gafa42
4
N.W.A. built on the foundation laid by Ice-T and Schooly D. Cube’s hyperbole and sense of humor combined with Dre’s beats were aided by the antics of the PRMC and a formal introduction of rap to white audiences through the unprecedented popularity of the Beastie Boys resulting in a real zeitgeist moment for the group. Without airplay, it became a big hit, made gangsta rap a viable product for the masses, and put the West Coast on the map. Dre would go on to be a better producer (with a hell of a business acumen) and Cube would go on to add a bit of social commentary to his angry street persona (and make many a dumb comedy), but this remains the collective’s most powerful statement together or apart. There are cringey moments.. rap more than any other genre seems to date itself not only through the prolific time stamps throughout its history but by being a record of the mentality of its auteurs. The album would be important beyond the hype given its subtle political message- young black men in America were mad (righteously so) and this was, if nothing else, a way to express that anger without the fear of incarceration. Unfortunately, through both the mechanisms of a society that was censorshiptastic (which was oddly directed with more penalty at African Americans - systemic racism at its finest) and other’s attempts to be real (even if they weren’t), gangsta rap wasn’t a healthy or prison free outlet for very long. They weren’t the first or even the best gangsta act, but they were the big bang and the album is a landmark for hip hop, in both positive and negative ways.
I cannot listen to, nor rate, this album. I bought it a while ago, cheap on CD because I felt it was one of those records you needed to own and managed to listen to it all the way through once since then. This is not for me, it wasn't made for me, it is not for me to understand. I'm sure we've all blasted a bit of 'Fuck Tha Police' and sung along with abandon, claiming that we are 'Straight Outta Compton', but after that it gets, for me, very uncomfortable. I don't like it, I don't like the themes, I don't like the language, I don't like the attitudes. But then, I'm not supposed to. Did not listen / rate. Oh, and I hate Easy E's voice.
The first 5 tracks a really good to great. It drags a bit from there outside of "Express Yourself", my favourite song of theirs. favs: Express Yourself, Gangsta Gangsta, Fuck tha Police, Straight Outta Compton worst: I Ain't tha 1