Reviews (page 6 of 14)
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.
If you can turn a blind eye to the absolutely rampant misogyny, this is a pretty great and undeniably important album.
rapping is insane from all members (even dr.dre) such variety and probably influential, as stuff still sounds like this today more than say public enemy (not necessarily a bad thing). Beats are also so good and the mix of 808 hihat and drum break works so well and I'm sad its not used now as much. some beats are a bit nothing (i aint tha 1). Some of the sexism is a bit jarring for me though (same thing with the ice cube album earlier). Favourite songs: straight outta Compton, fuck tha police, gangsta, gangsta, 8 ball-remix, something like that, express yourself, Compton's N the house-remix, something 2 dance 2. Overall around 8/10 (feels quite close to 9 but not quite)
Gutsy to be doing something so avant garde. Lotta respect for these guys. They shaped hip hop as we know it.
Hard to think just how big an impact this had. The 80’s??? Insane. Raw, unapologetic, defiant. This still has lasting impact on the hip hop genre these folks RAPPED. Admittedly not something I listen to often but the beats n lyrics are chaotic and it is undeniable.
Jag antar detta är bara ett upprepande av ting de hört från fulare typer runt dem, så ingen riktig återgivelse av berättelser och ingen substans kan hittas heller, men fan är mig om detta inte är fantastiskt utfört.
Aweaome
Legendary, turning point of hip hop. 8/10.
Oh no I thought not another hip hop album but I really enjoyed this one. Back in the day when they still made an effort with tunes and ryhmes. Good effort!
I'm beginning to get the feeling that police officers are not always on the up and up. I love the hard hitting production on this. Musically it's got quite an abrasive, aggressive tone that matches the lyrical vibe. There's definitely a lot of misogyny here, as well as other themes that would go against most people's modern sensibilities, but sometimes I was finding myself chuckling despite this (or because of it, of how unexpected it is to hear these days that it surprises you into laughter?), it's just so in your face and like, damn, okay. He really just said that. Ice Cube especially has this humorous undertone despite what he is saying ("I Ain't Tha 1").
Seminal. Always good to drive to.
The golden age of hip-hop. Loved it!
4.5/5
Despite the ham handed, offensive, stupid lyrics and silly rhymes, this thing is still a classic.
Front half is a 4.6 but back half is a 3.4. Quite entertaining overall! 4
This is great music, especially the groovy beats and funky guitar parts, which are so much fun to listen to. Of course, the lyrics are debatable, and it can be challenging to take in so much “street knowledge” in just one hour. I wish today’s hip-hop featured more real instruments instead of cheap electronic sounds all over the place.
still insane to me that this came out in the late 80s
very interesting sociologically and musically. great album!
Damn that shit was dope!
Some of the best potty mouth ever put on record. I think the world would be a better place if more people could simultaneously A) Respect the job that good cops do and B) Understand why young African American males would write a song entitled "Fuck the Police
Really enjoyed this. Trip down memory lane. Always a bias to the music of high school years.
epic powerful album.
the backing tracks feel kinda dated
Strong rap album.
More like 3.5. I knew I would probably like it but never gave it a chance. Starts out really strong. Insanely misogynistic and kinda racist.
Such a groundbreaking album. Loved it at the time but not all of the cuts have stood the test of time.
Fav: Straight Outta Compton Least Fav: I Ain’t Tha 1
Definitely NSFW, or to sing aloud - but damn catchy 🍉 🧑🌾
Very impactful album, I have mixed feelings on it - the vibes and sound of the songs varied quite a bit. Songs like the title track were too shouty for me with a choppy aggressive cadence. Songs with smooth rapping and a less raw production sound were more my vibe. Lyrics like “I ain’t the one to get played like a poop butt” really resonated with me while others felt too violent or misogynistic. Favorite songs were: Express Yourself Parental Discretion is Advised 7/10
Story time: Straight Outta Compton was is inextricably linked to my first car crash. Like all white 16 year olds, I had just gotten into NWA. I was driving up 15th St in my mom's slate blue Hyundai Santa Fe, listening to Straight Outta Compton too loudly and not paying enough attention. At the intersection of 15th and Church a car going the opposite way was turning left, and stopped in the middle of the intersection for an unexpected pedestrian before completing the turn. I was too busy singing along to notice and hit the guy's fender. Everyone was fine, but the cars were a bit dented. The guy was very cool about it, probably cause he saw I was a dumb 16 year old with the unmistakably wide eyes of "Ohhhhh my mom's gonna be so mad". She was indeed mad and said "You were probably listening to music too loud and not paying attention weren't you". How did she know? Anyway, the album. I felt mixed on it. The more albums we listen to, the more I realize Hip Hop is just not my genre. I still have a lot of Hip Hop I love, but there's less of it than other genres that I would choose to put on myself. I went in and out of really vibing with it, and then losing steam. Also I knew the first 2 songs the best, and expected the rest of the album to have that same energy. There were a lot more 80's Sugar Hill/Run DMC sounding beats and songs on there than I expected. I think of this album as being farther removed from that era than it is I guess. My surprise favorite was Express Yourself. And not to be too Tipper Gore about things, but man it was hard to listen any time they mentioned a woman. They get real gross and a lot of their lyrics have aged about as poorly as its possible to age. Not that what they were saying was at all ok at the time. In conclusion, I enjoyed it but its not a favorite. Album Cover: (A+) HARD. Also the parental advisory sticker makes it so much cooler. A prime example for how much that idea backfired and made anything it touched instantly more appealing.
o sea es god, no es un album q escucharía a diario pero lo reconozco. ademas te pones a pensar q salió en 1988 y decís que mierda
Great album 4/5
Songs: Straight Outta Compton
The kind of hip hop I like. Just fun banger after banger (casual sexism notwithstanding - putting this down to the era and genre). Anything over an hour is too long 95% of the time.
Hell yeah
Still holds up. This is like the public enemy album I got 2 days ago but so much better. I wasnt aware of the sampling and beats on this. I Aint Tha 1 is so good, Gangsta Gangsta, the list goes on I was pleasantly surprised.
A CRAZY MOTHERFUCKER CALLED ICE CUBE
There was a time when this was a 5 for me. It was so transgressive and thrilling when it came out. Now, the rhymes sound pretty elementary and the braggadocio comes off as silly. The production is still great though, with a lot of funk to it, soul samples, and left field elements, and Dre, Cube and E all sound great on the mic.
surprised - first three tracks are great 8 out of 10
solid album
Peak 90s hiphop and incredibly good
Now this, I like. This is an album I was familiar with before but had never listened to all the way through, and I didn’t ever piece together that a lot of these songs were from this album. It was a nice surprise today to get to listen to this. It’s just such a classic sound that’s so familiar but I can’t place where else I’ve ever heard it before. This album just feels like its own genre to me. I freaking love that record twist sound they use so much. It’s just so iconic and fun and it feels like something that’s only been done once, in my opinion. It’s pretty great, and I don’t want to loosely hand out 5 stars, so I’m going to give this one my first high 4-star for now. I think my only issue pertains to the fact I got tired of hearing “Motha-fucka!” and such every 2 seconds. Got kinda repetitive. Still though- W album. Favorite tracks are Fuck Tha Police, Straight Out of Compton, and Gangsta Gangsta.
FIRE . Also love the beastie boys shout out
What a classic! Yes, the misogyny and violence is through the motha fuckin' roof, but a great display of early West Coast gangsta rap and some of the most influential figures in music.
No doubt the groundbreakers for in yo face gangsta rap. I actually enjoyed this on more than the vast majority of the era, and strangely, more than many of the bands they influenced.
The true and first anti-establishment punk rockers of the rap world. That alone merits high(er) ratings here. The front end of the album is hardcore right outta the gate, but admittedly the backend gets pretty sleepy due to repetition and just not quite having as strong of songs. Still a classic.
Wait THATS what it stands for??
Had to be away from the kids to listen to this one! Can’t say I can relate to many of the lyrics and has me blushing at times, but there are so many great lines in this. And you can’t deny the impact this had on rap and music. Funny that the backlash was prob led to much of the mainstream success.
The definition of going hard out the gate. The first three tracks are certified bangers. So much that the rest of the album can’t keep up. It’s an undeniable classic but doesn’t reach 5 star status for me. And let’s be honest…some of the lyrics are straight up corny! 4/5
- not perfect but pretty good .... today it sounds more "old skool" than I expected ... and, of course, some of the lyrics don't age well ..... but who gives a fuck? -
This actually surprised me I thought the album would be more like the sound of Fuck the Police but it wasn’t it was more like early rap which I enjoy far more
Brabo
I’ve already heard this album but it was a nice refresher to listen to it once again. While some of the songs and lyrical content hasn’t aged the best for me, the production by dr Dre makes this album what it is. (10/10 production) I’m sort of feeling a 8.1 on this album
Overall: 8/10 This album is very obviously from the 80s but it honestly hasn't aged that terribly! The beats are fun and the lyrics were super edgy for the time. Eazy E was easily the most charismatic and fun rapper of the group, it's a shame he never got to have much more success before his death. Oh well, that's life! Fav Song: Fuck Tha Police Least Fav Song: Something Like That
this is the album that pretty much put the West Coast on the national stage of hip hop, and it has more or less earned that reputation. these beats are relatively barebones, but they often hit deeply hard. side A of the original tracklist contains some of mid-school hip hop's most iconic songs, with Ice Cube leading the charge as N.W.A's clear stand-out on the mic. it's well known that these guys weren't nearly as "gangsta" as they put on in their music, but their music still succeeds on the strength of their audible enthusiasm. when Cube or MC Ren say they'll bust your ass, you almost believe them. when Eazy-E tries the same, it's played more for humor, and yet he feels at home in the group regardless. the anger and calls to violence in these songs, the rhetoric which once shocked a nation, feels pretty toothless this many decades later, with Ice Cube and Dr. Dre being household names, but the misogyny present in a lot of these songs does genuinely make me bristle a little bit. I like Dre's counterbalance to the chaos which he offers listeners on his solo track, "Express Yourself". it's pretty funny to hear him talk about how he doesn't smoke cannabis considering that he'd drop The Chronic three years after this. despite the pretty severe drop in quality on the last four songs (the beats in particular get a lot worse out of nowhere), there's enough highly classic material on Straight Outta Compton that every hip hop enthusiast should make it a priority to experience at least a couple times. the title track, "Fuck tha Police" and "Express Yourself" are some of the first songs I think of when it comes to the West Coast. decent 7/10.
straight outta compton und fuck the police sind halt rieese banger aber i kenns au. schono achtzger hiphop aber glaub für sini ziit uuuuultra aggro und schockierend. gangsta gangsta kenni nöd und d gitarre slappt. chli viel bitches bitches für min gschmack. if it aint ruff isch au recht geil es trotted sochli daher aber slappt au. parental discretion izsch ebe echt advised. de dre het e ultra geili stimm, er isch kein poet aber s tönt guet. essy jazzy de schluss?? huere cool? 8ball mitem lets get it on sample letsgoo. beat goht ultra blöd. i ha spass. somethin like that isch sehr geil. express yourself seeeehr geili samples passt soo guet. comptons n the house afoch nur drums sehr beastie boys. yellaboy gettin dumb haha. i aint tha 1 uuuuultra geile beat inhalt uuultra sexistisch. weiss nöd. dopeman wieder afoch e 808 wo sache macht. hahahaah im putting in your culo a 38 slug?? ultra funny.
This was Something 2 Dance 2 for sure, however Parental Discretion Iz Advised.
Bangin
Some powerful statements in this album and a real insight into Compton. Another album that wasn’t for me as I’m not massively into rap but can understand it’s significance.
World Class Wrecking Cru Dr Dre will always be the best Dr Dre in my heart. But yeah, what that other guy said about this being important, zeitgeist etc.
Some solid old school bangers, some don't hold up so well.
A lot of personality
Some classics and some corny ones
An album I thought I was going to give a 5. After all, it was pretty groundbreaking, there's no doubt about it. But it kind of drags in the later half. Of course, I might have just got knocked out after track 3. Seriously, those first tracks come out guns blazing. Absolutely legendary. Fav tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta
I commented on my last record how it just didn’t excite me. This one you can feel the passion from the first note through the last. Not a genre I listen to regularly and there are a lot of reasons why. But you can’t deny the power of this album.
Really front-loaded, and to Sameen’s point about the Ice Cube album, immature in some moments, but also incredibly mature in other ways, undeniably influential, the production is unbelievable… a hit!
its so impressive when you consider how young these guys were... and that comes across on some of the more immature tracks and lyrics on this album (mostly from easy-e who was kind of a dumbass i think) but its still just really something to behold.. i think ultimately it is a bit overrated which is to say that I think its very good but the lads sorta get in their own way a couple of times... should be shorter too !
Proper clever rap Dre is a master of samples, the beats are amazing. Lyricism on point if you can look past the gangsta content that puts off so many. If it Ain't Rough was my favourite, Mc Ren flows so nicely, loved those reversed sentence lines.
Four stars for being groundbreaking. Unfortunately the ground they broke wasn't that interesting and inspired a lot of rappers to drop a lot more n-bombs than the world probably needed.
Really enjoyed this, one of the best rap albums I've heard in a long time. Not quite 5-star worthy but definitely one I'll be listening to again.
fun!
I feel like I know this record well, and have previously thought that it might be a slight victim of its own hype and controversy, with the album as a whole not completely backing it up song wise. After this listen I’m not sure that is the case. It’s equally fun and funky as it is angry, with the only thing holding me back from giving it a 5 being that there are albums from this period and genre that I know I’ll want to score higher
Great album that was a staple of my youth. This really propelled hip hop into the massive genre it is now. This album was very controversial when it came out with many pearl clutchers freaking out over "Fuck the Police". I'm sure that I will listen to this again even though I probably won't seek it out it's still a great album and I think it's historic too.
Great album
Pretty good, not as good as rumours, but might listen to it more and form a better opinion, 7.5/10.
Kept from the 5 star because god damn be normal about women for fucks sake
Pretty cool. Maybe like a 4.5?
I hadn’t heard this full album for at least a decade, maybe 15+ years, and I really didn’t think it was going to hold up. But man was I wrong. I was spinning this in my late teens/early twenties and I really don’t think I appreciated what they were doing. The album is loaded with so many excellent samples, it blew me away. The lyrics aren’t bad, many still ring true to this day, and the flow isn’t as rudimentary as I expected. This album must have really spoke to people around the time of its release. I think MC Ren is my favorite now, and EZ might be my least favorite. His voice doesn’t do it for me anymore.
Good album and some of Eazy Es lines are funny cause he died of aids
So much funky drummer. Sometimes 80s hip-hop can feel like it works from a very similar template but save for a few homophobic lines, the template translates to present day. Solid listen and I hope more of this kind of hip-hop comes up on this list
Enough variation in styles and themes to keep it interesting, even if the pacing was pretty samey
Could be a 5 if it wasn’t so misogynist.
Enjoyed this well enough, although I thought it dragged out a bit too long. Incredibly influential and was the beginning of many successful careers. Heard a bunch of these before but never listened in its entirety. Album is a product of its time and circumstance. 3.5/5
This stuff is alright! Really good beats and lyrics.
19/10/24 Genuinely dislike this sort of music and would have listened to it were it not for this. I was actually surprised that I enjoyed this.
Heard before. Pretty good.
As a young metalhead I happened across a bootleg cassette of this album in the gutter while walking to school in 7th grade. I never listened to rap before this and hated any type of rap I heard on the radio. The cassette was not labeled and I took out my Slayer cassette and put this one in. Mind blown
а вот это уже конкретный рэп !
An important and seminal record that sounds just a bit too dated compared to what Dre would be producing 2-3 short years later.
im not a rap guy this shit slaps though
Classic album with two bangers right off the start. OH that's where the line from the Natalie Portman rap came from!
I felt the same way about almost all the gangsta rap I got on the 1001 list: I recognized its importance but felt that it was outdated. The same applies here, but for some reason that escapes my understanding, I'll give it one extra star due to some strange feeling. For some reason, their anger kicked better with mine.
Made me feel cool
Classic. Like rating water
This is a good listen. Nice, simple, clean beats.
Classic. Been in rotation for 20 years
Rap shizzle, wel lekker geluid, vrouwonvriendlijk tho. Goede muziek
A solid album, pretty enjoyable even though it's not my preferred genre. Not as good as 36 Chambers though.
Better than I remember, especially the title track. The misogyny really takes some of the shine off, though.
First time hearing this. Actually love it. The attitude, the beats.
Hits very hard roght out the gate. It immediately establishes the tone and energy that would become a staple to Ganster Rap. Lots of really catchy songs and some humorous skits too. Loved hearing the stylistic differences between the NWA artists. Overall- great rap album. I can see how it influenced the genre so much
classic album I haven’t heard in years. So many great tracks.
I was surprised that I actually liked it. It’s really good and obviously groundbreaking. I’ve heard people complain about the misogyny but it’s all round offensive in every way and it’s meant to be, So you can’t really single out the sexism as bad. It’s well produced, cleverly written. Obviously I’m not the intended audience, then again I get the feeling it was written in the hopes of pissing people like me off back in the time, it’s a provocative piece of art.
I had this cassette in high school, and like so many other suburban white boys listened to it all the time, thinking I was a bad ass. There’s real shock value, and 35+ years later I can do without some of the language and imagery. But damn, it’s still a fun listen! There are some bangers on here, they had a point of view, and the fact that I still remember a bunch of lyrics tells you how much of an impression it made. Also, the unsung hero of this album and of N.W.A. generally is the D.O.C. In an alternate timeline where he didn’t injure his vocal cords he could have been as big as Dr. Dre or Ice Cube… 4⭐️
i liked the beats on this album, flows were good, too. however, the offensive bars were kind of excessive, even for rap - coming from a hiphophead. that being said, this album was very influential and is a true classic. it's a fun album that i think everyone should know at least one song off of.
Day255 - not many albums had this kind of cultural impact, half the white boys i knew had raiders hats. listening now is rough cause it’s so of it’s time
Production is great, rapping is excellent, message is timeless, misogyny is dated af.
Some filler songs but we got a good one. The singles in particular really shine. This album is a bop, despite some of the lyrics/themes absolutely not aging well. I love West Coast rap
Straight fire, classic rap album, tiene sus temillas y luego es repetitivo
# Album Name: Straight outta compton # Artist: N.W.A # Rating: 4/5 # Comments: Im definitely not one for hip hop / rap but this was a good album. Theyve incorporated some great samples into the album and lyrics were top notch. You can feel how raw this album is. Several great songs throughout the album. I'll come back to this one. # Top Tunes: Straight outta compton / Fuck tha police / Gangtsa Gansta / Express yourself # Would I listen to it again? Yup.
The singles were the highlight of the album for me but I can imagine this being such a huge game-changer in the 80s and a lot of the messaging still relates now. It is dated in some spots but it was a great stepping stone, especially for Dre and Cube cause we saw them get immensely better since this album.
Classic
Unfortunately couldn’t play this for my infant. This album meant a tonne to rap…at the time. Unfortunately it simply hasn’t aged very well. Still, its style and importance cannot be ignored. 4/5
Great album. Can't help but play this one loud.
I don't usually like rap that much but I really enjoyed this album. I liked Fuck Tha Police, Parental Discretion Iz Advised and Express Yourself.
one of those albums that's so massively influential and lives up to the hype but has also been answered and challenged and surpassed to such a degree i can never really love it like that 8/10
definitely a dated album in terms of production and lyrical content, but it’s impact on the genre cannot be understated.
Lyrically, this album has not aged well. Musically, it is still a masterpiece. Personal favourite is If It Ain’t Ruff It Ain’t Me 4/5
Ooh..It's NWA! I've seen the movie called "Straight Outta Compton" so, I get to pretend I know these songs and the group. Besides the album that's matched the movie, this is probably the second NWA (or would others class it as the first?) album i've heard. I like that this feel quite forward on what it wanted to convey. Not just teenagers with their push against authority but also the racism that happens to them. How their upbringing influenced their lyrics as well.
One of the best opening tracks for an album ever. All game changing classics for hip hop. Ice Cube is crazy good on this record. Would love to give this a 5 but I can't when the the rest of the songs outside the big 4 (track 1-3, Express Yourself) are just not very interesting nor memorable. A hugely influential album for sure though. Also, Ice Cube thought this album would be placed in the comedy section of the record store. Thought that was a fun fact to share
some of the best hip hop tracks of all time and changed the genre forever. that being said there are peltny of cheesy, poorly aged moments.
Can’t believe I liked this. Don’t tell anyone.
Dre is a genius! The opening three tracks on this is unmatched by anything in hip hop. However the album slowly fades into interesting samples but not as great raps. Still, it has to chart high on any hip hop list.
Rating: 8/10 Iconic album with incredible highlights. This album contains some of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time but a lot of the other songs feel redundant. The lyrical themes get pretty stale after a while as well as the production, definitely would have benefited from cutting some filler. Favorite songs: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck Tha Police, Gangsta Gangsta, Parental Discretion Iz Advised, Express Yourself, Dopeman. Worst song: 8 Ball.
Enjoyed that more than expected. It’s probably been over 35 years since I listened to it. It was over some kid named marks house. His older brother had it.
Impressed by how many things nwa did that are still active in music.
classic
What do you get when you cross Eazy-E, Dr Dre, and Ice cube? Some fire bars and lines that absolutely did not age well 😎 Really though, it’s unbelievable how influential this record has been on modern rap, but it’s not perfect. It’s long and there are a lot of weird bars… Anyways, solid 4/5.
Blatant misogyny aside - which I have an issue with all genres of music - this album slaps!!! I had heard many singles from NWA over the years, but never a complete album. This is the rap that I grew up on and miss. Great album.
This one feels like it holds up better than other 80's and 90's rap albums on the list. I imagine this was a formative album for a ton of people. My mom is lucky I never heard this album as a kid as we probably would have entered into a cycle of me getting it and hiding it and her trying to throw it away like the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. 4.0
FUCK DA POLICE COMIN STRAIGHT FROM THE UNDERGROUND!!!
Some songs can get repetitive but otherwise this is a masterpiece
Not one of the greatest rap albums for me, and the relentless misogyny is hard to take, but it's musically influential, and endlessly culturally and politically relevant.
Gold school for a reason! Collection of still some of the most dark and cold gangsta rap songs. The sound is a bit dated but the lyrical content, at least some of it, could not be said on a song today (the misogyny is especially blunt). But it paints a portrait of the dregs and the hard way of living NWA was raised in. A lifestyle that scoops out vulnerability and humanity for struggle and violence in the name of survival.
Lots of classics and good production on one project. The energy is incredible.
Yeah this was very good. Considering it was released in ‘88 I presume it was pretty influential and rightfully so. Got some great tracks, 12 of which don’t contain a homophobic slur
4/5
Definitely a highly influential and important album, not only for lovers of rap and hip-hop, but through all the genres. I'm not usually a fan of this genre, but there is something appealing and pleasurable listening to Straight Outta Compton. I can't say I loved it, but I did enjoy it, especially when listening with mixed company. I recommend you turn it up loud and blare it and if you see a cop near by, crank it louder! Then run!
THIS is where that 'exprEss yourself' comes from?!?!?!! 'movin' like a tortoise full of rigor mortis' is the winner of the lyricism prize today!! ok so I know this turned heads. and I can see why! it starts off great and still relevant today (sad yet brilliant). most still hold up except I Ain't Tha 1 which felt sooo much longer than it was and wasn't quite the flex it may have been back then..? Nice that we got Something 2 dance 2 in the middle!
I'd give it an solid 8, it's everything I like about the OG rap scene, great samples, great story
One of the more iconic records of this genre. The problem I’ve got with this and others like it is they're just so one dimensional. Great music, great flow, but lyrically suspect. It just gets old, quickly.
I liked this album a lot, the only problem i had with it was the repetition of some words throughth the album, words like "Compton", "ruthless" etc. other than this great album
Solid. Do you think theyre real gangsters or government plants?
I’m not a huge fan of this type of hip hop typically but the beats are so good in these tracks. A lot of it is unnecessarily violent and then they seem to take the mask off at the end for the dance bop.
The original gangster rap album? At least one of the best!
a classic, pivotal for its time and music going forward
Some of the songs on this album have become undisputed classics in rap, and the record itself is an important moment in hip hop. The album pushed rap into new places. Dr. Dre’s production defines the west coast sound, and the flows are ahead of their time, but all that’s secondary to the point of the album. It’s a big fuck you to everyone who’s not young black kid from Compton. They're saying this is what I’m about. Everyone hates me for it, and I like it that way. It’s not that they don’t care if it offends you. They hope it does. 3.6
Catchy, funky, super aggressive and offensive but brilliant.
Very good. Intense. Occasional five star moments.
Now this one I did understand the words, and it’s an indisputable classic. I have to knock off a star, like I always seem to need to with these albums that are full of misogynistic lyrics. Otherwise a pretty perfect album.
Filled with hits, beats, samples, hooks. Some songs toward the back half of the album were a little samey, and I feel like there's maybe a much more concise 40 minute album in here (though I wouldn't drop the two tracks that were included on the CD but not the vinyl album, I liked those). Really great listen though.
This is a classic! Honestly I was a little disappointed that it didn't feel super different than a lot of the other hip hop albums from this era that we've listened to. But "Fuck Tha Police" is great.
I'm fully unequipped to evaluate this on its relevance or merit but what I can say is that it's full of bangers with beats and instrumental stings that still feel like they could be released new today.
Real cruisin’ album. Don’t really care about learning to drive but would great to be in a low top convertible pumping this album. Title track and “Express Yourself” are all timers but also really liked “Gangsta Gangsta” and “Parental Discretion Iz Advised”. Anti-role model music but the production should be appreciated by all. Samples go hard. Final song great energy. 4.2.
Normally, good albums can be described by words like “beautiful”, “fun”, or even “pleasant”. This album is none of those, but is still fascinating as a snapshot of life for those in Compton at that time, which makes the harshness and brutality of it an integral part. I’m not usually into rap, but this I was able to enjoy much more than usual. Still not a favorite of mine musically, but as a piece of protest art, this is extremely compelling
Gear: Hifiman Arya Artwork: 🔫📷😨 Production (2002 Remaster): 🫶🧊🎤 Music: 🔪⛓️🏎️ Rating: 💵💵💵💵(💵)/5
Low 4
in the sea of mostly 70-80 rock, which is this list, any hip hop album instantly catches attention. and this is a classic
Fuck fuck fuck the police
Title track and Fuck Tha Police epitomize classic rap, full of samples but with brutal lyrics that were ahead of their time. Really good 1-2 punch. Gangsta Gangsta isn't as good but If It Ain't Ruff is another strong one, Ren rapping solo over a simple beat. Then we have a couple of slower tracks with funky bass and interesting percussion. Something Like That and Express Yourself come close to hitting the heights again, but the second half is weaker and I'm torn over the final rating. Still a really great sounding album and undoubtedly a classic.
Way too long, but generally really good. Some complete bangers on the track list
Bangs, obviously, but so many of the tracks are never gonna get into my daily rotation because of how they are about women. Favourite song: Parental Discretion
Ice Cube and Dre were amazing. I remember having a bootleg tape of this in high school and still remember every line. Amazing that they put out songs that remain so iconic when they were so young. Taking away one star for Eazy-E’s horrible misogyny.
At first, I was like I don’t understand why people like this. Of course I know the history and the significance but it’s not generally my type of music. But after listening a SECOND time. I fell in love. I really enjoyed a lot of these songs.
Ngl its also a good album. The language is very very intense though, especially the openers.
3.8 probably one of the most important 80's rap albums faves: fuck da police, express yourself
great album. love this generation of rap. lots of bangers
This album is pretty interesting as some of it is amazing while other parts are just ok. I think I'm more of a fan of Dr. Dre's style as his parts of songs tend to be much more interesting. The other songs sound a little primitive by today's standard. I do like the attitude of this album as you can tell they don't care what anyone thinks about them. Overall I admire the album but it's just not a five for me as it isn't as consistent or good as albums like Illmatic.
Brilliant. Bad. Brutal. Unapologetically so. A great, challenging listen.
Though Dre disavowed this album in terms of production quality, the beats are working on just about every cut. Even "Something 2 Dance 2", which seems out of place but slaps in its own right. When Ice Cube is firing on all cylinders, he's a great lyricist. Five minutes of him talking about how he disrespects women ("I ain't the 1") is about five minutes too long. Everything else hangs together pretty well. Timeless.
Fuck tha police indeed. All timer. Don't think it quite gets to 5*. 87/100
Gonorrhea mentioned
Already rated this on rym (4/5). However, after a relisten, I dropped my rating to 3.5, but leaning towards a 4. A classic, but not really one to revisit as a whole. tracks straight outta compton, fuck tha police, gangsta gangsta, and express yourself are obvious highlights of the album. side a is a pretty good track run. side b (express yourself an exception) is pretty much full of duds and was a slog to get through. rated original track listing Personal favs: gangsta gangsta (eazy e verse goes crazy), express yourself
This record is oddly nostalgic for me, as a white boy who listened to this a ton throughout middle and high school. Not that I was trying to be "gangsta" per se, but I was consuming a lot of media at the time that included this era of hop-hop (The in-game radio for GTA: San Andreas was highly influential to me in that regard) and I fell in love with this "Golden Era" of hip-hop the more I was exposed to it. N.W.A. was a force, albeit a short lived one. They were clear and concise in their messages and opinions on the establishment and the police force (which makes you question how much has really changed nearly 36 years later). I think the first three tracks summarize this album and N.W.A. pretty well: displaying their gangster image and character ("Straight Outta Compton", "Gangsta Gangsta") and their aggressive, anti-law enforcement views that many know them for ("Fuck tha Police"). Complete with hard, yet clear, delivery from each of the MCs involved as well as some pretty iconic sampling and mixing scattered throughout. Listening with older ears though, makes me a little more aware on how poorly some of the lyrical content has aged. Misogyny, toxic masculinity, extreme violence, etc, these were all too common in hip-hop from this era and it's hard to block them out when you listen to these albums nowadays. This was a genre-shifting album and has a rightful place on this list. You can honestly hear this shift in real time as the album progresses, with a lot of the samples and beats you'd hear in early 80's hip-hop, combined with the hardcore lyrical delivery. This launched gangsta rap into the mainstream for a bit and in a more general sense, gave the west coast an even bigger seat in the hip-hop scene.
While I do listen to rap, I probably don't listen to enough to have truly thoughtful commentary on this album. But I understand its place in shaping the genre of gangsta rap. Obviously a lot of the lyrics haven't aged well - the blatant misogyny is hard to stomach, for one. But not so surprising for its time. What's also hard to stomach is how Fuck Tha Police still rings as true today as it did then. That track, Express Yourself, and Something to Dance To are the standouts for me every time I listen to this album.
OK, let's address the obvious. The lyrics can be.. no, they are, very hostile. However, this album (lyrics included) is pretty incredible. The influence can't be denied. Hearing a young Cube, Dre, and Eazy-E create the foundations of gangsta rap is pretty special, and they don't hold back dishing out their view (from that time period) on racial injustices.
bevat beste en meest iconische hip-hop songs ooit, maar het is veel te lang, begin is sterker dan tweede helft. Maar zeker een goed album: 3/5 of 3,5/5 beste tracks: Express Yourself, straight outta compton, fuck tha police en gangsta gangsta
When this came out, loved it. While the beats are stellar the rage is pure, and the sense of encapsulated history is accurate, a lot of slurs and denigrative language should remain in the past.
The beats were very groovy, but the lyrics were full of mysogyny, violence, and homophobia . At first I was gonna knock it down a point for that, but I decided I can enjoy the music even if I disagree with it. Mid to high 4. Favorite track: express yourself
A classic for a reason. This feels like the inflection point where mainstream hip-hop shifted in the direction it would take for the next 15 years. The beats are still really good. A little too long. Favorites were Straight Outta Compton, Fuck The Police, Express Yourself. And Gangsta Gangsta
I was ready with my standard criticisms of rap and hip-hop - skits I don't understand, over long, boring, bland and repetitive ... but this is really good. Yes, it is still a long album an hour on the original release, hour and a quarter on the re-issue with bonus tracjs), but the production and rapping is clear, Ice Cube and Eazy-E especially have great flow, and there are no skits to annoy me. Over all, I enjoyed this - easily one of the best rap albums I've heard.
Some interesting wresting stuff
Great production and synergy between the group. Perfect at the gym
Enjoyed it a lot - aged really well for a rap album from 1988
Classic gangster rap but misogynistic lyrics. Gritty portrait of 90s urban USA. Fuck the Police is a banger though.
I don’t listen to a lot of rap so I have been looking to expand this direction. Overall, I enjoyed listening to this album but I probably won’t go back to it very often because it’s a really angry album. Rightfully so but still.
N.W.A. = NSFW. That’s good. Harrison Butker would not approve. Also good. The pre-ACAB ACAB record. Cool samples, but the misogyny and homophobia loses it a star
I love how political some these lyrics are, and the samples and turns of phrase are so good. Don’t love the homophobia and misogyny. Fuck the police has never felt more relevant.
huge and majorly influential gangsta rap album. These dudes are pissed and let you know it. Some songs actually have a reasonable or even valuable points (Fuck Tha Police, Express Yourself), but messages of violence, misogyny, and homophobia ring throughout (the latter 2 being whacker, but also potentially representative of N.W.A.’s experiences). There are a range in beats showing Dre getting started - some are pretty basic with a little funk in there while some are stone-cold classics (Express Yourself) and both they fit the sound well and are likely a step up from what else was happening at the time. A picture into a culture that has faced inequity and injustice, are pissed at the world, and will take it out in anyone in their way. The albums comes out blazing but doesn’t quite maintain those highs, but still a solid listen that provides an interesting snapshot of LA street life.