This legendary Compton rap group was, contrary to popular belief,not the founder of the now infamous gangsta rap, but rather the perfectors of it. The group began in 1986, originally with 6 members: Ice Cube, (the notorious) Dr. Dre, Eazy-E (the hip hop thugsta), M.C. Ren (the villain), D.J. Yella and Arabian Prince. They first came on the set with a posse EP entitled "N.W.A. & The Posse" which also featured some quasi-N.W.A. members, such as The D.O.C.. This first release was also the birth of Ruthless Records, a record company started by Eazy which he funded with the money he made dealing dope on the streets of Compton.
Their first LP, entitled "Straight Outta Compton", released in 1988, was probably their most unforgettable one. This album was full of constroversial cuts, and probably the first album to introduce gangsta rap to the mainstream. The most legendary track is undoubtedly #2, entitled "Fuck The Police". The song's topic is self-explanatory. This song was so controversial that it prompted a letter of protest by the F.B.I., scared that such a song would influence the youth to feel the same way. However, such anti-cop feelings were around long before N.W.A. was.
In '89 came the first blow to the group's unity: Lead rapper Ice Cube leaves the group as a result of a financial dispute. Cube accused the group's manager, Jerry Heller, of squandering the revenues for himself. The departure was bitter-felt by the other members. Eazy, who was closest to Heller, refused to believe Cube's claim, as did the others. The 4-member group (Arabian Prince left in '88 without so much as a goodbye) released in '90 another EP entitled "100 Miles n' Runnin'" which contained, among others, " Saprize (Fuck the Poilce Part II)" and "Real Niggaz", which was specifically targeted at Cube, calling him a 'Benedict Arnold' traitor. This song was also featured on their 2nd LP entitled "Efil4Zaggin" (read backwards) released in '91. This blow was brutally answered by Cube on his 3rd solo release "Death Certificate" on a cut called "No Vaseline". "Elif4Zaggin" blew up the pop charts, coming in at Number 1. Some classic cuts on this album are "Alwayz Into Somethin", " I'd Rather Fuck You" and "Automobile" (the last two which features the singing 'talents' of the members!).
By the end of '91, however, by then Super-Producer Dr. Dre was starting to feel the same
way about manager Heller that Cube had, and he left the group as well to start a solo career.
This departure marked the quick demise of the group, with Ren doing his own solo thing not
long after. The end of the most successful gangsta rap group in history was met with cheers
(by the gangsta rap-haters) and tears (by the gangsta rap appreciaters).
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
(LP-1991) |
(LP-1996) |
(LP-1997) |