(Courtesy of Ruthless Records)
It was late and I had not yet had dinner, so I decided to put on my i-Pod and go down to the store to get some food. I was at the checkout counter when I looked up and saw a police officer looking right at me. Just then I heard what song was playing through my headphones. It was blaring so loudly that it was surely audible to the people close to me.
I focused in on the song. The voice talking on top of the drums and horns was mid-sentence “…Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department. Prosecuting attorneys are MC Ren, Ice Cube and Eazy (expletive) E. Order order order…” I looked up to find the cop staring right at me. He did not seem to like me. The song continued.
“Why don’t you tell everybody what the (expletive) you gotta say?”
The background music came to a sudden halt. There was complete silence. Then from out of nowhere came a voice that was angry, determined and yelling loudly for everyone to hear: “Fuck the police!”
In 1988, rap group N.W.A. released Straight Outta Compton. It has since become a cornerstone of rap music, an album for the next generation of gangster rappers to learn from and build off of. Future mega-producer Dr. Dre came up with the beats that became the canvas for Ice Cube, Eazy-E and the rest of the gang to express themselves.
“Express Yourself” is among one of the better songs on Straight Outta Compton. It gives the listener a chance to hear a younger and much greener Dr. Dre. At this point Dre was still polishing his skills as a rapper but had already developed a reputation as a masterful producer.
”Fuck The Police” is N.W.A.’s most infamous song, and for good reason. Its anti-authority message resonated with the group’s audience and according to a New York Times article by Jon Pareles, the song even got the attention of the FBI.
The album’s lyrics, especially on “Fuck the Police,” scared some and entertained others. Written in large part by Ice Cube, the lyrics are full of imagery that defines the group as tough, successful teenagers with guns and no respect for the law. But they put their lyrics to the music in a way that makes these dangerous and violent scenes appealing and pleasant to listen to.
The accompanying music is refreshingly uncomplicated when compared to the overproduced beats of today. Funky little samples of drums and bass are sprinkled in with horns and guitars. There are also scratching turntables, police sirens and gunshots to spice up the mix.
Members from the group have since moved on. Dr. Dre became a highly successful solo artist and introduced the world to Eminem and 50 Cent. Ice Cube is trawling the Hollywood gutters for bit roles in movies like “Are We There Yet?” While their solo legacies may differ, as a group the members of N.W.A. left behind one of the hardest hitting, genre-defining albums in all of hip-hop.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Seth Gitner at Seth.gitner@colorado.edu.
1 comment
I look forward to your review of the new LL Cool Jay joint.