mentioned this album when reviewing Eminem's "The Marshall Mathers LP" two weeks ago, which I really disliked because of the bigotry and the homophobic and misogynistic lyrics, disguised by presenting them as his alter ego "Slim Shady". That, at least, can't be said of N.W.A - they didn't need an alter ego, because, well, they came "Straight Outta Compton" and these opinions were, well, just their opinions. When this came out in 1988, I was immersed in metal and punk, and had started to explore (anarcho-)punk music too. What was ultimately refreshing about this album (to me) was that it was just as controversial as many of the (anarcho-)punk bands I listened to, but completely free from political correctness. I mean, was this even meant for 14-year-olds? But it did open my eyes to the injustice served to many African Americans at that time and (unfortunately) today. So, apart from the homophobic and misogynistic lyrics ("I Ain't Tha' 1"), it became a staple and opened doors to Public Enemy and KRS-One. Apart from that, the whole hip-hop scene left me cold, but this album was, and is, legendary. 5/5

wait cause i dont play aboyt old school hip hop put this on at the function while im coked out hitting the milly rock with a bottle of jack in my hand

peak

This album is still super relevant in 2026. I think this album deserves all the praise it can, it's not for me but objectively great.

Best westside gangsta album. I didn’t expect it to be such a vibe.

Good production, good lyrics, the official start of hip hop.

Ik heb eindelijk m’n luidsprekers goed afgesteld en ahh wat klinkt dit toch goed!!!!! Ik ben niet echt een lyrics luister maar vond het wel lastiger hier om de misogynie te negeren, omdat het toch wel erg expliciet is (maar ik laat me niet afleiden). Dit is echt een van de eerste hip hop albums die niet onhandig klinkt (behalve misschien paid in full van Erik B. And Rakim). Het is zo volkomen logisch dat men helemaal gek werd toen dit uit kwam! We kunnen heel veel zeggen over gangsta rap en problematische aspecten van het genre (heb er papers over geschreven), maar omdat dit ergens hèt gangsta rap album is, maakt dat me even niet uit. Iconisch album met een van de beste binnenkomers ooit. De lage synth aan het begin van de title track is zoooo effectief in de ernst en de zwaarte van gangsta rap te laten horen. Fuck tha police is een perfect nummer. Ice Cube’s verse is m’n favoriete, wat een stem! Liefde naar de typische 808 geluidjes in gangsta gangsta (maar dan op een interessante manier, in plaats van de clichés die we toch vaak associëren met een 808) De synth bass in parental discretion iz advised doet iets in m’n brein. Express yourself vind ik het meest sympathieke liedje! Gewoon zo’n goed album!!!

Fuck the police and all..... but whoooooo do they hate women (sigh)

One of the foundational albums of90s hip hop. Perfect combination of anger and flow. Love it.

Love me some West Coast gangsta rap. And this did not disappoint. TItle track was a blast. Fuck The Police is the only one I've heard before, love this one. Gangsta Gangsta is great, I've heard the line "not about the salary, it's all about reality" before from a different song, didn't know it was on this album. If It Ain't Ruff, 8 Ball, Express Yourself, Compton's N The House, and I Ain't Tha 1 are all really fun. Every track hits right. Love it! Best song: Fuck Tha Police

Absolutely iconic album. So many samples I did not know and the production is so so good - Dre and Arabian Prince involved. I love this album, love the lyrics. I didn't know the FBI wrote a warning letter about Fuck Tha Police. The beats on Something 2 Dance 2 are insane.

This was such an influential album and group in hip hop history. Yo, what the fuck are they yellin?!

A stone cold classic, a bedrock for hip hop. Enjoyed this immensely. I have it on vinyl, and it took me a while to get into. Comments about misogyny and violence are ridiculous, just listen to stupid bands like Aerosmith and Rolling Stones and you'll find that these guys have been doing it for much longer!¬

heat

Rough start of something new. More or less the birth of g-funk, one of my favorite genres in hiphop. While this album was a little on the long side and a little sloppy here and there, it's easily forgiven for the impact it made on the music I love.

fantastic start to finish

classic of course. all star lineup including Ice Cube. game changer

N.W.A. delivers only the freshest of gangsta rap beats, which masterfully support the clever lyricism and deeply political themes of this album. An instant classic, even on first listen.

ABSOLUTE BANGERS!!! Haven’t listened to the full album in soooo long😋😋😋

Nothing was cooler and edgier than blasting NWA in the suburbs.

One of the most groundbreaking albums in hip hop and music history!!! Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the material itself. Ice Cube and Ren are masters of their craft when they write dor themselves and for Eazy E. Dre's and Yella's work on the sampling and beats is incredible and is only a telltale sign of what's to come. As for the songs, they speak for themselves. F the Police, title track, Gangsta Gangsta, Dopeman etc. All classics. A 5/5, if there ever was one.

A GOOD ONE

Express Yourself

Sassy!

A hip-hop classic. People may be quick to write off this album because of the profanity, violence, and misogyny, but it's important to realize how common these things are in places like Compton. It's interesting to hear how hip-hop was changing at this point - the rhymes and instrumentals are getting more complex in comparison to other albums that preceeded it.

Fuck the police my favorite song out the album makes me want to get a boom box and get caset taped

Classic hip hop

One of the most influential albums of my lifetime. Generational bangers, talent and album. Easy to remember release date 8/8/88 - which goes well with the 808 beats! Recognizable faces and voices. Surprised to see this came out after Beastie Boys 'License to Ill' cause thought it was earlier. To me, this album signifies the end of elementary, early hip hop and ushered in gangsta rap as the dominant genre.

Raps super group. Changed the game.?

This album has very strength and powerful energy. I can got confidence from their music. They are the legendary of the westside. That old school flow make me can't help moving.

The tracks go so hard. My favorites were Parental Discretion is advised, Express Yourself, Great album, classic. LMAO "I ain't the one to get played like a pooh butt" these guys are goofballs.

Fire

Classic hip hop and the birth of Gangsta Rap!

good album, wasn’t in the mood

Класіка, тут гарно все, якщо не намагатись вслуховуватись в тексти

When Straight Outta Compton dropped in 1988 it was the CNN of the hood. Today it feels like a documentary. This is an important album, a glimpse into life on the streets of L.A in the late 80s. Raw, ugly, and unflinchingly honest. Shocking lyrics about cops mistteating black people proved accurate when the Rodney King video surfaced. A realization came over us that NWA wasn't making this stuff up, this was their world and when the riots occurred we better understood the rage that ignited the fires we watched burn from our living rooms. Most importantly, the music is damn good. The message was heard because the beats were dope, bass thumping, and Eazy Es delivery was on point. It's quite an accomplishment to create music that has you bopping your head while shouting Fuck Tha Police! I've seen some reviews turned off by the mysonogistic/homophobic lyrics, and they are right, a lot of ugly images painted. I'm not one to dismiss those feelings. I'll just say I think it's the cost of creating something honest. Sometimes the truth is ugly, and NWAs world was indeed ugly. To portray that world any differently would have been wrong.

Awesome!

Classic!

If - and this is a big if - you can get past the casual sexism and homophobia- this album is a masterclass. Filled with sick beats, flawlessly integrating four MCs whose voices combine and trade off, every one as strong as the other. It is filled with so much joy and life, while also getting heavy, including what is still the best musical call out of the systemic racism of the police system. But there’s that sexism and homophobia... I’m going to give this five stars, but with a big fucking asterisk.

Classic

Best Song: Straight Outta Compton The OG of gangster rap (see, I can learn terminology for music!) If you have any interest in rap whatsoever, this is a must listen and even if you don't like hip-hop - this is a time capsule as well as a rap album. 5/5.

i dont like those police fellows, i dare say. no others notes

9 outta 10 lizard wizards

An all out classic. Groundbreaking album.

Can't stop thinking about the bassline in Parental Discretion Iz Advised When Express Yourself started I literally went closer to the speaker like :o How had I not heard this before? Had to stop myself adding so many songs to my playlist - most of these albums have 2 or 3 songs on the playlist, and 8 songs into Straight Outta Compton, 4 of those had made it onto the playlist, with two that I was very much considering adding. Howeverrrrr, think the first half of the album was better. Overall still banging. 4.5/5, rounded up Very interesting btw how I've noticed a lot of folk in the reviews denouncing N.W.A.'s misogyny and homophobia - much more than on any other album with similar content. Also a lot of people saying they hate rap and barely gave this a go. Looks a lot like thinly veiled racism to me! Will never for a second stand for misogyny or homophobia, I'm a queer femme person, but I will ALSO not stand for people using outrage as a tool to be racist/colourist. Don't use me as an excuse for your prejudice Anyway, I love funk and this was fun. We love sampling, we love young people being creative

What can I say about this album that hasn't already been said. People don't often categorize rap as an "alternative" genre - it typically gets shoehorned into its own category, and new boundaries get redrawn around it. I think this album exemplifies the best of rap as an alternative genre. It defied the mainstream, caused controversy, and was the best of the genre pre capitalist recuperation. Black art always has had the burden of becoming representative of Black people as a whole. It's refreshing to have art that didn't concern itself with optics, and focused on craft and what it wanted to say. It wasn't worried about how white America would take it, and rather took it to task. You create a society that subjugates a group of people for CENTURIES, then create narratives out of the actions they take having to survive said conditions. N.W.A said all this with style, and the best beats of the era. "Express Yourself" is still one of my favorite tracks off this album, a simple but good use of a sample, and punchy lyrics. DJ Yella really is one of the greatest producers of all time. It's hard to pick a standout track on this whole piece, though. Back-to-back hits that work together well. Obviously some regressive attitudes and mindsets, but as said on "Gangsta, Gangsta" "Do I look like a motherfucking Role Model?"

Love it

Never listened to it before. kind feel like a young gangsta in the '90s when i was a little boy.

I think it's underrated how funny they were.

Total classic. The beats and the samples are incredible. The lyrics maybe haven't aged the best, but it is a time capsule of LA in the 80's and in that lens, it is what it is in my opinion. This was the beginning of a huge music scene and industry from LA and so many of these guys are still household names 30+ years later. Awesome beats, classic hooks and timeless rhymes (if not a little corny in places). 5/5 for sure.

The drums on this album are insane! They're big and cavernous, booming like a cannon. The rest of the music is filled out with a mix of hard rock guitars and loose funk. The majority of the album hits hard, but there's a playful streak throughout too. The lyrics are radical and in-your-face (and occasionally reprehensible on the subject of women). "Fuck tha Police" is a classic and an absolute jam. Some of the lyrics are still shocking. They go back and forth from righteous rage to gleeful violence. The title track is incredible too. What an opening statement. "Express Yourself" and "I Ain't Tha 1" are very fun songs -- the more playful side of N.W.A's hard-hitting sound. I'm always amazed by the contrast of how joyful the music is on "I Ain't Tha 1" and how awful the misogynistic lyrics are. This is an entertaining listen front to back. Amazing energy and a unique style that influenced countless other artists in addition to launching the careers of everyone in the group.

Super influential, and one of the best rap / gangsta rap albums ever, and for good reason. Great in-and-out flows as the group trades verses, amazing lyrics that really pull you into this 80s gang milieu, and the production still stands up almost 40 years later. "Straight Outta Compton" "Fuck Tha Police" "Express Yourself" are all certified rap classics; some of the best rap tracks ever. I personally love all of them, and there's been times of my life where I can proudly say that I have had the lyrics memorized of each of them, but maybe not all at once :). Easy (mother fuckin E) 5/5 for me. Probably a top 2 or top 3 favorite rap album of all time.

5 out of 5 The GOAT of 80's rap albums. Every song is a banger.

the classic of american Hip hop culture changing album. not into Rap but you have to appreciate the natural and real sound that belongs to their background. Actual real people doing the things they said.

Classic

Created a whole new genre. Classic.

This album isn’t just a cornerstone of hip hop, it’s one of those rare records that shifted the cultural landscape. The production hits hard with its stripped-back beats, sharp samples, and relentless pacing, creating a raw and aggressive backdrop for the group’s uncompromising delivery. From the opening title track, it’s clear this is meant to be loud, confrontational, and impossible to ignore. Tracks like “Straight Outta Compton,” “Gangsta Gangsta,” and “F*** tha Police” are more than just songs, they’re statements, delivered with a mix of fury and precision that defined an entire era. The chemistry between Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and MC Ren gives the record its momentum, while Dre’s production gives it a punch that still holds up today. What makes Straight Outta Compton so powerful is how unapologetically it captures a time and place. It’s blunt, violent, and politically charged, but also incredibly focused. This isn’t background music, it’s a record that demands to be heard, and whether you agree with its message or not, its influence is impossible to deny. Era-defining is exactly the right word.

Not my bag of tea but I know this LP from my old college roommate. It does bang ! Classic.

This is an incredible album. Everyone should have a copy of this influential album.

Amazing. Yes there are problems with misogyny and violence, but it is an amazing album and really speaks to their time and experience and it’s just damn good music

For being 36 years old it really holds up to modern times. "Fuck the Police" is as relevant as ever.

Classic

A turning point in history for rap music and the beginning of some of the most influential artists in the genre.

CLÁSSICO DOS CLÁSSICOS AMOOOOOOO

Where this album shines is with the production and sampling. The bass lines hit so hard all across. Gangsta Gangsta's sample hits so good. Lots of these tracks set the way for so much of rap music for the years to come. I've criticised a lot of previous albums from 90s, 80s and before for their misogyny and lack of social awareness. But this is fucking gangsta rap you fucking idiots, of course it's going to be like this you muthafucking bitch.

An album so integral to the foundation of rap that they made a movie about it. Although some of the lyrics are cringy at best with today’s lens it is still a seminal work.

C'mon. What can even be said about this album? The way the sampling is cut, the overlay of real-ass sounding dramatic spoken dialog, big-ass bass kicks with tight-ass high end elements. It's so goddamn sparkly and hi-def. The dynamics are all sloted together, each element occupying its own space in the frequency spectrum. It's that magic Dre touch. This album is absolute proof of Dre's prowess, his ear and ability to fill out the whole space and sound big and clean as fuck. Eazy-E is the fuckin' star. Everyone on here is great. Eazy just brings that shit every time. Second-half isn't as crazy as the first half, but still good shit. Tracks are a bit more minimal. Ends on some Freestyle type shit, like you'd be watching some break dancer silhouettes against a golden So Cal sunset backdrop in the hood while the credits for the album roll. Interesting where this album begins and ends. Classic as fuck album.

I do see why Ice Cube went solo

Controversial. Vulgar. Intimidating. Uncompromising And yet, 'Straight Outta Compton' is one of the most important records ever made. Hip Hop being a staple genre in mainstream music and culture has N.W.A.* to thank. Just like the Ramones' debut record was 'Patient Zero' for American Punk, 'Straight Outta Compton' was 'Patient Zero' for West Coast American Hip Hop. Rappers Ice Cube, MC Ren and Eazy-E, backed by the razor-sharp production of Dr Dre, DJ Yella and Arabian Prince, cuss, rhyme and attack all whom have wronged them through an hour of some of the most controversial and confrontational music released since the first wave of punk. And I'd be lying if I said it wasn't enthralling in the slightest. The one-two-three punch of the title track, 'F.T.P.'* and 'Gangsta Gangsta' to start the album sets the tone very quickly, and the intense tales of street violence, 'gangstas', racism, sexism and hood mentality brought gangster rap to the masses in the late 80s, and kept authorities on high alert, with California already experiencing an uneasy period of street violence. Popular music and culture was never the same post-N.W.A. The group burned brightly and quickly. Formed in 1987 and were done by 1991 [with very occasional reunions in between]. Ice Cube became a solo star [in both music and film], and Dr Dre, while commencing his own solo career, took some little known rappers [Snoop Dogg, Eminem and 50 Cent] under his wing and made them just as big, if not bigger, than himself. Eazy-E sadly never lived to see the legacy he created, dying of AIDS in 1995 at the age of 30. Probably an album where the legacy trumps the music, but the music was a gamechanger. Arguably the most influential album ever released. Best songs: 'Straight Outta Compton', 'F.T.P.'*, 'Gangsta Gangsta', 'Express Yourself' 5/5 *Stating what N.W.A. and F.T.P. stand for will likely get my account banned.

The most important American work on race relations since John Howard Griffin's Black Like Me from 1961. One of very few albums (the only one?) on the 1001 list that will be required listening in all places of higher learning hundreds of years after everyone reading these words is long gone. Besides being a definitive work on race relations it's a striking work of protest art that goes toe to toe with Bob Dylan's very best work (who BTW is a big fan of the album since its initial release) angry as all fuck, soul sobering and sadly more relevant today than when it first came out in 1989. Sure, it's often ugly, misogynistic, explosive and disjointed but given the subject matter how could it not be?

a classic.

"Ah, why should wrath be mute and fury dumb?" Critics have accused them of macho posturing, but it's like yeah that's kind of the point. This is an angry album, and a funny album; there are plenty of individual lines and fragments that can make me laugh out loud just because of how they're delivered. ICE: Let's run a train. EASY: Man, I wouldn't touch that bitch. ICE: ME NEITHER. And if you're saying hey, anger and humor are defense mechanisms, yes you are correct. This album is self-aware and self-effacing. They switch between verse and prose like characters in Shakespeare. The rappers constantly address the producers, the act of recording, the fact that this is at its core a construct. (See: Dre on the ironic and metafictional ‘Express Yourself’.) It’s a loud, dumb violent album, but it’s an act, a set of charismatic characters in a shared universe, *but* the act came from a place of genuine frustration and alienation. It's good stuff.

Holds up. Great, catchy beats, bombastic rhymes that tell a story and get you hyped. Foundational.

This record is really really good. It lacks a lot of the flatness that other 80s hip hop has gotten with time. The samples and beats are really good, especially Funky Worm on Dopeman. I can def hear the influences on everything that came after this album. Politically, it still feels very relevant and I kinda feel like a trespasser listening to this album. Standout Tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Gangsta Gangsta, Dopeman 5/5 deserves to be on this list

I literally yelled "Yes" when this album came up on queue. Great use of sampling and narriative storytelling with the occasional profanity.

Fuck ya!

I hadn't listened to this in it's entirety in a long time. It's probably a 5 just for cultural significance but it also deserves it for 1988 Ice Cube and to a slightly lesser degree MC Ren.

tope

I remember when this came out. It created a buzz and felt dangerous. It's wild to think that lyrically this album is reality to a lot of people, where this level of violence towards women or people wearing the wrong clothing or law enforcement as part of daily life. It's some pretty dire shit.

yes

I LOVED this album. Obviously the violent misogyny was hard to listen to, but I can’t deny how compelling this was. I loved Dopeman, perfect depiction of the horrors of addiction. 4.5/5

Damn, I can't believe that I've never listened through this album before. I do love old school rap and this is as iconic as it gets, in my opinion. It slaps, it captures rap culture of the time-and some of it hasn't aged well. But overall, the hooks are rock solid, and the rap is good.

Seminal gangster rap album 5/5

Gangster jamz.

Mukavan funkahtavat taustabiitit ja pilke silmäkulmassa kun tummat miehet lausuvat sydänverellä rustattuja riimejä. Huomasi kyllä, että vaikutteita tästä otetaan runsaasti vielä tänäkin päivänä ja hyvin on tämäkin teos kestänyt aikaa. Saa myös hyvän perjantai-illalle hyvän juomapelin kun ottaa shotin jokaisesta "nigasta" tai "bitchistä". Legendaarista meininkiä!

Damn, that shit was dope.

I’ve never listened to this album from start to finish. Definitely some hip hop classics that were on repeat in my teen years. As an album, this has fantastic production and genre defining lyrics. Love it.

Vilken mästerverk av Hiphop!

I princip rasism att rösta annat än 5

Мне надо что-то говорить?

u ALREADY know this album was a big thing for me in high school so naturally

Was not looking forward to this but wow this is great music! Lyrics are ‘challenging’ but rhythmically and groove wise this is great to listen too ( especially the first side).

Still the most punk rock album of all hip hop 🤜🏼

Break through album of one of the top 5 greatest rap groups of all time? Of course. N.W.A. is as great and influential as the Beatles.

Great Friday night album

Fun, iconic - not my top pick when choosing old school rap but considering what else was being released in 1988 this was cutting edge and blowing people away. A 5 even if only in virtue of its importance to the scene, the great music and lyricism are the cherry on top.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not the FIRST gangsta rap record, it's just the first one to spill over to the mainstream. It IS influential AND important. It is an undeniable, yet very flawed record. It challenged the listener to confront uncomfortable "street" truths about race, poverty and violence in America. It didn't compromise on it's stand against law enforcement and politicians and it spurned a billion-dollar industry of indie producers putting out rap records.

I think I have to give this a better rating for being a gangsta rap album that didn't have any stupid and unfunny sketches baked into it. This album feels like a cultural touchstone. I don't agree with all of the lyrics and ideals, but there are plenty of things that still hit just as hard over 40 years later there's something to be said about that. This isn't just anger for anger's sake, there's a fight against injustice, confusion about where power should lie, a bit of pointed narcissism, and sense that life should be fun. I don't think it can be everyone's thing, but I think it's worth hearing at least once.

It's so interesting listening to this now and feeling how tame it is for 2025, but it was so revolutionary in its day. That's how I remember it. The album with explicit lyrics on every track that shocked mainstream America. The lyrics still hold up, again showing we have not advanced in the least as a country. And again, for me, the narratives in these songs really appeal to me and give me perspective on the lives of those considered the "other" in America.

One of my all time favorite albums... pioneering.

It's out there, and brutal, but it's one of probably just a few hip-hop/rap albums that I like enough to add to my library.

Excellent album and such a trendsetter.

Now we're talking. Definitely should be on this list.

My youth

Classic

I felt like such a badass when I listened to this album for the first time. I think it still holds up compared to the light rap trash that exists today. Hell, any rap or hip hop album for that matter. It hits hard like a fist to the mouth or a vehicle to a pedestrian. This is what music should be. Entertainment, raw, dirty, funny and nasty. Choice cut: I Ain’t Tha 1

I always prefered Public Enemy and the political messaging, but it's hard to deny that this is an absolute classic, and defined rap for years.

Hell of a intro to NWA - unreal album. Honestly love so many songs from it.

Unbelievably cool! Rap heritage, classic and inspiring storytelling. Ice Cube, Dre, Easy E and MC Ren and Yella .. just awesome.

Yeah

Thumping good time.

Production: 10/10 Lyrics: Hit or miss. I get it: Eazy-E is like the spiritual heart of the group, but he's not a good rapper. Ice Cube is regularly excellent. The themes and overall thesis is unfortunately still relevant. It's also unfortunate that there are regularly word choices which have not aged well. But yeah, there's a reason why this album is on this list. 10/10

Unlike the real slim shady, which I had early on this week, I find this more relevant. Where there are gratuitous references there is a context to understand.

The original. Definitely misogynistic and horrible messaging. But they defined an era and changed this area of music

Dre brings the beats, Cube brings the lyrics and E brings the attitude. Sure, it sounds a little dated at times, but that happens when you change the game and everyone wants to sound like you. There are actually some pretty good songs in there besides the hits.

Real talk this is a 4.5 bc the latter half of the album is forgettable, but it starts off so strong and the production is so good that I can overlook that. Dre, cube, E and the rest of the gang knocked it out of the park with this one. West coast best coast ig

Classic Gangsta Rap album

This is probably the best (and perhaps the only) album of true Gangsta Rap. Absolute classic, 5 stars

A great album to a great movie.

Fantastiskt ju

CLASSIIICC!!!

Don't get more west

Epic

Still holds up.

This record proves that tho bad values aren't made better in the name of 'reality,' they also don't necessarily detract from an album's greatness. Tho N.W.A. was branded the 'world's most dangerous group' when they first hit the scene, 'street knowledge' is only part of their equation. If you were unaware, they may school you to the tragedy of police brutality, but more importantly, Dre, Cube, Ren, and E are informants of America's ugly and universal gangsterism: 'Gangsta, gangsta, that's what they yellin' is a national outcry. Aesthetically, what else is there to say? Cube's continuity w/ Chuck D, Ren's underrated flow, Eazy-E's admixture of criminality and comedy, Dre's fluid, variable production: a deep and ubiquitous influence.

I’ve made a mistake by not listening to this album before. Absolute legends

Is this because of the ICE thuggery in LA? In any case, N.W.A. says get the fuck outta here with your racist bullshit.

A stone cold classic that has more meaning today that a listener would want to believe; keep fighting the power.

Hip Hop but make it theatre! A real classic!

Weak ending to a great album

Eerst en vooral ben ik het niet eens met het seksistische en homofobe kantje van dit album, maar ik vrees dat de hip-hop (en misschien wel de algemene muziek-) scène in de jaren 80 dat nu eenmaal was (wat het niet goedpraat natuurlijk). Dat dit een belangrijk album was (en is), is misschien wel gewoon een feit. Het brengt je helemaal in de leefwereld van de buitenwijken in de VS in de jaren 80 (en jammer genoeg blijft dit wel nog altijd actueel). Het brengt me ook terug naar m'n 16-jarige ik, die een nogal old-school hip hop fase had. Gelukkig bleef het bij muziek en liet ik de klederdracht achterwege. 4.5

No notes

Yes!

Repeat listen

misogynist, homophobic, and much much more but unfortunately it's also very ahead of its time and exceedingly enjoyable throughout, one of the best hip hop albums of the 80s

unironically i had a phase where i was completely obsessed with this album, and i can only imagine how impactful this would have been at the time of release. i loved this. i appreciate that i am not the target audience, being white and middle class and from rural ireland, but god this is excellent.

One of the most important, influential and necessary albums ever. And although I object to certain lyrics, I've gotta give this a five. Just undeniable, unapologetic, fuck you energy genius. See the movie. 5

You know when people brag about the lineup of some classic jazz album because it’s filled with incredible musicians that later defined the genre in various projects. This is the hip hop equivalent of that

A monument to hip-hop music, this album is incredibly badass. It's groovy, passionate, playful, filled with humour and full of hype, yet political, raw, rebellious and full of anger. I always had a sweet spot for this kind of music.

Yo, Ren! (What's up?) Tell 'em where you from! Straight Outta Compton!!!!!!!!

This album is a masterpiece. It introduced the world to Gangster Rap. It introduced the world to Dr Dre, Eazy E, and Ice Cube. The days of simple raps about parents and fun ended with an album that is a social statement on minority life, poverty, crime, and racism. It also introduced a musical production that defined a style for decades. I love this album and every song on it. The band could never reach this level again and fell apart after two albums. If I had to pick favorites, it’s the opening track “Straight Outta Compton”, “Fuck The Police”, and “Express Yourself”.

one of the best albums ever

Influential, inflammatory, a stone cold classic

Classic.

Exceptional album. Very much enjoyed

Quintessential listening and a blueprint for everything after it. Also an excellent soundtrack and movie later.

The foundation for West Coast - GFunk Rap. Unrefined, Raw and completely Immature. The bricks on which the next 10 years of outstanding Hip-Hop/Rap from the West Coast will be built. Every song. Stellar sample. 5⭐️

The album that changed hip hop. Its great the energy and the anger is comparable to early punk. It's also interesting as it contains elements of earlier 808 driven funky hip hop. The lyrics are angry and challenging, shouting at the world about the frustations of a very racist LA and America. The genre would end up being very boring and repetative, but this was the one.

N.W.A

The intro to gangsta rap

Didn't know what to expect really and definitely didn't expect to like it much, but wow the level of energy from this album is insane. I'd heard of it and knew it was important but hearing it really drives it home. One of the easiest 5's so far.

Fantastic album!

4/21/25. Love it! And a lot of the messages still carry to this day. Also love the uniqueness each MC brings.

Classic. Dated . But classic.

Having a shit day and generator has my back. Thanks generator.

A classic