N.W.A.

Decked out in identical utility gear and sporting enough lyrical artillery to frighten all of
middle America, N.W.A quickly upended hip-hop tradition with Straight Outta Compton.
One of hip-hop's crucial albums, it was a bombastic, cacophonous car ride through Los
Angeles' burnt-out and ignored hoods. Dr. Dre's busy funk production lent the
proceedings a carefree, unhinged air, and the lyrics, mostly written by Ice Cub... More >

"It's not about a salary/It's all about reality" they chant as they talk sh*t about how bad they are. Right, it's not about salary--it's about royalties, about brandishing scarewords like "street" and "crazy" and "f*ck" and "reality" until suckers black and white cough up the cash. "F*ck tha Police" is a fantasy, "F*ck with me I'll put my foot in your ass" an exaggeration, "Life ain't nothin' but bitches and money" a home truth, and I bet Ice Cube gets more pussy now than when he copped the line. Somehow DJs Dr. Dre and Yella, who's also got the brainiest rap on the Charles Wright rip that busts out of their ghetto, drive the three M.C.'s past their own lies half the time. It would be poetic justice if both of them departed for greener pastures. (Grade - B)