N.W.A.

NWA's gangsta alpha revealed the underbelly of Reagan's 1980s daydream. Ice Cube's hyper-violent, gonzo street reportage was immediate, visceral and as political as anything Chuck D ever committed to wax, while Dr. Dre's tightly wound breaks provided the template for an entire generation of G-Funk trunk rattlers. Every line on this album is classic, and this ranks among the most important releases in hip-hop history. This 20th anniversary edition features remixes with guest spots from C-Murder, Mack 10 and Flesh-n-Bone.

"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)