"Straight Outta Compton" is the second album from N.W.A, a pioneering Gangsta Rap group from South Central LA. It out came in 1988, a year after their debut "N.W.A and the Posse", but the main differece here is that the 'and Posse' isn't a part of the album as there's no Fiila Fresh Crew or Rappinstine tracks. Thsi one is pure G. Rap from start to beginning with Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, ice Cube, MC Ren, The D.O.C., Arabian Prince and DJ Yella (who is the only non-vocla member of the group. The whole thing is produced by Yella and Dr Dre, who provide mixes of various funk tracks and Hip hop tracks of the time.
1. Straight Outta Compton
As the title track to their album, and the first single since their debut, it was a well-received track by the group, but to be honest I think that it's slightly overated and isn't as eventful as a lot of their harder material. However, I don't think it's a weak track from them as the raps are just as rough as in their debut.
Here you have them on a more up-tempo beat with the classic "Amen Break", but at the original speed, which has them (Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy-E) on a beat which we hadn't heard them on before. As a result , they didn't sound as comfortable, and if it wasn't for the other samples, for example to "West Coast Poplock", it may have completely fallen apart.
**Four Stars**
2. F**k Tha Police
Here's probably the most infamous track for them; one which even got them a formal warnign from the FBI as it is a direct challenge to America's law enforcement system. It was inspired by a genuine incident which Dre and Eazy had when they were stopped by the police after a series of paintball drive-bys.
Backing up these extrmly controverical lyrics which
speak on carrying out 187s on police, you have a contrasting funky bea made up of a selction of Funk classics including James Brown and Roy Ayers as well as some material off Eazy-E's debut album "Eazy-Duz-It".
**Five Stars**
3. Gangsta Gangsta
This is just an amazing example of what Gangsta Rap is about, here you have the three big MCs of the group Ren, Ice Cube and Eazy-E rapping about exactly what their gangsta lifestyle involves as they patrol the streets, and should a dispute come about, it will be solved pretty quickly with relevant force.
So many samples are used here, all of which add to the atmosphere as you feel so invloved in the music, getting you into the mood where you just want to brawl, so Dre and Yella made the most out of the selsection of funk nd Hip Hop which they made avaliable to them.
**Five Stars**
4. If It Ain't Ruff
This track is one of MC Ren's solo tracks on the album, as all the members of N.W.A get the chance to perform one by themself on the album. I thought that it was lead by the "Boogie Back" Roy Ayers riff throughout it as it is a funky, yet relevant one for this type of rap. I found this to be an extrmely strong track as it has Ren going through a steady flow of rhymes with the chrouses made up of a little DJ Yella mix, so all the focus is put upon showing what he as a solo artist is capable of.
**Four Stars**
5. Parental Discretion Iz Advised
I liked how the group go for something very differnt here as they trn to inspiration from an alternate source by going for an Isley Brothers cut of "I Turned You On" to be used as the riff, and this has a smoother feel to the track, and something which hasn't been heard from them before, and they were so successful at pulling off a challenge such as this. It also marks the point where The D.O.C. came from beign a ghostwriter for the group to an actual vocalist by acting as a rapper, in a track which has everyone (Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and The D.O.C.) rapping on eit too.
**Five Stars**
6. 8 Ball (Remix)
This is a re-recording of a track off their debut album "N.W.A and the Posse", but instead of the lyrics coming from Ice Cube, he lends them to the more popular leader of the group, Eazy-E and obviously he kills it as even with his high-pithced voice.
However, it's not just about Eazy here, you have to gie a lot of credit to the producers Yella and Dre who bring a mega mix of Hip Hop and West Coast funk for the raps to flow along with, all of which display the true sound of Gangsta Rap in the late '80s.
**Five Stars**
7. Something Like That
I found this to be one of the best tracks from the album which didn't go on to be released as a single, and it really should have because it is quality throughout. This one has a sample of Fat Larry's Band's "Down The Avenue", which DJ Yella makes intoa very strong beat to be given to the rappers, who this time come in the form of MC Ren and Dr. Dre, and they rip the beat apart with some line which are delivered in a DJ Run-esque manner.
**Five Stars**
8. Express Yourself
It annoys me when people say that this one samples James Brown, because it's jus tso ignornat ot say that just because a funk cut is used, that it much be him, nad here it's not the case because the original "Express Yourself" was performed by Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. Here the most is named out of it.
This is one of the mops well-knonw tracks by them, but I wouldn't say that it's anywhere near the best of them when you listen to things off their debut too, however it's certianly strong. I think that I haven't been completely into it as other tracks by them as Eazy doesn't feature in it, and although he wasn't writting his own stuff, his voice makes an N.W.A recording.
**Five Stars**
9. Compton's N The House (Remix)
Although I have to say that it's one of mny favourites on the album, the way it is perfored is extremely corny and it sounds like they tok on some real Old School methods of delivery the lines. You have Dr. Dre, MC Ren and Ice Cube passing the lines from one rapper to another in a Cold Crush form, and it really sounds out of place for such rebellious pioneers
**Five Stars**
10. I Ain't Tha 1
The Brass Connection sample used as a riff here is entirely different to the rest of what is heard in the album, and this is the beat which was used Eminem's "My Name Is", so you will probably work out that it's nothng like the type of Funk which yo expect from N.W.A, but here it's Ice Cube's turn to rap alone, and he performs well with it.
**Five Stars**
11. Dopeman (Remix)
Here's the second of two re-recorded tracks from N.W.A as this is a remix to "Dopeman" off their debut album. As it was so popular on the first record, it as great to see what they did with it the year later after seeing what an impact it made upon people as they rapped about the life of a drug delaer in South Central LA.
**Five Stars**
12. Quiet On Tha Set
This is the second of the MC Ren solo raps and here you have sometihng quite similar to before in terms of how the track is uilt-up as you have him rapping upon a steady beat, and from here he provides a big rap with some of the highest qulaity rhymes on the CD. The cuts of "Funky Drummer" (which can be found throughout the record) and "Take the Money and Run" give this one a strogn dance base, and ren takes advantage of this to get everyone in a party atmosphere with his opening lines.
**Four Stars**
13. Something 2 Dance 2
I've said a couple of times that N.W.A have surprised me with their production in the album, and hear is another nexpected change from them, and this one sounds as if Dr. Dre has gone into his World-Class Wreckin' Cru mode, so he comes with some Electro-Hop beat, whcih is simply "Something 2 Dance 2" with some Afrika Bambaataa-esque beats on top of a D-Train beat. From her you just have all the rappers saying a few wrds onthe beat which doesn't require lyrics, the beat is so strong that an instrumental is sufficient.
**Five Stars**
This is the best example of Gangsta Rap in it's pure form as it comes from the originator of the sub-genre after having already released one album and had the experience of Dr. Dre behind them. The raps are thought-provoking and although not as relevant to today, act as influenctial lines on which rap of today has gone on to be. it is very consistant and you can't fault it for the type of material which it brings, because if this Gangsta Rap is you're thing, it is flawless, however if you are likely to be offended by the ruthless violent language throughout the recording, then don't bother.
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Straight Outta Compton (2002 Digital Remaster) F**k Tha Police (2002 Digital Remaster) ... more
Gangsta Gangsta (2002 Digital Remaster) If It Ain't Ruff (2002 Digital Remaster) Parental Discretion Iz Advised (2002 Digital Remaster) 8 Ball (Album Version) (2002 ...
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A lone voice sneers "You are about to witness the strength of street knowledge," and with ... more
that warning the greatest-ever gangsta album begins. Then these Niggas with Attitude--wicked rhymes by Ice Cube, Easy E, and MC Ren; soulful production courtesy D...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Angry, Raw, Aggressive, and Dangerous Rapping; Cube's Well-Written Lyrics, Dr. Dre's Pre-Chronic Production, Groundbreaking Disadvantages: The Last Song
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