NWA: THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS GROUP

AL 43 February 2000

IarvoVSOP.G

The ghetto is a bloody test for survival.

And trying to live at least a little bit decently on the edge of the precipice can lead any old kid to consider any damn means permissible, especially if what pushes you to the edge is a city that has only the name of paradise: Los Angeles.

A metastasis of residential cottages, tenement buildings, department stores, wide streets, tangles of freeways. A metropolis where blood flows down arteries and capillaries, to claim a corner of the sidewalk or to assert the superiority of one's street. The street confederations, which came into existence to replace black associations (eliminated by the government because they were considered potentially dangerous) and institutional structures (because they had always been absent), have lost all social function: the drug trade and control of drug areas are the only realistic prospect of success that gangs can offer an unemployed young black man.

A possible alternative might be employment in the thriving funeral home business--but that is not as fulfilling as having fun in the Jungle. A small-time gangster with a great nose for business does the things a gangster must do; and when he has enough (of money) he invests some of those questionably earned dollars in Ruthless Records.

It is 1986 and the sole owner of this new record label is named Eric ‘Eazy E’ Wright. Ice Cube, the 16-year-old member of the CIA, writes the simple rhymes that Eazy E interprets with ironic realism over an ominous beat, produced by one Dr.Dre. The single “Boyz N Tha Hood” is personally sold from the trunks of cars in the parking lot of the Compton Swap Meet.

The CIA continue to shake up parties in Westside homes, offering their own sexually charged and goliardic interpretations of New York City hits. Uncle Jam's Army, a group of Eastside DJs and promoters, continue to organize shows and concerts in rinks, arenas, and during car shows. They play p-funk, old school and East Coast hits, California electropop (LA Dream Team, Egyptian Lover), Zapp, George Clinton. The World Class Wrecking Crew is one of their flagship groups when they play at The Eve After Dark in Compton; Lonzo, Shakespeare (who replaced CliNTel), Dr.Dre and Yella offer “Juice,” “The Fly,” “Cabbage Patch,” “Turn Off The Ligths,” their current singles.

“Boyz N Tha Hood” continues to ferment on the streets of Compton. Its incubation time ends in March ’87 when it is cleaned up a bit and broadcast on KDAY Radio's 1580 AM: the virus is contagious and the ’disease‘ is contracted by Homeboyz from all other Neighborhoodz reachable over the airwaves. Eazy E unceremoniously convinces a young rapper calling himself Mc Ren not to try to sell his demotapes on his own, contacts Ice Cube, and asks the two Wrecking Crew producers, Dr.Dre and Yella, for help.

Niggaz With Attitude is the name of the new gang, but now everything is legal: money is made clean. They make “8 Ball,” an ode to Olde English ‘800’, pure malt liquor in 40 oz. bottles, “A Bitch Iz A Bitch,” observations on certain uncomfortable female characters, “Panic Zone” where they explore the dark zone of LA territories, and “Dope Man” in which they describe those who sully and ultimately destroy brothers and sisters on the streets, but also what a cluck head is willing to do for a crystal dose of cocaine. Along with other tracks by Eazy E with RonDeVu and Fresh K, Dr. Rock, The DOC (The Fresh Fila Crew), they release the compilation “N.W.A. and The Posse.”.

Their fans may be about their age: so how can they consider themselves or be considered role models? To an old kid paying attention to what they are saying, life is already all too clear: it is nothing but whores and money. NWA thus helps turn the statement ‘These songs contain language that some might consider offensive’ into the now ever-present ‘Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics’.

Dannis Hopper, in making “Colors,” has shown the general public only two of LA's most infamous gangs. Once Mexican cholos and veteranos are put in the background, the screen is bichromatic: red and blue, Bloods and Crips. Sean Penn and Robert Duvall seem helpless in the face of the shotguns, AK-47s and semi-automatic Uzis of these notorious families.

Instead, NWA focuses on and, frame by frame, documents with crisp freeze-frames the most violent and racist gang, the best organized, best trained, most sophisticated means of locomotion, the best armed and, above all, legitimized gang: the LAPD, the Los Angeles Police Department.

“Fuck Tha Police” indicts the ‘symbolic’ actions that police or county sheriffs, strong in their badges and service pistols, perform every day in ghettos to reassert the superiority of authority. “Fuck the Police” is what people whisper when they see a patrol car in their rear view mirror or when they are stopped and harassed for no reason: the NWA, tired of being labeled as drug dealers because they own a beeper, exasperated because every time their car is searched as if it were stolen, furious because they are forced to lie on the ground kissing the asphalt, outraged that an officer can freely use a baton or a gunshot to apply or enforce laws, give voice to those people who are afraid to say “Fuck the Police.”.

The song is just an outlet, not urging anyone to get out of the house and attack the agents really. But more conservative critics, the Police and the FBI Office of Public Affairs are not of the same opinion and try by any dirty means to have the entire album banned. Without the support of radio or television airplay, “Straight Outta Compton” still reaches platinum status in a few months and ends a decade of unchallenged East Coast dominance on the sales charts.

Eazy E makes his solo album at about the same time: “Eazy Duz It” also goes platinum. The year is 1989. Dr.Dre is certainly not sitting on his hands: he produces The DOC's solo debut with “No One Can Do It Better” and “Livin’ Like Hustlers,” the highly anticipated first Above The Law album. Ice Cube also wants to do a solo project and, due to disagreements over creative control and fairness of payments, leaves the group.

The public thinks it can finally awaken from one of its most disturbing nightmares: in 1990, NWA without Cube's lyrics will not have the same precision and pulling power, and Cube's lyrics without the support of High Powered Productions will not be as penetrating. Unfortunately for them, this is not the case. The DOC, whose voice is unrecognizably hoarse due to a car accident, collaborates with NWA in composing the lyrics. Ren's liquid flow, Dre's dark density of moods and Eazy's acrid observational skills still surprise the police and can't help but make feminists shake their heads: “100 Miles And Runnin’” is a caustic and biting short film. The ep anticipates 1991“s ”efiL4zaggiN," in which the four black-clad ne*rs parade like Hip Hop army generals, ready to kick the shit out of anyone who doesn't bow at the sight of the Los Angeles Raiders and Kings caps.

Bitch bitch bitch, Suck this Fuck that, Nigga nigga nigga... once again parents are concerned about the crudeness and obscenity their children may hear, once again the white middle-class purist public returns to fear and deem NWA to be carriers of violent and misogynistic sentiments. Once again the U.S. government seeks to extinguish them. Not even Dre and Yella's unprecedented productions can make pleasant rhymes that are unpleasant to swallow. Nevertheless, “efiL4zaggiN” sells 800,000 copies in one week and reaches No. 1 on the Billboard pop chart the following week.

Sometimes, however, music-business ends up pitting friends against each other. Dr.Dre believes that a producer capable of turning anything that passes through his skillful hands into platinum deserves a suitable honorarium; Eazy E, by now maneuvered by that white puppet master who answers to the name of Jerry Heller, the greedy rep and manager of Ruthless Records, is not of the same opinion. By now even Dre is forced out of the group. And the Niggaz With Attitude's career comes to an end right in their own style. In no uncertain terms.

NWA's discography

N.W.A. and the Posse - Nov. 6, 1987A compilation album that marked the group's debut.

Straight Outta Compton - August 8, 1988First studio album, considered their masterpiece and one of the most influential records in Hip Hop history.

100 Miles and Runnin’ (EP) - August 14, 1990Extended play released after Ice Cube left the group.

Niggaz4Life (also known as EFIL4ZAGGIN) - May 28, 1991Second and last studio album by the group before disbanding.

Greatest Hits - July 2, 1996First official collection of the group's greatest hits, released after Eazy-E's death.

Straight Outta Compton: N.W.A 10th Anniversary Tribute - Nov. 3, 1998A tribute album to celebrate the 10th anniversary of “Straight Outta Compton.”.

The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988-1998 - March 23, 1999Compilation covering the first 10 years of the group's career.

The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 2 - August 27, 2002Second part of the compilation devoted to the group's legacy.

The Best of N.W.A: The Strength of Street Knowledge - Dec. 26, 2006Collection of the most representative songs of N.W.A.'s career.

N.W.A and Their Family Tree - September 30, 2008Compilation that includes songs by N.W.A and related artists.