N.W.A
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- This page is about the rap group; N.W.A. can also mean Northwest Airlines or National Wrestling Alliance.
N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude) was a hip hop group that popularized gangsta rap with the groundbreaking Straight Outta Compton (1989) album, a vicious hardcore record that became an underground hit notorious for its hardcore lyrics. It also served as a launching pad for the solo careers of almost all the members
Contents |
Members
- Dr. Dre (Andre Young) Producer/Rapper
- Eazy E (Eric Wright) Rapper
- Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson) Rapper (left in 1989)
- MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson) Rapper
- Yella (Antoine Carraby) D.J./Producer
Beginning
N.W.A. came into being around the time that former drug-dealer Eazy-E began Ruthless Records. Ice Cube had already written a song for him "Boyz-N-Tha-Hood," and when one of the bands on his label rejected it, Eazy-E decided to sing it himself. He formed the Niggaz With Attitude (shortened to N.W.A.) with Ice Cube as an MC and former World Class Wreckin' Cru members Dr. Dre and DJ Yella as producers as well as Arabian Prince and The D.O.C. for more MCs. Eazy-E released the party album N.W.A. and the Posse on his Ruthless Records. Half of the songs were from N.W.A. After this, for unknown reasons The Arabian Prince and The D.O.C. were no longer in N.W.A. but both continued to ghostwrite for the group. MC Ren was later added to N.W.A. and they were ready to create a storm.
"The World's Most Dangerous Group"
N.W.A. released the groundbreaking Straight Outta Compton one year later in 1989. Many consider it a wake-up call to the problems that were going on in the West, particularly in South Central Los Angeles. Most of the songs on Straight Outta Compton were about life in the ghetto. The opening three songs seemed to express the feeling of the people in Compton. "Straight Outta Compton" reflected a rising anger in the city, "Fuck tha Police" talked of police violence, and "Gangsta Gangsta" spoke of gang life.
All 5 members made significant contributions to the album, especially Ice Cube, since he wrote some of the most memorable lyrics on the album. MC Ren also wrote significant amounts of material for the album, making sure he wasnt just the new guy on the team. Eazy-E, despite having most of his songs written by Ice Cube, provided comical relief with his hysterical raps. To top it all off the dual producers Dr. Dre and Yella provided fresh and funky beats for each song and Dre occasionally rapped on the album.
Some of the lyrics were considered highly dangerous, especially those of their most notorious song, "Fuck Tha Police." It resulted in Milt Ahlerich, an assistant director of the FBI, sending a letter to Ruthless Records and its parent company Priority, advising the rappers that the law enforcement took "exception to such action (fucking the police)." The FBI's letter only served to draw more publicity to the group.
Dr. Dre once said, "We wanted to make albums just for people like us to listen to" but a majority of the sales came from the white suburbs, as teenagers could now find a new way to be rebellious from their parents. Still, fans and critics alike consider Straight Outta Compton to be one of the greatest albums ever in gangsta rap, opening the door for more acts to come. Straight Outta Compton eventually went double-platinum and Rolling Stone Magazine recently named it the 144th greatest album of all time on their 500 Greatest Albums List.
Ice Cube vs. N.W.A.
N.W.A. did not take well to Ice Cube's departure from the group, so the remaining members began a feud by insulting Ice Cube on their two discs without him. On 100 Miles and Runnin', Dr. Dre told the public "It started with five/but one couldn't take it/But now it's four/Because the fifth couldn't make it," and on Efil4zaggin, the group called Ice Cube "Benedict Arnold" and called him by his real name.
The assault made Ice Cube feel very upset. Ice Cube's first album AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted went platinum. There was no mention of N.W.A..
A scene in the film Boyz N The Hood (which was an N.W.A. song until John Singleton appropriated the title) depicts a chain snatcher wearing a "We Want Eazy" sweatshirt being beaten.
On his second album, Death Certificate he fired back at his former group by releasing the song "No Vaseline", proclaiming "The World's Most Dangerous Crew" as "phonies" and Eazy-E to be a "snitch". He also made Anti-Semitic remarks about his former manager Jerry Heller, the "jew who broke up his crew." Ice Cube claimed that Heller cheated him and was still cheating the group, with the exception of Eazy-E. This highly damaged N.W.A.'s street credibility. Many would say this led to the group's demise.
Dr. Dre vs. Eazy-E
Dr. Dre soon saw the light in Ice Cube's words and decided to leave N.W.A. due to Eazy-E not living up to his contract. This virtually meant the end of N.W.A., and Dr. Dre began his solo career, forming the legendary Death Row Records with former bodyguard Suge Knight. When he released his first solo album The Chronic he began a well-publicized feud with his former bandmate by constantly poking fun of Eazy-E on the song and the video for "Dre Day" and other songs on his solo debut, taunting him and calling him "Sleazy-E."
Eazy-E responded by releasing the EP It's On (Dr. Dre) 187um Killa dissing Dr. Dre and showing pictures of Dr. Dre in make-up during the days he was in the World Class Wreckin' Cru. However, Dr. Dre and his Death Row Records juggernaut was on the rise, and there was little Eazy-E could do to stop him.
After N.W.A.
Though N.W.A. released only two full albums and an EP, its impact has been enormous, with its legacy enduring in the solo careers of the members. After the ground-breaking efforts of N.W.A., all of the members pursued different occupations.
Dr. Dre found great success as a solo rapper and producer. After N.W.A. he introduced the world to a new type of rap known as G-Funk, which consists of rapping over Parliament/Funkadelic beats. The style grew to be very popular, as the two records he has released so far, The Chronic and 2001 sold five million copies apiece. He found even greater success as a labelhead, founding Death Row Records and later Aftermath Entertainment, both of which released countless platinum albums that he produced himself. Most importantly, Dr. Dre's two labels introduced the world to several superstar rappers we know today, including Snoop Doggy Dogg, Eminem, and 50 Cent. Rolling Stone Magazine recently named him the #54 Greatest Artist of All Time.
Eazy-E's street credibility was damaged because his feud with Dr. Dre, but he still found success as a labelhead with his Ruthless Records. Most of the albums he released sold well. In addition, he introduced the world to the multi-platinum selling group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony in 1994. In 1995 he was working on a comeback album, Str8 off tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton when he checked into a hospital with the belief he had strepthroat when in fact he had AIDS. He soon died from the disease, but not before he made peace with his former bandmates. His successors, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony soon after dedicated a song to him, Tha Crossroads. The single would become the fastest-rising single on charts to the date, tying The Beatles' previous record, and also earning them a grammy.
Ice Cube became a highly successful rapper; to this day he has released 6 solo albums. Whereas N.W.A. rapped about gang life on the street, Ice Cube continued to rap about social commentary on his records on subjects such as gun control in the ghetto and the notorious LA Riots. As a result all of his solo albums, except his first, debuted in the top 5 and were critically acclaimed. In 1996 he joined Mack 10 and WC to form the rap supergroup known as Westside Connection, which released hit singles such as "Bow Down" and "Gangsta Nation." Recently, Ice Cube has become successful as a film actor, starring in critically acclaimed films such as Boyz N the Hood and Barbershop. He is currently trying to sign a contract to be on Aftermath Records and plans to have his seventh solo album produced by his old comrade Dr. Dre.
MC Ren, like Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, soon severed ties with Eazy-E but began a solo career under Eazy-E's Ruthless Records label. He released four albums, and although one of his albums went gold, the others had a very lukewarm reception, however, and he eventually hurtled into obscurity.
Yella was the lone member to remain loyal to Eazy-E after the breakup. He continued producing his records and also Eazy's protégés, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony for their EP Creepin on a Come Up. He also claimed he was the lone member of N.W.A. to be by Eazy-E's deathbed when he died. After the death of his mentor, Yella released a solo album as a tribute to his former bandmate, but like the N.W.A. records, Yella did not touch the mic, instead he hired guest rappers to perform, such as Dirty Red, Dresta, Traci Nelson, Leicy Loc, B.G. Knock Out, and Efil4zaggin lyricist Kokane. After this he retired from the music business, and in his later years he began directing pornographic movies.
In 1994 Ice Cube reteamed with Dr. Dre for the song Natural Born Killaz for the soundtrack to the short film Murder Was the Case. The reunion was a hit, as it helped propel the album to number 1. 1998 saw the beginning of a slight N.W.A reunion when Cube and Dre were soon rejoined by MC Ren to record some new songs. They first recorded "Hello" for Ice Cube's sixth solo album War & Peace, Vol 2, The Peace Disc, and featured the line "I started gangsta shit/And this is the mutherfuckin' thanks i get?" Later, the three recorded "Chin Check"" for Ice Cube's movie Next Friday with Snoop Doggy Dogg filling in for Eazy-E. For unknown reasons, Yella was not included on either reunion tracks. Those two songs were added to N.W.A.'s Greatest Hits album when it was remastered.
To cover the immense influence the members of N.W.A. accomplished as a unit and on their own, Capitol and Ruthless Records released The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988-1998 in 1998, an album that only contained three songs from the actual band, but contained countless solo tracks from the five members. The success of the album caused the labels to release a second volume, The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 2, two years later. It followed the same format of the first album, containing only three tracks from the actual band but had more songs from the solo artists.
Discography
- N.W.A. and the Posse, 1987
- Straight Outta Compton, 1989
- 100 Miles and Runnin', 1990
- Efil4zaggin, 1991
- Greatest Hits, 1996
- The N.W.A. Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988 - 1998, 1999
- The N.W.A. Legacy, Vol. 2, 2002
