Straight Outta Compton (song)
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"Straight Outta Compton" is a song by American
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
group
N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the great ...
. It is the opening track from their 1989 debut album ''
Straight Outta Compton ''Straight Outta Compton'' is the debut studio album by American hip-hop group N.W.A, released on January 25, 1989, through Priority Records, Priority and Ruthless Records. It was Record producer, produced by N.W.A members Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, a ...
''. The song samples "You'll Like It Too" by
Funkadelic Funkadelic was an American funk rock band formed in Plainfield, New Jersey in 1968 and active until 1982. As one of the two flagship groups of George Clinton's P-Funk collective, they helped pioneer the funk music culture of the 1970s.John, ...
, "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson and the Street People, "Get Me Back on Time, Engine No. 9" by
Wilson Pickett Wilson Pickett (March 18, 1941 – January 19, 2006) was an American singer and songwriter. A major figure in the development of soul music, Pickett recorded more than 50 songs that made the US R&B charts, many of which crossed over to the '' ...
, and " Amen, Brother" by
the Winstons The Winstons were an American funk and soul music group based in Washington, D.C. They are known for their 1969 recording featuring a song entitled " Color Him Father" on the A-side, and "Amen, Brother" on the B-side. Halfway into "Amen, Brother" ...
. It was voted number 19 on
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly The Mining Company, About.com and Dotdash) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, hom ...
's Top 100 Rap Songs, and is ranked number 6 on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. In 2015, "Straight Outta Compton" debuted at number 38 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the issue dated September 5, 2015 as a result of the recent releases of the group's film of the same name and
Dr. Dre Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of ...
s '' Compton''; it was the highest debut on the chart that week. This became the group's first top 40 hit song, in large part due to lack of airplay since N.W.A was banned from many radio stations in the 1980s, charting 26 years after its initial release and 24 years since the group originally disbanded. In 2021,
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
listed the song at #248 on their updated list of the
500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring song ranking compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2 ...
.


Content

"Straight Outta Compton" is a hip hop song. The group N.W.A. comes from Compton in Southern California. The opening verse is rapped by
Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
.
MC Ren Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 16, 1969), known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain ...
delivers the second, and
Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. Eazy-E is often re ...
the third verse.
Dr. Dre Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of ...
does the intro as well as introducing Eazy E's verse. Eazy-E also introduces MC Ren's verse.


Tributes

The song, especially
Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
's verse is referenced quite often by rappers, and not infrequently by Cube himself. In the song "Compton" by the Game, he says "Nigga, I'ma keep on stompin', comin' straight outta Compton".


Music video

The video, directed by
Rupert Wainwright Rupert Wainwright is an English film director, film and television director, with credits including ''Blank Check (film), Blank Check'' (1994), ''The Sadness of Sex'' (1995) and ''Stigmata (film), Stigmata'' (1999). He is also a music video prod ...
, features
Dr. Dre Andre Romell Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper, record producer, record executive, and actor. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and co-founder of ...
,
Ice Cube O'Shea Jackson Sr. (born June 15, 1969), known professionally as Ice Cube, is an American rapper, songwriter, actor, and film producer. His lyrics on N.W.A's 1989 album '' Straight Outta Compton'' contributed to gangsta rap's widespread popu ...
,
Eazy-E Eric Lynn Wright (September 7, 1964 – March 26, 1995), known professionally as Eazy-E, was an American rapper who propelled West Coast rap and gangsta rap by leading the group N.W.A and its label, Ruthless Records. Eazy-E is often re ...
,
MC Ren Lorenzo Jerald Patterson (born June 16, 1969), known professionally by his stage name MC Ren, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer from Compton, California. He is the founder and owner of the independent record label Villain ...
, Krazy Dee, and
DJ Yella Antoine Carraby (born December 11, 1961), better known by his stage name DJ Yella, is an American DJ, record producer, and film director from Compton, California. DJ Yella began his career as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru along wit ...
. The video shows the group walking and posing throughout various parts of the city of Compton. Ice Cube and Ren are chased by the police during their verses, arrested, and put in a holding van. Eazy-E's verse shows him riding alongside the van in a convertible, yelling at the driver who ignores him. As the van leaves the neighborhood local residents throw rocks at it. It first aired in May 1989.


Cover art

The record cover image for the "Straight Outta Compton" single and maxi-single covers, known as "The Bleacher Shot" was created by Greek-American photographer (and regular Priority Records free-lancer), Ithaka Darin Pappas. The black-and-white version of the picture used on the cover was converted from the color original. The picture, which was not scheduled to be used as a cover image, was made spontaneously on March 14, 1989, at
MacArthur Park MacArthur Park (originally Westlake Park) is a park dating back to the late 19th century in the Westlake, Los Angeles, Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. In the early 1940s, it was renamed after General Douglas MacArthur, and la ...
, Los Angeles, while N.W.A was waiting for a film crew to arrive at the park to interview them. The Bleacher Shot has also been used as a color poster for '' Word Up!'' and as part of N.W.A.’s induction ceremony and official printed program at the 2016
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
ceremony in Brooklyn and also appeared in the 2016 photography book, ''Beyond South Central: Rap legends N.W.A. as seen thru the lens of Ithaka Darin Pappas (1988-1990)'' weatlodge Publishing


Charts


Charts


Certifications


References


External links

* * 2nd Officia
Site
of N.W.A. * Officia
N.W.A.
Legacy site {{Authority control 1989 singles 1989 songs N.W.A songs Hardcore hip-hop songs Gangsta rap songs Songs about California Songs about Los Angeles Songs written by MC Ren Songs written by Ice Cube Song recordings produced by Dr. Dre Ruthless Records singles Priority Records singles