Reviews (page 5 of 13)
I hadn't listened to this album in nearly 30 years. I have been missing out.
Remember this one well, aggressiveness and power, MF wording, F The 👮♀️- good to hear it again.
It's a classic for a reason but I remember liking this a lot more in my late teens/early twenties.
Really funny, incredibly catchy, sick as fuck breakbeats. Pompous, raunchy, violent. Not nearly as concerned with political or social action as most of its contemporaries were - instead sneering and daring Authority to bear down on it. All that said, East Coast Beast Coast. Four Stars.
Their best stuff
Not first listen; 4; Classic album that has a lot of exciting moments. Angry, aggressive, and with decades of hindsight, it sounds like a little bit of a parody of itself with some of the lyrics. Favorite track: Straight outta Compton
I admire the talent and respect the attitude and experience, and where the songs come from, emotionally. The beats and samples are also really fun. I just ended up skipping a lot of the tracks because of the lyrics and amount of swearing. I can absolutely see why it’s so well regarded though.
Already listened to this earlier this year. It’s alright. 8/10
Lol. I loved this, but my dad is going to hate it.
Listened to this over the past decades
No smoke and mirrors. ATCQ on the other coast Formative, Important, Dated
Not what I usually listen to but I enjoyed exploring my taste it was fun to try something new.
Same song is still my favorite.
If music is supposed to take you to a different place...extraordinary..lots wrong with it (not least the lyrics)..but you can't deny the power
Weirdly this album runs into the same problem of a lot of punk rock albums: some songs with great socio-political messages and a lot of songs about stuff that is wayyy less important (sex in particular). Production and flow is very strong though. A lot of this hasn't aged great. I will say that a lot of y'all's favorite rock/folk/country artists have said worse things about women in songs. Some of the pearl clutching in the reviews feels silly.
Liked this wat more than expected, some nice tunes behing the rappong
Epic rhymes, great beats, plenty of attitude, loses points for misogyny
Classic and while not many agree, I think the sound hasnt aged poorly. The mic presence of so many rappers here is unmatched and makes tracks timeless.
Awesome album. Makes me think.
3.5 - went back and forth on whether to round up or down, but I was really grooving to this so rounding up.
Thanks to Dr. Dre’s involvement on production and instrumentation, this ended up being easily my fave rap/hip-hop album we’ve had. Was worried the quality might drop off after the first three “hits”, but later tracks like Parental Discretion, Express Yourself and Something 2 Dance 2 held up quite well. Too much violence in the lyrics for me, but the music made up for it. Plus, no skits or interludes which I almost always dislike. A solid 4 for me.
All time gansta classic.
Listens: 2 (and more beyond today) Standout Tracks: Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself, Dopeman Normally, West Coast hip-hop isn't my thing, but there are so many good tracks on this album. So many quotable lyrics. I don't know why you'd quote them, but I do it and it's amusing nonetheless. This is one of the Original Gangsta albums. Super aggressive lyrics criticizing the police, hyping the gangster and drug dealer lifestyle, a big focus on guns, painting various pictures of the culture and lifestyle of a young black American living in California in the eighties. This is a super important album and a huge influence on what is to come out of the 90s and 2000s.
Amazing album!
Pretty solid old school rap.
Classic
a bit lopsided, but obviously one of the most influential albums of all time. The first three tracks hold up so much. And Dr. Dre is probably my favorite rap artist of all time (less so as a rapper than as a producer, though)
Raw, explosive, fierce, iconic. Aggressive beats with even more aggressive lyrics. Not exactly relatable for me lyrically but i enjoy the harsh breakbeats, the samples and the production in general. Favourite track - Fuck Tha Police. 7.5/10
Ah, yes. Part of the ammunition for the PMRC. It's not a bad album, but at points it sounds like kids trying to look tough and maintain cred. And Easy-E has horrible trigger discipline.
Where to start with this album. When this came out in the late 80’s, almost no one in mainstream hip hop/rap was talking about police brutality, street violence, living in the ghetto, with this level of intensity. N.W.A. came out swinging with their lyrics and their music, and kicked off the beginning of gangsta rap that dominated in the 90’s. F*** tha Police in particular was crazy….the police backlash, the FBI letter to the record label, the political debates. Tipper Gore thought Twisted Sister needed censorship? Oof, that was nothing compared to this. I wasn’t even a rap fan back then and I vividly remember when this record came out. The music itself is raw and intense with driving beats and incredible delivery from Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and MC Ren. This was an incredible album for its time and a real culture shift in the hip hop world. A solid record that definitely belongs on this list.
Straight Outta Compton was my introduction into the world of gangsta rap and I played my cassette tape so much and so often I wore it out. Typical white boy in the 90’s with his windows down and the volume up. Before this album I didn’t realize it was possible to publically and directly challenge the establishment. It also opened my eyes to what life was like outside of suburbia for a segment of the American society. Straight Outta Compton was extremely controversial (mostly because of the song F**k Tha Police) as it saw members of the group arrested mid-concert for performing their songs, which they saw as a direct violation of their freedom of speech rights. NWA gave the world Dr Dre and Ice Cube who went on to super-stardom in their own right but this where they got their start. I agree this is one of the 1001 must listen albums. Very nostalgic for me to listen to this album again.
Damn that shit was dope! This is the quintessential gangster rap album. In most respects, it is exactly what you’d expect, rife with misogyny, homophobia, degrading expletives and boasts about the size of their dicks and their guns. But there is also a much more complex element at work, with smart rhymes, great metaphors and wordplay, and an assaulting verbal delivery that will come to define this genre and shape all of rap for the future. It’s easy to pass over this on the basis of its crassness, its subject matter and a seemingly one note ideology. But as someone who still knows every word on this album from the days when I lived vicariously through it as a window into a world I’ll never know, I see it as a formative and important album that defined music more significantly than most of the others on this list. On a personal note, I’ll be pouring a little O.E. out of my 40 for the Dirty Bird, Nellie, the Countie Marlo, the Couch, the Piss Fence, the Elm Theater, Teddy Ted, Sheenu, R.A.D.A.R., Tom Toner, Penetrating, and those guys who stole Sousa’s stereo.
Lots of personality in just about every song, hard not to like if you're even the slightest bit into hip-hop - maybe lacks a little but of the inventiveness that I appreciate with some later hiphop records
Never listened to the full album. Hard to beat Straight Outta Compton and Fuck Tha Police but still good overall. 4 stars for the influence this album had
Finally, an album I can relate to.
Prayers have been answered, finally a good album, simply cannot argue with some great OG rap
Some absolute bangers
Such an influential group and album. I am glad I did not grow up in Compton.
Progenitor of G-Funk.
Hell yeah this album huge for hip hop. This was definitely more than just music, a statement on police brutality, racism, perceptions, etc. Instrumentals have hints of late 80s sprinkled in but since they’re mostly samples, it’s just good sounds from the 60s-70s. Simple drum beats. Classic hip hop. There’s some huge names in rap on this album. Definitely wild to see the evolution from this to newer music they’ve made. Some of these songs are so good, straight outta Compton, gangsta gangsta, fuck the police, express yourself, I ain’t tha 1. Some are pretty mid but whatever. Prob should’ve listened on vinyl or headphones instead of my little bluetooth but whatever. This is more about the message than the hi fi.
When this one popped up, my immediate reaction was “hell yeah.” You can’t go wrong with this much hip hop firepower in one place. Dre, Cube, Eazy… it is stacked. Even after all these years, it still goes harder than most modern rap. Favorite song: I Ain’t The One
"Damn! That shit was dope!..."
Too much filler to call this 5, but the best songs are absolute classics.
Banger
A classic. Listened to this one hundreds of times. What more is there to say?
An undeniable 1-2 punch in the first two songs, the rest is good but not quite as strong.
This type I listen I don't know when but It's preety good from previous albums
The first half of this album is straight dope, every track is killer. Parental Distraction Iz Advised has a smooth, bumpin baseline. MC Ren on If it Ant Ruff is the highlight. Second half kinda dips, guess it's hard to live up to the first half. I Ant the 1 is the highlight. Had a blast listening to this, brought me back to my adolescents when I was skateboarding and throwing tags up in the town. This album is as serious as you want or need it to be depending on your current standing with the law.
A West Coast Hip-Hop foundational document, the solidification of "Gangsta Rap" and arguably the album that put Compton on the map. Straight Outta Compton's importance is inarguable. And it's still pretty great. The line-up here is iconic: Ice Cube, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Arabian Prince, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Everyone is in top form, The beats are amazing, with some proto G-Funk stuff and some stuff that almost reminds me of some earlier New York stuff. And every one brings something unique to their verses. Ice Cube is a highlight, his distinctive, agressive flows and intense delivery made him something of a break-out here. Although, I think Eazy-E may be the best rapper here. His lyrics are clever and playful, and his colorful flows and delivery ooze personality. It's also interesting to hear the little shouts to New York rap here. I particularly noticed some references to The Beastie Boys, and it feels weird hearing a West-Coast Hip-Hop album that's from before The East-West feud. In fact, this is from '88, and considering that, the flows and rhyming styles here are remarkably modern, or at least '90s. And the lyrics on here are really cool, lots of looks at Hip-Hop culture and facts of life from this album's place and time. Also, this *very* bluntly confronts racism in policing, and other forms of institutional racism in a really effective way. I can easily see why this became the progenitor of a whole culture of Hip-Hop. I have a couple of complaints though. Something 2 Dance 2 sounds kind of silly in 2025. And while the lyrics are largely cool, there is some stuff that hasn't aged all that well. I can largely view it as a snapshot of the time, but I Ain't Tha 1 is *rough*. This is Ice Cube's diatribe about not letting women take his money, and there's some *nasty* content. He's kind of sort of trying to play it as a joke, but he sounds so *fucking* mad about the topic at hand that it can't really read as anything but vitriol towards women. Bringing up this sort of thing is always kind of exhausting because it feels like arguments about the misogyny present in Hip-Hop are often co-opted by people who are actively trying to enforce negative stereotypes about black culture, and this ironically means that women still lose by being made into ammunition. Especially because it feels like a lot of people are still willing to hand wave the misogyny present in other forms of music, like rock. But regardless, there is still a culture of misogyny in America, and I really do think something like I Ain't Tha 1 directly contributes to and enforces this culture. But I digress, this is still a really great classic, with prescient lyrics, great beats and lots of personality.
First one I’ve previously listened to end/end and also own the CD. Starts off so hot. Any of the first 3 could be the best on the album, and all have massive significance over future rap. The Dre production and the cube and eazy rhymes are just so good. Fuck tha police has some of the best production that I’ve ever heard in a rap song. And again on gangsta gngsta. Dre/yella were the engines. Lyrics were great too, just another really good song. Starts to slow down with it ain’t ruff good not great song. I really like parental discretion. Piano and bass work so well together. And then the piano solo at the end🔥🔥. Sick sample on 8ball, super similar to boyz n the hood. Ad libs/samples are so ahead of their time. It’s just good song after good song. Something like that is another really good song. Express yourself is another all time classic/all time sample. Another one with massive influence in future rap. No notes on Compton in the house. Great production, great rhymes. I ain’t tha 1 shows exactly why cube had a successful solo career. Dopeman is a classic, no notes needed. Quiet on the set is fine, not life changing. Something 2 dance 2 is a great closer, different from the rest but I think it wraps everything up well. This album is an all time classic and will be played again. Top 100 on Apple for a reason, influential and great music. 4.4 stars, could’ve been 5 with a little more range.
This is better than The Chronic.
Beats are good, wonderful artifact of a time and place, but I have a real difficult time eating around the misogyny and reliance on violence as a storytelling tool.
I think this kinda deflates after the opening cuts but maybe because those opening 3 songs are so enfuego
What a generational album. Crazy that this is just straight vibes throughout the hour run, it def sat a great groundwork for everything that came after in the hip hop scene. I don’t agree with a lot of lyricism in, made me a lil like… oh. Great album nevertheless
What do they have against Sting?
Such a great influential album! One of the best gangsta rap albums of all time! So many good songs!
It's insane to me that this album came out in 1988.
surprised by how quality it was for some reason. production was pretty nuts. the top two songs are gonna be classics until the sun explodes, otherwise i think my favorites are Gangsta Gangsta and I Ain't Tha 1. Something 2 Dance 2 is also just really fun, perfect closer
solid ass piece of HISTORY this is some good shit. the hits are great and the rest of it is decent 7.3/10
Good album, not exactly my type of music, but I can see the passion coming from the members
Well, of course. If we're talking about albums that are the most important to the development of hip-hop as a prevalent genre in music, N.W.A.'s Straight Outta Compton has got to be near the top of that list, right? I mean, this album practically created gangsta rap! At the very least, they were the ones to popularize it. And you know what? The album could've aged worse! Of course, this album is another case where an early hip-hop album looks bad now because of its focus on the whole "I'm killing bitches" thing, but those other guys wouldn't have done that if N.W.A. did it first! That might not be the flex that some think it is, but whatever. Yeah, the writing has some potentially offensive moments in its writing, but that sorta thing was practically unheard of in 1989. This album was a real trailblazer in that sense. It might seem tame now, but hearing a song called "Fuck Tha Police" in such mainstream music was unfathomable at the time, and the messages pertaining to police conflict in African-American communities ring true to this day. That's one of the things about this album that's actually aged well. The sense of anger regarding the difficulties of "the street life" is one that evokes strong emotions in combination with the beats and it's great. Speaking of beats, this album's produced quite well. You can still kind of tell that this was coming off of 80s acts like Public Enemy, but this is another one of those things that this album made progress in. The title track especially still feels fresh to this day. I also really liked songs such as the aforementioned "Fuck Tha Police," "Gangsta Gangsta," "Parental Discretion Iz Advised," and "Express Yourself." Great songs. The rapping itself is solid. I like the varying personalities across the group. The things that Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and especially Eazy-E bring to the game here are still enjoyable to this day. Overall, while it has been surpassed in quality since its release, I can't think of very many hip-hop albums that are more important than Straight Outta Compton. Despite its lyrical faults, the production, performances, and high-quality of the songs allow the album to serve as a historical piece that will be remembered for many years to come. Low 4/5.
Fun time all around, enough variety and energy to stay exciting and I can't help but pay attention to the words
Maybe hasn’t aged the best but its impact and influence can’t be overstated.
Pretty cool album. Almost like these ice cube and Dre guys know what they’re doing.
More enjoyable than I would've guessed, with Express Yourself being the standout track.
Living up to my shoes josh makes fun of me about
As a white man I can’t sing along to any of these songs
Un docteur et un cube de glace ça fait un bon combo
Dre et icecube dans le même groupe tu m'étonne que ça groove. Pas de bitches et de voiture, que des bonhomme et leurs gros biceps et c'est ça qu'on aime. Par contre petit problème sur la balance les aigues étaient beaucoup trop fortes et pas équilibrées donc mal au crâne
A classic and extremely important album. The first one of this list I’ve heard before! It’s still fuck the police.
What else is there to say...lyrics might be a time piece but the beats are timeless.
Was soll man sagen, habe die cleane Version gehört. Es gefällt mir besser, als mir lieb ist. Der Titeltrack ist super. 3 1/2 und ich runde auf.
Ya pas beaucoup d'intro d'albums aussi cool que "You're now about to witness the strength of street knowledge". Et le reste est à l'avenant.
Klassiker, massevis av bangers. Dagen derpå var det dog ikke helt det jeg trengte, og kjente et helt album med soundet var litt mye
I enjoyed this, it does sound a bit dated in places, and the misogynistic themes throughout become a bit tiring, overall it’s a really good album, but of course an important social commentary of its times.
I enjoyed this. I already knew and liked the songs Straight Outta Compton, F Tha Police, and Express Yourself. The songs were entertaining.
4/5 genre defining
Genre: Gangsta Rap You are about to witness the strength of street knowledge. NWA’s classic debut album, Straight Outta Compton, is brash, full of attitude, full of humor, and full of some of the most influential sounds in the hip-hop’s history. Gangsta Rap was here, in your face and undeniable. Dr. Dre’s production is the real star here. The verses are hit-or-miss (unless it’s Ice Cube, who was one of the top MCs of his era), but the beats are some of the greatest of all time. Turntablism, plunderphonics, G-funk beginnings, it’s all absolutely stupendous. Great album. 4/5
Classic, great to hear how this genre got started. I like ice cube most. The first songs are the best. Unfortunately a few songs are a bit cheesy nowadays since everybody copied this style, so four stars rather than five
Some of this is classic. Some of it is dated. Still worth the listen.
Huh, this came out four years before the LA riots. A seminal rap album that captures the era and place. Controversial, and controversy sells. On the gardening to gangster rap scale, this ranks offensively high.
Rap is a genre of music I wouldn’t normally listen to, being far removed from my love of folk singer songwriters. The generator has given me a lot of Hip/Hop and rap and some I thought was ok (Run DMC) others less so (Public Enemy / Fugees). Although it is out of my comfort zone, I really liked this album. Trying work out why this works for me, I’ve decided that it is probably because this is West Coast Rap, more funk based with a softer sound instead of a harder East coast rap vibe. Whatever the reason, this was a pleasure to listen to.
Loved the random Steve Miller Band samples throughout the album. Felt like little Easter eggs.
Jag hoppas det inte finns en galen djävel som kallas för iskub, det hade varit väldigt jobbigt... ÅÅÅÅÅÅÅH NEEEJJJJJ!! Jag har en känsla av att de här unga grabbarna hyser en gnutta agg mot konstapelarna.
Classicc
I never really connected with this -- my personal tastes lean towards the subtler, more complex stuff many of the Native Tongues rappers were doing at the time, and rap wouldn't take a real hold on me until Wu Tang and Outkast were joining the fray a few years later -- but for whatever reason this has some kind of hold on one of my sons and so I've spent a ton of time with it the last few years. The first three tracks are a fireball, even all these years later. Ice Cube was a force of nature. Dr. Dre's beats are simpler than many of his contemporaries, but still sound radical. Lyrically this is all gangster rap bravado with almost none of the introspection that Public Enemy demonstrated, or the humor and social consciousness of some of those afformentioned Native Tongues groups (Tribe, De La Soul, Black Sheep, etc) and its easy to understand how this crossed over to appeal to a nation of white (male) teenagers. Because the album has become so monumental in all of music history, it's hard to remember the local and national context this was situated in, and that history is well worth a deep dive to appreciate it on its own merits. After the first three tracks, Straight Outta Compton doesn't hold my attention enough to call this a five-star classic, but certainly it deserves its spot on this list.
già ascoltato e spaccaaaaaa
This was really good, not that it surprised me being a classic rap album and all. In the end it felt like it had a positive message behind it, especially supported by "Express Yourself" 8/10
Absolute classic album full of really good songs. I have heard it many times before and I'm happy to listen to it again today.
Angry, somewhat offensive, raw, and completely badass. Some fun old style raps in there too. The social commentary mixed with the dope beats… just great. These guys were the gold standard.
How did I just now realize that Dopeman isn’t really about the dopeman, but is just really being mean to dopeman’s gf? Gosh. Anyway, Something 2 Dance 2 remains one of the most underrated songs of all time. Classic E: Man, I think my feet are swollen from dancin’ so damn much.
Degenerate.
Good album pleasantly surprised
misogyny :((((( goes hard tho
Classic
Seminal hip hop. Hell of a debut. The anti cop sentiment is still strong all these years later. Loses steam part way through. I Ain't The 1 has aged like milk but if you're looking for moral guidance from gangster rappers you're tapped in the head
Enjoyed this album, and it has some influential tracks.
Really really enjoyed this one. Some absolute all timers on there. Wanted to give it five stars but some of the other songs are just a bit too shit to give. Also unrelated but didn’t know that the lonely island Natalie’s rap parodied part of this. Specific rating - 4.5 Fav song - express yourself Least fav- Compton’s n the house
Len Houmous wrote most of Ice Cubes raps on this album. No credit, no reference! He went for tea at ice’s to smooth things over. Stuff only got worse! Len tried to release a hate album ‘straight outta your arse’ but the record label felt it was a little too ‘Yorkshire’ for the main market. 4.2 4/13 It Ain’t Rough
8,1
Setting aside the problematic lyrics—I always choose to see these things contextually—this album is great. It is to rap what Rage Against the Machine's self-titled debut album would be for rock. Anger at the system. I enjoyed the parallels of NWA sampling Beastie Boys and referencing Brass Monkey (a song released two years earlier) to them writing the lyrics "Mix 'em and cook 'em in a pot, like gumbo" being similar to “I’ll stir fry you in my wok” in Intergalactic Planetary. Probably wasn’t an homage back to N.W.A., but still fun. Eazy-E and Ice Cube are the standouts in this album. 4/5
Excellent album though some of the lyrics are a bit cringy and I find the shift in tone with the last two track being more dance/beat inspired not as smooth as I remember.
Yeah the theme is not the best, but still. This started west coast hip hop and gave us dr dre, so there’s nothing to complain about. I dont think it’s close to the strongest record yet, so i think it’s a good 4. A few years later the chronic and doggystyle are 10/10 albums
The rawness can’t be denied. It feels like an immediate and often times problematic as hell product of its time, while also maintaining as a vital & timeless piece of American art. I do firmly believe that Ice Cube or Eazy-E should appear on every track since their voices perfectly embody this sound to almost other worldly proportions. I also believe that Dre shouldn’t be rapping ideally at all, but I get it. It was a group effort after all.
Det är alltså här man ska börja om man ska fatta amerikansk hiphop. Så klart! Samplingarna och grundsvänget är så cool. Rappen rak, begriplig och med flow. Ett litet avdrag för hiphop-faktorn ger en fyra i betyg.
I prefer my ACAB with less hate for women and other marginalized groups. Fuck all police and ice tho
The first three tracks on this album changed that world and helped a genre take the next leap. The rest of the album has some highs but doesn't quite hold up. NWA started as a much more poppy party group which comes out in tracks like Something 2 Dance 2 but this album, coming mid transformation to the scariest gangster rap group was a sign of things to come and seemed to catch lightning in a bottle. With Ice Cube's departure and move out east, NWA would never be as popular and relevant (and controversial) as they were at this time but rap would continue to push boundaries and scare white people for years.
Solid 1. SOC 2. Gangsta Gangsta 3. 8 Ball remix
Angry energy with a heavy dose of fun. The flow was great throughout, as were the samples. Good variety between the songs, too. Just a really solid album.
the social commentary around this album is pretty impressive - the intensity of the lyricism/beats combined with intentional lyrics directly attacking law enforcement and discussing real life situations faced by the members made the sharp and alarming release of the album become more and more prominent as more voices joined in. Overtime, the violence in the lyrics and confrontational nature of the music was progressively overshadowed by new music, and the pain, hurt, distrust, and anger in the lyrics became more clear.
This gets a 4 for being the original even though some is now slightly dated
only for being NWA
This goes hard
1988 My friends done indy, metal or hip-hop in the late '80s; I done them all. It's been a while since this had a spin... Heard before ✅️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ✅️ I'm not the target ★★★★☆ (7/10)
some of the lyrics are certainly outdated as others have mentioned... with that being said, this is one of the most important albums ever. its raw, real, unfiltered, and forced people all over the world to confront raw, unfiltered realities of life in LA at this time. yes, some of the language and perspectives reflect a specific time and mindset, and they can feel uncomfortable today. but to dismiss the album entirely because of that is to ignore its context—and its impact. N.W.A gave a voice to a generation that felt unheard the production is sharp, funky, the delivery itself is still incredible, even by today's standards. its imperfect, but essential, all at the same time. "do I look like... a role model?"
A very important piece of hip hop history. No NWA, no or certainly very different versions of Ice Cube, Dr Dre and by extension Eminem, Snoop Dogg and Tupac to name a few. An album I first heard as 12 year old, I don’t question its cultural significance. I do however question its stature. It has 4 or 5 very good songs but songs with Easy E or no Ice Cube suffer. Still a 4 though for its impact
Good beats and tight phrasing through most of the album, moving between playfulness and seriousness.
Apparently, I'm more of an "old school" rap appreciator. Good, fun beats. Some tongue-in-cheek lyrics, some serious. And they actually rhyme! 3.5*, rounding up.
I can't help but wonder what 1988 Ice Cube would think about 2025 Ice Cube, star of War of the Worlds (2025)
I'm conflicted. I was looking forward to this one due to the songs I know almost too well, but the other songs either started to blend together or become almost unlistenable with the levels of misogyny and unnecessarily violent machismo. Still, the bangers were bangers.
I enjoyed this the same that I did when I was back in high school. Remember all these songs well. Definitely marks a time and a place and a feeling.
Good stuff
Asenteelliset tummat miehet iskee yhen kovimmista klassikoista. Legendaarinen levy muutamalla fillerillä varustettuna. Hyvää meininkiä ja menee korkealle kaikkien aikojen Rap levyjen kategoriassa.
Klassikko! Miten toimiikin niin hyvin edelleen.
Бэнга, фо рил мэн, ноу мазафакин кэп. Клёвый олдскульный рэпчик, канеш первые треки прям мясо особенно тот самый F the police, остальные прикольные но не так ебашут. Дре тут нормальных битов завёз в отличие от такой хуегорды что он с эминемем делал, но эт другая история 8/10 Highlights: Straight Outta Compton; _ _ _ _ Tha Police (Fill In The Blanks)
Klassiker
Banger and classic.
Legendary!
классический бумбэп с кучей фанка и рофлов. звучит сыро пиздец и очень наивно, но это даже добавляет антуража
Not my thing but man does this deserve its spot on the list. Anything that keeps me moving around the kitchen like this. And it's amazing to hear these big names before they were big solo artists.
Sick Beats, Sick rhymes.. From a different time though. Funny to picture a Boomer popping this one on after listening to some psychedelic rubbish.
While the music, and production outdated, the issues discussed in the album are not. This is a very influential Hip-Hop album to this day. Favorite Track: "Express Yourself".
Yass
4/8
Good album Fav tracks Straight Outta Compton Fuk Da Police Something Like That Express Yourself Quiet On Tha Set 4/5
Cover 7 Two of the most known songs are indeed the best of this album (Straight Outta Compton and Fuck the Police). Not all of this album is political but if you've been indoctrinated against inclusion and education, this probably isn't for you. Other highlights: Gangsta Gangsta, 8 Ball, Express Yourself, and Dopeman.
For an album that had such an influence on the next decades rap music, it's surprising how much this sounds like an 80s rap album. The "hard" stuff frequently sounds... quaint, and there's a lot that comes off as fun party music more than something hardcore. Still, it would be hard to argue that this doesn't deserve a place on this list (unlike a lot of stuff on this list).
Trail blazing. Even if specific beats and cadences feel familiar, the perspective is so specific and iconoclastic that this feels hard to judge without considering all the artists and groups NWA influenced. While there are songs that don’t feel that far off of Beastie Boys in terms of samples and rhymes, instead of rapping about girls or parties or Paul Revere, we get Dopeman and Fuck The Police. Then you add in the songs that have more contemporary flow and energy (Straight Oughta Compton, Gangsta Gangsta, Express Yourself) and (even with the misogynoir and homophobia), it’s hard to rate this the same as Country Joe & the Fish.
4 massive songs carry this into the 4s just about
You can’t deny the impact and influence this album has had for years and years to come. So many samples have been taken from this album, and just about every underground DJ mixtape has had tracks from this album on them. On a personal level, it’s kind of unfortunate, but albums like this really fall flat for me these days. Overall, I have to say my life is good, I’m pretty happy, and now when I listen to these types of albums, it reminds me of a younger, less evolved version of me. Yuck!!!
I liked it.
Had "Fuck Tha Police" stuck in my head all day. Overall decent album with some hip hop classics and a few gems that I wasn't aware of. Personal highlight "Parental Discretion Iz Advised"
4/5
Would not have chosen to listen to this, but great album
It’s really too bad that the anti-authoritarian and expressive tracks about Black life also tend towards so much misogyny and homophobia. Lots of killer tracks but this doesn’t age very well on a few fronts.
Pure Fun. Peak of it's era
Straight Outta Compton is another strong contender for best first track off a debut album. This was Gangsta Rap's big break. Fuck Tha Police is another great song. Ice Cube is by far the best MC in NWA. Dre's style is so different in each phase of his career. If It Ain't Ruff has an awesome beat. Express Yourself is Dre's chance to rap. This is like the Ice Ice Baby sample where it's just lifted almost whole cloth from the original. I love that rappers in the 80s. even gangsta rappers were claiming they didn't smoke weed. Compton's N The House - Remix is hilarious in it's use of the words "wacky wack" over and over to dis other rappers being "wacky wack". I Ain't Tha 1 is the NWA version of the Beastie Boys Girls. The numbers in song titles dates this album. Something 2 Dance 2 is a throwback to Dre's Worldclass Wrecking Crew days.
Much of this is brilliant but i can do without most of Dre and Cube’s cringe bs.
Well gangster
This album is a delight. It really hits and never really holds back and slumps.
This was great. Have never really listened to NWA, but this is awesome.
Sooooo good. Will be revisiting. Never listened to this album in full and was missing out.
NWA and Rage Against the Machine sing about the same themes, but NWA is good music.
hate cops✅ love butts✅
Not for the faint of heart. Never listened through before, but man this hits. I didn't realize it was '88 - I would have pegged it more in '90-'92 range. Definitely not something that I would have listened to as a kid at that time, but I certainly knew about it. More than 35 years later I'm finally listening to it - anger, violence, misogyny - none of that makes me feel good about listening, and even worse about liking it. But the beats, the voices, the the soundscape is inescapable. Dre, Cube, and Easy E's voices are so iconic, it's hard not to like their verses even when I haven't heard it before.
Hell yes.
I love this album. I've owned it for a while. I know a lot of people have an issue with the misogyny and violence expressed but in my view they merely exaggerate and mythologise the urban struggle the way that traditional country and western exaggerates and mythologises rural life. It sells a myth of authenticity even if few Compton residents were shooting it daily. Straight outta Compton, F*** the Police, Gangsta Gangsta & Express Yourself are simply great. If you listen to this as a narrative that glorifies struggle, loss and survival set to some frankly killer beats then how can you not love it.
Akkurat passe gøy og akkurat passe interessant hiphophistorie.
Pretty good
I'll be honest, hip-hop was a huge blind spot for me growing up. Like, all hip-hop. So I'm coming to this kind of cold, which is kind of awesome. I get to rediscover amazing things - like this album. The beats are unbelievably fresh, the lyrics are still relevant (especially now that I'm married to a black woman from just outside of Compton). I'll never totally get it but... I do get it now.
Really enjoyed the tracks towards the beginning of the album but I started to lose interest later on. Fuck the police.
Good album but not my style always
N.W.A., fuck Yes! Might as well Fuck The Police, while we’re at it too. This shit really holds up well for how old it is. Tho, it does fizzle out a bit with last few tracks. 4.5⭐️
Obviously this is a trailblazing album - not sure my favorite rappers (and producers) would be around without this. Most of it still holds up - especially the classic hits. It just seems overly long to me. 60 minutes for 13 rap songs (no skits) made it feel like a slog. When it was over, I didn't feel like hitting play again. This is, and will always be, in the rotation - but the lack of instant replay-ability for me makes it a 4.5.
Utter turd
Lotta anger and great beats. Really solid but def old school
the ne plus ultra of gangsta rap
Hard hitting
Cool album, hard beats!
der sound ist grossartig, die lyrics und message leider weniger (meins). grosse namen an der startrampe ihrer karrieren.
Just beats and rap with meaning.
Hip hop royalty. Few albums contain the history, the energy, the character and attitude, the rawness of gangster rap that really started a whole new chapter for music. Most of the instrumentals remain timeless, but some of them do come across a bit aged obviously some damn near 40 years or so later. The samples on Straight Outta Compton are some of the most iconic samples in all of rap, which would go on to inspire entire discographies of rap legends over time. It's not all pure rage energy, there are genuinely beautiful sentiments on this album too like Express Yourself. There's a sort of braggadocious comradery that just comes with 'hardcore gangster' albums, but N.W.A really fucking capitalized on that. There are some weirder aspects of the album, like the sexism that could for sure make people feel weird in 2025. For what it's worth, this album changed rap and the first half of this album is absolutely mint. Not every song is a classic like that tho.
Classic album. Great songs Straight outta Compton, Fuck tha Police, Dopeman and Express Yourself.
Not my vibe but, as the kids would say, it sounded like straight fire. Am I "gangsta" now?
Its great but there is better in the genre
4/5
Straight 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 as the kids say. Yeah this has aged well and is still a joy to listen too, express yourself will never not make me smile, it's a 4 because all of these guys (except maybe EZE) went on to do much better solo stuff but it's still great
Great album full of bangers. Lot of creativity in hip hop from this era that makes it fun to listen to
As a white Australian teenager, i thought that this album was brilliant. I felt the anger, I loved the beats, I played Fuck tha police loud. It is an album of its time and place. Listening to it now i can appreciate it, but it's not for me
Iconic and great. Will admit the rhyme schemes are little bleh but the tracks still hit hard as hell. would probably go 4.5
Classic
Not one for the office
Very good very nice
Is it really gangsta? Musically, the record is a continuation of the golden-age sound rather than the G-Funk that Dre pioneered a few years later. Lyrically, sure there's a lot of cursing, but the subject matter is much more braggadocious rather than violent. And they save their best for the LAPD... and lets face it, you don't have to be from the hood to hate them.
Loved the rawness of the album and the showcasing of Dr Dre samples. Does get a bit repetitive in terms of message but the energy never drops. Express yourself is a tune though
Just a raw rap album.
Absolute classic. Top 3 hip hop albums of all time.
quite cool.
A good older hip hop album. Ice Cube, eazy e and Dr Dre together is iconic
I think I listened to this one all the way through once before a long time ago. Express Yourself is the track that stuck and would make it into my mixes. Sonically most of the album holds up. The flow just keeps hitting you with syllabic punches that you feel. Eazy-E is the weakest part of this album. If it Ain't Ruff is also in my wheelhouse.
It would be a 5 were it not for the occasional needless misogyny, and the fact that only knocked off one star is a real testament to the quality of the album. Wonderful stuff, obviously. Some of the most outrageous (positive) rhymes ever recorded. Not intended for me in any way (have any of NWA heard of Grimsby?) and it still speaks to me. Heavily played bangers that are funny, thoughtful, smart, daft, poetic and catchy every time. They are completely justified in talking shit about bad hip-hop, because they make it sound effortless. To be as boring and earnest as I can be: this is a crucial text for learning about the black freedom struggle in the late 20th century. Would send the whole album into space.
Ice cube!
Straight Outta Compton seems to be the album that aged the least well amongst the "Golden Era" cuts; but it's still damn great when it hits
A couple amazing songs and the rest are just ok. A rap classic.
Racist, misogynistic violence pornography set to sick beats Dr Dre is a genius with his beat production. Some great flow on display here too. Unexpected nuggets of wisdom and humour abound - Their seeming hypocrisy ("Don't listen to me" on Parental Guidance, "Don't do drugs" on Dope Man, "Don't do women or materialism" on I Ain't Tha 1) seems tongue-in-cheek and self-aware. Too dang much violence and profanity and bravado and machismo for that 5 though.
It feels like a piece of history going through my ears. I find the album catchy, good rhymes, rhythm and storytelling. It set the base from future rap/ hip-hop and rnb artist's
1001 ALBUMS YOU MUST HEAR BEFORE YOU DIE #2 Ooh, now we're talkin'. Now as a huge hip hop fan, I knew there was gonna be some hip hop on the list, but I didnt expect it to be so soon. "Straight Outta Compton" was something I was pretty excited to listen to, and it didn't disappoint one bit. Take the infamous opener "Straight Outta Compton" for example, Dr. Dre's production is simple but gets the point across, and each verse, hell, each line is amazing and memorable, especially Ice Cube's opening line "Straight outta compton, crazy motherfucker named Ice Cube. From the gang called Niggas With Attitude. I mean come on; this is amazing. And it doesn't slow down after that too, like with the police brutality-based track "Fuck Tha Police" or the surprisingly upbeat "Express Yourself". Almost everything is amazing, from the beats to the rhymes throughout. Overall, I now understand the hype and praise, and personally, I think it's all completely deserved. And members like Ice Cube and Dr. Dre would go on to change music, not only in N.W.A., but also in there solo careers too. Overall Score: 90 / 100 Favorite Tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta, Express Yourself, Something 2 Dance 2.
9/10
The quintessential West Coast Gangsta Rap album. Not to defend the violent and misogynistic but this album really set the standards for ‘90s rap. Favorite tracks: Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself, Dopeman
Classic gangsta rap. Great production, great attitude, good rhymes. Album fades off at the end a bit but overall it's really good. 8/10
> the Beatles.
Some classic shit. Definitely not my thing, but fun to listen to some vintage Dre and Ice. I can see how this influenced so much rap in the 2000's
Pretty awesome and it feels like a snapshot in time
Shouting profanities at police officers now feels almost mundane. In the era of Black Lives Matter, people are at least aware of the debate over institutional racism in the police force. Many go to great lengths to deny it but it's a lot harder to ignore the issue now. But when NWA came on the scene, hating the friendly neighborhood cop seemed unthinkable to much of (white) America. But African American parents were all having "the talk" with their kids about police harassment and they were seeing a very different reality. And unsurprisingly, the anger about this situation was coming out. NWA got their warnings from the FBI and plenty of other clutching their pearls. But the message would soon become standard for much of the genre thanks to the template created by "Straight Outta Compton". Sadly and predictably, there is some toxic masculinity here. Sexism, homophobia and glorification of violence are all here, but honestly not as bad as I expected. Future hip hop albums (including those produced by NWA's Dr Dre) would be far worse in later years. Given that this was the start of the infamous gangsta rap subgenre, it's also surprisingly upbeat and funky, while maintaining a harder edge than some of their contemporaries. "Express Yourself" is the clear standout by a mile. It's empowering and unbelievably catchy. Overall, I didn't really expect this album to hold up. Clearly in some ways it's very dated and its popularity got a massive shot in the arm from the FBI which saved it from relative obscurity. Despite all of that, it's still a pretty strong and significant album.
Not a consistent album, but it gets bonus points for the first two tracks and for being OG.
Their debut album. Fuck The Police is a great track. Nice beats and lyrics. These young men are angry and frustrated. Yes they're violent and misogynistic. So was Johnny Cash or The Rolling Stones when they sang protest songs or about sex. N.W.A. aren't lying, they're pissed off and putting their story in your face. Express Yourself is a really good track. Something 2 Dance 2 is my favourite track.
Cool
Favorite track: straight outta compton other picks: gansta, f** the police, Compton's in the house
a great album all round tbh
First few songs are 10/10. Other ones are just okay. Still an awesome album
Old School classic. This may have aged, but it still is an undeniable landmark in rap music. ACAB
Appreciated, it’s nice for what it is.
8/10… hip hop / gangster rap
Interesting
Do you think if you showed NWA era Ice Cube his new war of the worlds movie he’d shoot himself
The only song I had heard was Straight Outta Compton, but the whole album is good.
Petarda. Szok. Czekałem na to nie wiedząc o tym.
I'll be honest and say that despite knowing of its existence for close to my entire life I still haven't listened to this record. Lauded as one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made, it's honestly baffling that I haven't given it a shot. Of course I've heard many of the songs off here, but it will be interesting to hear them in the way they were intended. Hoping it lives up to the hype. Straight Outta Compton Absolutely iconic song. One of the most recognizable rap songs of all time. Each verse is among the greatest ever. An almost perfect album opener. Hard to beat when it comes to West Coast hip hop. Classic. 5/5 Fuck Tha Police Another one that's hard to beat. The opening line goes beyond hard. Sadly still relevant to this day. Love the beat. It's provocotive, but still fun. Charismatic gangsta rap track. Classic. 5/5 Gangsta Gangsta Three for three for classics so far. The beat is the real star here, feels really dynamic. Amazing sampling. Ice Cube's lyrics are ridiculous to be honest, I find it kinda funny. The foot in yo ass line is a great example of this. Entertaining track. Eazy really shows how charismatic he can be. Fantastic. 5/5 If It Ain't Ruff Love the funky sample. The first verse has a very dancy old school delivery. Fun to move to. Many of the lines are kinda corny, but it works with the delivery so it barely matters. Great. 4.5/5 Parental Discretion Iz Adviced Great bass sample. Dre shows his potential on his verse, it's cleverly written and really solidly performed. Ren is kinda underappreciated, he provides an entirely different energy than the rest of the group making for some nice variety. Good. 4/5 8 Ball - Remix The beat is kinda chaotic. The first verse is really funny, has some great imagery. Very tongue in cheek and entertaining. That Eazy-E is a very charismatic fella, eh? Great. 4.5/5 Something Like That It's not overly serious which I really appreciate. Easy to follow and fun to listen to. Wouldn't call it especially impressive, but remains a good time none the less. Ren And Dre have great synergy and work really well on the beat. Good. 4/5 Express Yourself Another classic track, that still gets some airtime today. Amazing vocal sample, changes its meaning when put into this context. It's still oddly positive. Some of the bars are a bit dumb. Great concept. 4.5/5 Compton's N The House Doesn't hit as hard as the previous tracks. The diss kinda sucks. I feel the performances are a bit flat and the beat is a bit boring. Fine. 3/5 I Ain't Tha 1 Yeah this is kinda fun. The beat really fits with Ice Cube's delivery. A concept as old as time. It's dumb as hell, but it's kinda humorous as well. "Milk Ice Cube like cereal" is a really corny bar yet it still somehow works. Its contents do stray onto the mysogonistic side, but it feels really exaggarated. Feels like it's meant to be entertaining, not actual commentary. 4.5/5 Dopeman Was not expecting this. A fun twist on an anti drug anthem, more specifically anti crack. It's actually kinda cool to hear from these guys. It's maybe a bit obnxious, but I audibly laughed at the ridiculousness of some of the bars on this. It's a fun track, all be it a bit dated. The storytelling remains kinda iffy at times. Good. 4/5 Quiet On Tha Set Love the energy of the beat. Feels really funky. Great sampling. Ren's rapping style remains fun and bouncy while never losing the credibility of his persona. Not spectacular, but still pretty good. Decent. 3.5/5 Something 2 Dance 2 Definitely something to dance to. Incredibly bouncy and fun. Love that they don't always take themselves too seriously. It's a great way to end the album, shows a lot of personality. Good. 4/5 Some of this has aged well, some of it has aged a bit too well and some of it hasn't aged well at all. I'll be the first to admit that my outside perspective on American socio-political issues doesn't really hold much relevancy as a white European. Though from what I can understand the racial tensions in the large cities in America made it so that young black people needed an outlet to make their perspective heard. This album I feel, becomes one of those outlets, taking serious topics such as police violence, profiling, the allure of drugs and self expression and putting it into a radical and prococative context. The messaging is delivered entertainingly with a lot of character and flair and while its lyrics are sometimes a bit problematic they sure as hell are effective. Yes as with most gangsta rap there's misogyny, there's homophobia and it's also aggressive and violent which I totally get is offensive. And while I'm sure they probably held some of those outdated views, I have a feeling a lot of it is made exaggerated for shock factor and to be perceived as edgy. Despite this it suceeds in being really entertaining. It has fun deliveries, that even though they may sound corny as hell today kinda shows a charming side to hip hop that is almost extinct in today's game. It's produced really well, with awesome sampling and well timed chops. I'm also very impressed with the characters they portray throughout, all of them charming in some way. I can picture them having a lot of fun in the studio coming up with their personalities and quips. Speaking of quips, the members have great chemistry with one another, making the group's eventual downfall feel a bit sad in context. Lyrically they work well together, filling in with fresh energy for when it's needed. I would say it does get a bit repetitive listening to guns, cars, money and women a lot of the time, and there are definitely bars that make me cringe here and there. But overall I'd say it's a good time, though I do get how some of the flaws could be hard to get over for some. 4/5 Fave track. Fuck Tha Police
Pretty sure I had heard this one once or twice, probably back when the Straight Outta Compton movie came out. Definitely a lot harder edged than similar output from similar acts like Run DMC and Public Enemy, and I think for that reason I'm into it a bit more than those. Definitely not a big fan of a lot of early hip hop that is really sing songy and kind of goofy in comparison, so I guess it's not a suprise I'm more into an album considered to have ushered in the era of even harder edged, hardcore rap. Fuck the Police is an absolute classic and a mantra I couldn't agree more with. I can absolutely see how shocking this album would have been when it first came out, with how intense and direct some of the messaging is like. I found it interesting how Dr. Dre actually really doesn't like the album because it feels like it was rushed. Story goes they wanted something to sell out of their trunks at gigs and whatnot, so they put this album together in 3 weeks, which didn't offer as much time as Dre wanted to really polish the sound. To my ears the album doesn't sound like its rushed in that sense, and maybe the short period of time to record it was a blessing in disguise, because clearly this album blew up and is still considered one of the best hip hop albums of all time.
Og rap. Still slaps.
Always got time for a bit of NWA.
A classic of hip hop. Production top notch. Beats are cool. Rapping decent, glad to revisit.
While not necessarily my kind of thing (although a younger me ould appreciate how aggressive it is much more), you can certainly why it had so much influence on the genre.
I've only heard Straight Outta Compton and never any of their other songs, so this was fun. I am not a big rap person, but this was great. Also, "mix em and cook em in a pot like gumbo" is one of my favorite lines in a song ever. I like that they had a lot to say about gang and police culture back in the late 80's early 90's. While it's not something I'll go out of my way to go back to, it's still really good. It gets a 4 because it's better than neutral and it's far from forgettable.
This is an 8.5/10, very good album. I'm leaning toward 4/5.
For me, a classic. The language is a bit dated and offensive but it’s an important rap album.
While I prefer N4L as opposed to this album, it's definitely one of the most notable hip-hop albums ever made. There's no bad track on it, but it's not as aggressive as I'd like it to be.
Straight outta the muhatafuckin 80s. Game changing album, though not necessarily always in a good way
Whilst I don't like all the gangsta stuff, this is a seminal album. Straight Outta Compton and Fuck The Police are classics.
Born of frustration. Some of the themes haven't dated too well, but still very much worthy of the 1001.
One of the most influential albums of all time. Ice Cube's bars and Dr Dre's production are the main stars of the show, but the rest of the group showcased their skills well. For a group to only have two studio albums, but one of them to be so well known (everyone and their mom has heard of this) just goes to show how important and influential this album was, not just on music but on American culture.
Good album! You can really hear how it influenced like everything after it, and it's still a nice listen.
Incredibly angry and politically charged, a fine introduction to the heyday of gangsta rap. Fuck the police indeed.
This album really does it all for me. It has (light) political commentary, humor, anger, and the interplay of the different NWA members on the tracks is excellent. Best of all - no skits!! I do feel it is slightly too long but always a great listen.
[8/10]
Kind of a bop. I was shocked too.
Heard the album before , went back to listen to a few songs. Album comes with a lot of background on it that I don’t know but it’s got a lot of bite and attitude in every song
Interesting mix of West coast funky rap but obviously super agressive. I can vibe with this somewhat
87% Best: Straight Outta Compton; Fuck Tha Police; Gangsta Gangsta; Parental Discretion Iz Advised; Express Yourself; Something 2 Dance 2 Must-Hear? Sure
Som en skolskjutning utan skola och skjutning
Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Express Yourself was the highlight for me.
listened
Good album with great lyrics. One of the greatest rap albums of all time. Great beats and stellar samples (even though they are few). I don’t think every member of NWA carries their weight. I think some members are more talented than others. And for a rap album, there’s a good amount of variety. This is a must listen to album.
Not into the remixes. Fuck tha police and Straight Outta Compton are highlights. Pretty sexist but that tracks with the timeframe. Sexist messages did not age well but anti-police sentiment did.
Good album, was surprised the deeper cuts were better than the popular ones. Unsurprising lol
It's hard to separate this album from all the controversy and mythology that surrounded its release, yet the amazing thing is how vital and current the most incendiary tracks sound in 2025. "Straight Outta Compton" makes me want to march and burn shit down. Ice Cube, who wrote most of the lines (even for the others), is a skilled rap lyricist. The album definitely wanes in energy and relevance as it wears on ("I Ain't Tha 1" is a low point), but there's no denying its cultural impact or its influence on hip hop. Also, I love the last track, "Something 2 Dance 2," an old-school electro tack-on that seems to almost undermine the group's gangsta credentials. It's like a hip-hop Nuggets entry, great for a mix tape full of obscurities.
Some of the lyrics and flows have NOT aged well, but the productions are more sophisticated than a lot of 80s hip hop and there are more than a couple all-time tracks on here.
Ice Cube is one of the greatest MCs of all time. Not always a fan of his lyrical choices, but there's no denying he knows how to deliver them with, well, attitude. PS: fuck the police.
The album that shot gangster rap into the More mainstream
Boppy, lots of classics I didn't realise were from this album. Lyrics haven't aged particularly well but it's a product of its time. May need to get on vinyl.
Heaters: the album
i like but a little too violent for me
Hip hop classic. Blows my mind it’s from 1988.
Was ready to say that it went way down hill after the first 2 tracks, which have become so iconic, but it doesn’t! Good all the way down.
I know the themes included in this album are dated in the extreme and my love for this album is not an endorsement of birches and guns. But this album deserves to be here, purely for the fact it is a foundation stone in a genre that exploded in scope and popularity over the ensuing 40 years. Plus my white 43 year old middle class ears loved every second of this.
Since I’ve listened to this before it wasn’t super shocking for me like it definitely had been the first time. This is an intense album and that’s no debate. It’s essentially unlistenable as singles from the album, at least for me because the language, ideologies, and general themes are no lighthearted fun rap songs. It definitely holds up for its place in history of west coast rap though.
Now this is a straight classic I’ve heard before. I love getting to revisit defining albums like these. Wow though, I forget how brash, abrasive, blunt, intimidating, and violent this record is. I mean it’s a shock. Gangsta rap at its finest. Unfortunately that does mean the lyrical content contains a lot of themes of misogyny, homophobia, and general hate speech, plus advocacy for violence and usage of illegal substances. This is of course coming from an upper middle class white kid who grew up in the 21st century, so it’s a completely different world and perspective for me to understand here. So while this is an amazing and incredibly influential record I can’t in full conscience give this a perfect score. Also “You know I spell girl with a B” is a lineee lol.
listened before
Ok I was surprised here. This was awesome. Blew away public enemy for my money. I’d listen again. Funny how Dre and ice cube are like mainstream and live off the persona now. I liked this. A lot. Not 5 stars but easy eazy 4.
straight outta post bender monday crisis hittet scho, aber gid sehr selte moment woni ungfrögt N.W.A bumpe, also en grossteil vo de hütige verteilte pünkt basiered uf em pionierfaktor bravo & danke für das!
I feel pretty under-equipped to give opinions on this album, but I liked how much of it was narratively driven.
Straight Outta Compton // Fuck Tha Police // Gangsta Gangsta // I Ain’t Tha 1 // Express Yourself // 3.5/5
pretty all right
important album in the history of hip hop. one of the first “gangster rap” albums as well as the first album of the genre to reach platinum status. topics of street violence, social critiques of policing, and rampant sexism. highlights: “straight outta compton” “fuck tha police” “quiet on tha set”
Man, Cube could really fucking hit it before he started doing shitty kids movies.
3.5
4.5
Landmark late-80s hip hop with the cool gang of Ice Cube, Dre, Easy E, MC Ren and maybe MC Stimpy is in there as well. First two songs are the most potent, thumping and incendiary but there are lots of fun, solid, groovin beats n raps thereafter, only a few clunker tracks. Gangsta Gangsta, Express Yourself and I Ain’t Tha 1 next best quality poppy, funky highlights.
ok
2002 remaster Partially listened before Favourite tracks: Gangsta Gangsta, Parental Discretion Iz Advized, Express Yourself
Great samples, a few throwaway tracks. I'm not a huge fan of 80s rap. It's a little rudimentary and plodding, but this album won me over.
Didn’t listen to the album pre-movie but LOVE it! 1988?? Sounds fresh
Need to be heard loud
This is a tough one to rate. It's aged poorly in a lot of ways, feeling dated in style and especially content, but it's still so well done. Half the album is really amazing and I think if the fluff were trimmed and the violence and misogyny weren't quite so thick this could be one of the greatest rap albums ever.
Fuck the police indeed. Late 80s and early 90s rap has a special place in my heart. Storytelling through the lyrics and sound mixing was great.
To me, this album is the birth of hip hop. Undoubtedly influential. Lyricism, composing, production and mixing... christ, what a wonderful album. High energy, whether it's insightful, braggadocious or just meant for bumping to. I've never really listen to NWA beside Straight Outta Compton but this made me a fan. BRB, gonna rinse through the history of hip hop in record form. FAVES Straight Outta Compton Gangsta Gangsta If It Ain't Ruff Express Yourself Dopeman (Dopeman!) Quiet On Tha Set Something 2 Dance 2 (a great way to finish!)
"Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A. is a classic album that stands as a cornerstone of hip-hop history. As one of the greatest hip-hop groups ever, N.W.A. created a masterpiece with this album. Dr. Dre's production is beyond words, setting a new standard in West Coast beats. Ice Cube's raw intensity, Eazy-E's distinctive style, and MC Ren's lyrical prowess all shine brightly on this record. Together, they crafted an absolute classic that continues to influence and define the genre.
Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Bad ass confident FUCK EM
this site has really opened my eyes to old-school hip-hop, which i already thought i enjoyed
Perhaps my favorite rap supergroup. It’s interesting how much public perception has shifted when you think about how this album was received when it was released vs the public stand against police brutality going on recently… dare I say we’re making progress even if it doesn’t feel that way sometimes.
I first listened to this album right around its release maybe 89’. It is still a good rap album and really encapsulates a very specific time in the US and this album needed to happen. I have always preferred Public Enemy and Krs-One style artists that have a more political bent (and waaaay less blatant misogyny).
NWA - Sraight outta Compton Superb, and in an era when every rap/hip hop group would have 10 mins of unfunny skits on records, it's so refreshing this album has none. Very high 4
Dated, influential, “Fuck Tha Police” + 1
Conflicted here. On one hand, the generator had just yesterday served me Public Enemy and my appetite for shouty, brash old school hip hop, let alone an hour of it is still very much saturated. On the other hand, it's March 2025 and today I saw the two US presidents do a sort of Marie Antoinette QVC on the White House lawn - "The peasants have no eggs!" "Let them buy Teslas!" - because one of them has his feefees hurt over the prospect of becoming only the second bizarrely wealthiest mf on this planet, so my demand for something that sounds like this album cover looks is kinda up. Imma give it a 4.
Brilliant. Dodgy lyrics but also really funny
Clasico del hip - hop, sin mas que decir.
A classic but a tad outdated for a 2025 listener. Loud, raw, and unfiltered to the max. 8/10
The originator of Gangsta rap and you can see their influence throughout sp many genres today. Th3 social commentary on this album is still prevalent 40 years later.
I enjoyed this one. The violent posturing didn't bother me and I can definitely get on board with the anger at the police. There are some misogynistic moments, but they're not like the awfulness of Smack My Bitch Up by the Prodigy or Notorious B.I.G's entire album. They're more 2 dimensional cynical visions of a certain type of woman - one who tries to use her femininity to exploit men - that are probably applied to too many women rather than a celebration of treating women like shit. This doesn't bother me enough to dock it points. Musically, the beats are good, the rapping's often slick. The album does go on for too long and gets weaker towards the end. Cutting the last 3 tracks would make it better overall.
Álbum muy importante en su momento y al que tenía muchas ganas de echarle un vistazo. El estilo sí que es verdad que ya está un poco pasado y algunas letras pues tampoco son lo mejor hoy día, pero tiene un mensaje tan importante que cambió el hiphop en su momento. Es imposible que no te guste esto. Canción destacada: Fuck the Police :)
Album seven for me... Hip-Hop's Never Mind The Bollocks. Time, perhaps, has not been kind to the themes or the delivery, but the energy and rock solid beats are every bit as fresh as they seemed in 1988. Unlike the Pistols, there can be no doubting these guys were the real deal. While it is hard to fully appreciate the pros and cons of NWA's manifesto from the UK, it is clear the controversy routinely overshadows their contribution as a musical force. Listening almost four decades on, there is more subtlety and deftness of touch with a choice sample than you may have noticed before. Or maybe you did - look, hip-hop is not necessarily my specialist subject, certainly not in its gangster form at least, but this was enjoyable to revisit for me. Not perfect, but worth the hype. Four stars for a ground-breaking album.
I mean... they made a movie out of this album. Great lyrics (not a fan of the objectification of women though, but sadly that's so common) and catchy beats.
I am not the audience for this album and my opinion is irrelevant, but I was prepared to hate it and I really didn't. Yeah, it was too long and some of it was offensive (no more so than Mötley Crũe, but that was a performance too). The groove is solid (although when I hear the samples I tend to think why don't we just listen to that?) and the rapping is skillful and the Library of Congress says it's significant, so I'm fine with it.
Interesting roots of hip hop
嘻哈说唱
Rap feels novel in this list, so I think I enjoy it more.. a lot of bangers in here, a lot of attitude, obviously
3.5?4
This was great. Some really good songs. It was long but that's okay.
Old Skool Gangsta Rap. That’s what I’m talking about! Was on the fence between 3 and 4, but +1 because it kills Kendrick Lamar and current day rap nonsense.