Mike Natale:Listened to: CD
“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.”
Much like the violin tune-up in the beginning of Sgt. Pepper’s, you know you’re about to get something really special when you hear that opening statement. Straight Outta Comptonis a revolutionary album, by the undeniably talented N.W.A. It amazes one to listen to this album and realize it came out right around the same time as yesterday’s album, Disintegration by The Cure. It shouldn’t be too hard to determine which has proved to be the prevailing genre. The first track, “Straight Outta Compton”, tears up everything that came before. No more rapping about Merry Christmas Eve in Hollis Queens. Swearing every other sentence, preaching the beat of the streets, and lighting up every second of the song with fury and passion. Without a doubt, though, the most famous track on this album is one so egregious as to declare that police officers “…have the authority to kill a minority”. “Fuck The Police” is that track that you were hearing about since you were like, 9, finally heard when you were 13, and were immediately a convert to the music of N.W.A.
Look, people got all up in arms about this, but let’s face it, it’s just musical revolt. “Come mothers and fathers throughout the land. And don't criticize what you can't understand. Your sons and your daughters are beyond your command. Your old road is rapidly agin'. Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand” to quote Bob Dylan. These kids were frustrated. Where once the youth protested war and social racial discrimination, these new young were crusading against police brutality and violent racial profiling.
I…I will admit, though, while the music is good, it misses a crucial point. Um…Mr. Dre? Mr. Ren? Mr. E-Z-mother-fucking-E? I think it’s great that you want to complain about how cops always pull you over and harass you just because you’re black, but…I gotta be honest here…almost every other track on the album, and even this one, talk about you getting high and shooting people…those are…those are crimes. Maybe…um…well…maybe THAT’S why you continually get harassed by police…because you’re committing crimes.
The album is musically and lyrically potent, it’s true, but I have to admit, there’s something a little off about being furious over being racially stereotyped as criminals, if only to then portray yourselves as criminals for a whole album. Just sayin’.
So, all in all, Compton is without a doubt a masterpiece, and I might be so bold as to say the greatest hip-hop album of all time. Fuck it, I will be that bold. It is the greatest hip-hop album of all time. From the violent “Fuck The Police” to the inspirational (and radio-friendly) “Express Yourself”, I feel safe in saying every member of N.W.A. reached their peak on this album, and it is without a doubt worth a listen. Hell, I’d rank the god-damn thing higher on this list, but that’s for another day. Just remember, guys. “Its not about a salary, it’s all about reality”. Though, you know, I’m thinking the boys of N.W.A. didn’t mind the salary too much either.
-Mike
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Here in place of Nick today is our resident rap expert, Josh Paige. Everybody give him a warm round of applause.
Josh Paige:
“F**k tha police
Comin straight from the underground
A young n**ga got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority”
Whether you’re actually from Compton or whether you’re from Beverly Hills , if you know anything about hip-hop, you’ve at least heard of N.W.A. And whether you’re a fan or not, you’ve at least heard of the infamous track listed on ‘Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time,’ “F**k Tha Police.”
One can only say so much about N.W.A, let alone their smash hit album “Straight Outta Compton.” This album not only redefined hip-hop, but it gave music a new installment; an attitude nobody expected and, representing their title, the N.W.A. absolutely provided that attitude. Released in 1988, being produced and featured by the well known Dr. Dre, with the lyrical inspiration of Ice Cube, and the ‘Ruthless Records’ label provided by the late, great Eazy-E, this thirteen track masterpiece gave new meaning for what it truly meant to be from the hood. From one of Ice Cube’s opening lines of the album, “When I'm called off, I got a sawed off, Squeeze the trigger, and bodies are hauled off,” you know, right away, that this is no M.C. Hammer.
What separated N.W.A. from preceding hip-hop artists is that they gave a statement to the world; that Compton was where they were from, this was how they represented, and that they feared no one. With tracks such as the opening “Straight Outta Compton” and the ever popular “F**k Tha Police” they prove that they mean business, putting fear through all of middle America, even the police, and anyone who tried to stand in their way. With their most notorious hit, “Police,” They quickly became popular for protesting against police brutality, and racial profiling, being labeled as “The World’s Most Dangerous Group.” With tracks such as “8 Ball” and “Dopeman” they openly share their views on having fun, drinking 40’s and bonding with drug dealers, even if it means slapping some b*tches with their d*cks in the process. They prove that they can just have a good time, “rolling through the hood to find the boys, kick dust and cuss and crank up some noise” and even during those blissful times of getting drunk and high, they were still willing to pop a cap in somebody’s ass if needed.
But these guys weren’t just making a threatening statement saying that they would have no problem “lynchin’ any sucker in a minute;” they were making a statement about being somebody. Sure, one wouldn’t exactly call them classy, but they weren’t afraid to be who they were and to tell the world about it; even if that did consist of drinking 40’s and representing where they were from. One of their tracks, “Express Yourself” defines just that. Whether they’re dropping out of school or being a bad role model, they represent what they believe they were put on this earth to do; to rap; to rhyme; to be original; to change the way people look at music; to make a difference; to express themselves. Dr. Dre says a line in the song, “It's crazy to see people be what society wants them to be, but not me.” He’s proving a point by making a statement that Run D.M.C. never made: to be who you want to be and let that be enough.
Though their debut album was released in 1988, it wasn’t until three years later that Paula Abdul was bumped off the top album charts by these California representatives. It was here that their career would skyrocket and influence beyond any of Dr. Dre’s chronic-filled dreams. ‘Rolling Stone’ calls ‘ Compton ’ one of hip-hop’s most crucial albums, which gave birth to a then-new style of music creating a cult; a generation of type-cast rap that the world had not yet seen; that would influence hip-hip for years to come. In 1992, a very similar group had assembled, called ‘Wu-Tang Clan;’ a group that would grow to be very successful and, what some people think to be better than N.W.A. Though they were similar to N.W.A they were not the same group. With the inspiration of Ice Cube’s realistic lyrics and the defining sound that was Eazy-E ‘Compton’ allowed future rappers to open up and begin a new generation of rap that would change the world of music forever. In 1993, Tupac Shakur released “Thug Life: Volume 1” while in 1994, Christopher Wallace, A.K.A The Notorious B.I.G., released “Ready To Die,” both albums of which became so successful and influential that they are ranked amongst some of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time today, sixteen years later. Other great rappers emerged from the influence of ‘Compton’ over the years such as Snoop Dogg, who was featured on many of Dr. Dre’s future albums, as well as Marshall Mathers, A.K.A Eminem, and Curtis Jackson, A.K.A 50 Cent, both of whom Dr. Dre took under his wing and produced their albums, making them multi-millionaires.
Though it was highly influential, the career of N.W.A was sadly over before it had begun. In 1991, after releasing the group’s second and final album, Dr. Dre departed from Ruthless Records and the hip-hop gang, causing dispute between him and his former group members. A year later, Dre went on to produce his own rap label for his debut solo album, “The Chronic,” leading the good doctor to become one of the top ten best-selling American performing artists of 1993. The bad blood ensued until 1995 when former member Eazy-E died. Dre made up with Ice Cube and the other former members a few years later.
So, even though their time together was short, N.W.A. will not be forgotten anytime soon. Had it not been for their influential album “Straight Outta Compton,” the group probably would have not seen much success. It is because of albums like ‘ Compton ’ that the musical world has been shaped to what it is today. It has been said that when the rapper Nas released his 2006 album, “Hip Hop Is Dead” that it truly was a statement for the death of hip-hop. Others say that Jay-Z has helped resurrect hip-hop with the death of auto-tune. Over the last twenty-one years, since ‘ Compton ’ was released, the musical world has rapidly changed. But no one has forgotten the bold statement N.W.A. made; no one has forgotten Eazy-E; no one has forgotten how different the world used to be; when life was as simple as representing what hood you grew up in. For Dr. Dre and the boyz in the hood, Compton will be their home. That first debut album will always be something to go back to; something to let go of the problems of today. It will be a long time before we stop hearing “F**k Tha Police” being played somewhere in the world.
-Josh
Joshua Randall "Beesh" Paige likes music. he likes hip-hop. he likes long, walks on the beach at sunset and graphic novels. He plans on being the greatest man that ever lived and expects nothing less.
--The Board of Trustees
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Well, see you guys tomorrow. It's #397: Raindogs by Tom Waits. Which somehow falls exactly a week after our last Tom Waits album. Weird.
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