Eazy-E kicks his way out of a window to escape a dope house while a battering ram and the LAPD bust in at the start of Straight Outta Compton, setting off a ride into the fast-paced story of N.W.A. In 2015, the music that N.W.A. made nearly 30 years ago is still relevant with police violence still running rampant. While the story is well known and documented, the hip-hop biopic Straight Outta Compton covers the beginnings and downfall of the world’s most dangerous group in a personal view.
The movie’s subsequent plot is about the careers of a young Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, Ice Cube, and Yella; but it also involves the time period of late ‘80s police violence, Compton streets and the music industry changes that came with the impact of N.W.A. The movie does a perfect job in detailing the personal lives and intimate relationships that made N.W.A the legends they became while also showing each characters motives for how their life panned out. Cramming a ten year period in a two-and-a-half hour movie was no easy task. Some of the historic rap moments such as the writing of N.W.A.’s “F**k Tha Police,” Ice Cube’s diss track, “No Vaseline,” Eazy-E’s face off with Suge Knight, and Dr. Dre leaving Death Row Records to launch Aftermath all made the movie. One of the most impactful moments in the film was the untimely death of Eazy-E after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. A sad event that changed the perception of the disease and how it affected a rapper, which was unexpected in the ‘90s.
Director F. Gary Gray along with Ice Cube had major input in the storyline of the movie and it shows that their collaboration offered a bit of action, emotional drama, and comedic value in a brutally honest manner that matched N.W.A.’s fabric from the offset. For these roles, the actors had to delve deep into the characters so much, that they even went and re-recorded the first three N.W.A. albums. It paid off, as their portrayal will be one to carry on the already solidified legacy of N.W.A.
The flick drops August 14, but you can go to MC On Demand > Throwbacks > N.W.A. Family to see our folder of music videos inspired by the movie right now.
Will most likely boycott the movie due to the way the initial casting of female extras was handled.
If I get free tickets I might go.
