"Straight Outta Compton" & "Eazy-Duz-It"
(1988-1989)
By RD Mehal
"Straight Outta Compton" &
"Eazy-Duz-It" (1988–1989)
The Impact of N.W.A on West Coast Hip-Hop: A History Retrospective
N.W.A dropped "Straight Outta Compton" in July(?) of 1988, and Eazy-E’s "Eazy-Duz-It" in September(?). These albums influenced West Coast Hip-Hop.
"Straight Outta Compton"’s crude, unedited songs such as "Fuck tha Police" provided a raw outlet for the Ghetto youth. N.W.A branded their music "reality rap" because it echoes the streets.
On the other hand, Dr. Dre and DJ Yella’s "Eazy-Duz-It" mixed satire and creativity with P-Funk and electro. This album was highly acclaimed for its sampling and lyrical power, which have helped define the work of many Hip-Hop and other artists.
In a 20-year retrospective, Ice Cube, the member of the group and co-director of "Straight Outta Compton", lauded their experimental sound: They literally invented hardcore "gangster rap".
Beats on the record were produced by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, with Dre singing from time to time. The D.O.C., Ice Cube and MC Ren wrote most of the lyrics, including the infamous "Fuck tha Police" which set off a storm of anger between the group and the police. Indeed, the FBI assistant director Milt Ahlerich wrote a letter to Ruthless Records disapproving of the group’s pro-violence propaganda that law enforcement took seriously. The letter now hangs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. In the wake of the attack, some police departments even refused to provide protection at N.W.A’s live shows, putting more demands on their tour schedule. In a strange way, the scandal only raised the band’s profile.
Straight Outta Compton was also one of the first albums to receive the Parental Advisory tag (which at the time indicated just lightly pornographic words and themes). It was N W A’s incendiary music that spurred the pop movement.
These conflicts within the band led to Ice Cube’s blistering attacks on the management and the group dynamics, especially Jerry Heller. His RAW lyrics, often replete with charges of antisemitism, was a product of his growing political Self-Acceptance and solidified his reputation as an "outcast" in hip-hop.
Aside from physical squabbling, Ice Cube’s feud with N.W.A escalated to violent confrontations at festivals like the New Music Seminar. A particularly chilling instance when Dr. Dre attacked media reporter Dee Barnes for reporting on the feud brought a lot of attention to the intimate, abusive nature of their feud.
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