N.W.A., Cube, hey, Doc, Ren, Yella, Eazy, thank you,
They got Slim inspired enough to one day grow up,
Blow up and be in a position to meet Run DMC."
That is a line from Eminem's "Rap God" expressing appreciation to all the people who helped propel him into the "immortal" fame and success he has. Taking up most of the syllables are names from the famous rap group N.W.A. And unless you have come to this post seeking what N.W.A. stands for, (in which case I would politely refer you to Google for the answer) I hope to give you a little insight into how "the world's most dangerous group" created a new definition of fame in the 80s and forever changed hip-hop for the world.
The group first started in 1986 with Compton drug dealer Eazy-E. After having earned more than $200,000, Eazy-E, originally named Eric White, decided that it was time to retire from the "thug life." Instead, he invested in music, or more specifically, hip hop. After teaming up with music producer Jerry Heller, Eazy-E founded their own record label Ruthless Records. Success came after Eazy-E met up with Dr. Dre, then only a local producer with great visions but little money, and Ice Cube, responsible for writing a majority of the songs. With the later additions of DJ Yella, the Arabian Prince, the D.O.C., and finally MC Ren, N.W.A. was formed.
They were unapologetic, uncompromising, and full of bars. With Eazy-E's charisma, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella's musical production, and Ice Cube and MC Ren's distinctive lyrics, the group launched itself into the spotlight during the late 1980s with the release of arguably their most famous album, Straight Outta Compton. However, through its shockingly explicit language and blaring beats, their career was never separated far from controversy, with their music mainly appealing to "agitated and restless black youth across America with its rough and raunchy tales of violent life in the inner city" (LA Times) and "white middle-class audience who embraced the album's ability to shock and horrify their parents" (Mixmag).
More important than such controversy, however, was the jolt that it gave to America's rap industry. As earlier bands such as Public Enemy geared the genre to be filled with well-informed social and political criticism, N.W.A. took it a step further by adding in anger and attitude. While some label their music to be all about money, drugs, and sex, a much larger portion of it was made with the purpose of documenting the gangs, violence, poverty, and pervasive crack epidemic that had hit every corner of black neighborhoods during the 80s. It was in many ways a direct response to the nearly unbearable ramifications of Reaganeconomics upon metropolitan LA.
To those who lived through such conditions, N.W.A.'s music gave them a sense of recognition and "something to hold on to." To those who looked to the "hood" as a motivation for rebellion, N.W.A.'s music educated them on such life and culture. Most notably, one of their most famous (or notorious) tracks "____ Tha Police" eventually became a "rallying cry" in LA after the acquittal of a group of white police officers who had fiercely beat Rodney King, an unarmed black motorist. N.W.A.'s confrontational lyrics thus set the foundation to "social-media activism" in protest of police brutality about a quarter-century before the very first Black Lives Matter movement.
Sadly, N.W.A's career did not last long. Ice Cube would be the first to leave in 1989 due to a disagreement over his payment. Dr. Dre and The D.O.C. would leave 3 years later for the same reason. Ren and Yella's attempts at releasing solo albums during the years of Dre and Eazy's dispute were largely unsuccessful. Then, in March of 1995, Eazy-E died from AIDs, marking the official end to N.W.A.Nevertheless, the group's legacy is still blatantly obvious today. Dr. Dre would go on to define hip-hop for the 90s with his hardcore rap, elastic bass, and rolling grooves. Ice Cube, in addition to his solo albums, also decided to make his debut as an actor, now appearing in films such as The Barbershop, 21 Jump Street, and Ride Along. As a whole, N.W.A.'s music would set the foundations to the famous hip-hop rappers of today, directly influencing people such as Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, Eminem, 50 Cent, and Kendrick Lamar. Though their run was short, N.W.A.'s contributions as arguably the "founding fathers" of hip-hop today in content, lyrics, and music are still alive in everything that is played from the speakers at a large party to the tiny earbuds within your ears.
Sources:
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-nwa-parental-discretion-20171205-htmlstory.html
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nwa-mn0000314793/biography
https://www.britannica.com/topic/NWA
https://mixmag.net/feature/how-nwa-changed-hip-hop-forever/
This was a really entertaining and insightfully-written post! I had no idea about the N.W.A. until now, and yet some of the most prominent rappers I listen to today gained inspiration or are from them! After reading about how their music received backlash for often covering controversial topics or by simply telling the truth, including releasing a song called "____ Tha Police,” I was a bit curious about how federal officials would react. In fact, the FBI sent an infamous letter to them saying that the N.W.A urged “violence against and disrespect for the law-enforcement officer,” and police, both on and off duty, refused to guard them when the group went on tour. Do you think the police were right in this way, or was this simply blatant racism and discrimination against minority groups expressing freedom of speech? Nevertheless, the N.W.A. didn’t mind that their contract forbade them from singing "____ Tha Police,” because they did so anyway on the last date of their tour in Detroit, leading to undercover cops storming the stage.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/n-w-as-straight-outta-compton-12-things-you-didnt-know-707207/
I found the various social impacts and movements that the Hip Hop had very interesting. Something I looked into more was these various acts, and how music was specifically key to changing or shaping public reaction. During an interview with one of the members of the group, Ice Cube, he said that the music demonstrated the cyclical affects that minority or gang communities can how, and how that develops into harsher and worse environments. In songs such as "F--- tha police", the group wanted to show how police brutality affected the community, not just them, which gave those individuals a sense of pride and community as a result. However, it wasn't just backlash and criticism that the group inspired. Through songs such as "We have to tear this Muthaf----- up", the group also inspired rioting and avtivism against establishments such as the police that committed such actions.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6663762/ice-cube-police-brutality-nwa-straight-outta-compton-interview