N.W.A - Straight Outta Compton

A lone voice sneers "You are about to witness the strength of street knowledge," and with 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 Dr. Dre; beats provided by DJ Yella--come barreling into your face, just daring you to ignore the streets of Compton (or any American city) even one day longer. From the anti-police brutality anthem "F__k Tha Police" to the angry, unflinching realism of "Gangsta Gangsta," to the pro-free speech "Express Yourself," this is slammin' and ruthless. --David Cantwell Amazon.com essential recording

 Explicit lyrics AND Clean Version- contradiction in terms??
This cassette was SO popular when it came out- I remember little seven and eight year old kids jamming to it in the Cabrini Green projects of Chicago- they knew every word by heart. They never heard of the "Clean" version. By the way, isn't the label "explicit lyrics" and "Clean version" a contradiction in terms?? How can an album be both at the same time??? Also, how come no one talks about Easy-E dying from AIDS? I guess that is still a taboo subject. Anyway, this album is a precious historical document- and it was a trailblazing expression of the frustrations of Amerikkka's black urban underclass at the time (mid-1980's). Unfortunately, it is also a very SEXIST album that tends to treat all women as HO's. I guess you can't have everything. Public Enemy also came out at about the same time and they were a lot more sophisticated lyrically without the sexist crap.
-DJ Esperanto
Chicago, IL January 23, 2006

 CLASSIC beginning to Gangsta Rap from Compton
Take you back to 1988 when hip-hop was almost entirely a NY element. Then comes in the vulgar, dirty and harsh lyrics and world of 4 young men from Compton, who changed the way rap music went from this point forward. Very controversial and something new, you knew this would create some buzz, and the Parental Advisory sticker became almost commonplace on rap album because of this album. With the controversy you knew would come sales, as this sold over 2 million copies (probably much more by now) and brought the street to the suburbs and country side. With 13 songs, 3 are classic, 3 are almost classics, 1 I skip, 1 is ok and the other 5 are good or great songs. Eazy E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and MC Ren (with some production help form Yella and songwriting by the D.O.C.) they bring the first great street rap album alive. As I said Yella with Dr. Dre bring some great production for a 1988 album. A must have gangsta rap album for everyone to own.

#1 - 10 (CLASSIC -- Eazy E, Ice Cube, MC Ren -- an ode to Compton -- tight beat)
#2 - 10 (CLASSIC -- Eazy E, MC Ren, Ice Cube -- tight beat -- like the songs says F**K tha Police")
#3 - 9.5 (Ice Cube & Eazy E)
#4 - 10 (CLASSIC -- MC REn -- great beat)
#5 - 9.5 (D.O.C., Dr. Dre, MC Ren, Ice Cube, Eazy E -- tight beat)
#6 - 9.5 (Eazy E -- tight beat --a bout his 40 oz.)
#7 - 8.5 (Dr Dre & MC REn -- nice beat)
#8 - 9 (MC Ren)
#9 - 8 (Dr Dre & MC REn)
#10 - 9 (ICe Cube -- about not letting a h0 play you)
#11 - 9 (Ice Cube --a bout teh Dopeman)
#12 - 7 (MC Ren)
#13 - 3 (Eazy E, MC REn & Dr. Dre -- has dance music??)

ICE CUBE -- O'Shea Jackson -- b. 6/15/69 -- Compton, CA
MC REN -- Lorenzo J. Patterson -- b. around 1969 -- Compton, CA
EAZY E (R.I.P.) -- Eric Wright -- b. 9/7/63 d. 3/26/95 -- Compton, CA
DR. Dre -- Andre Young -- b. 2/18/65 -- Compton, CA

COMPTON!!
Check all my reviews
November 26, 2005

 One of the best
Now I'm not a big rap fan anymore but I still love old west coast rap. Ice cube,Eazy E, Dr. Dre,2pac, and others I still hear. This album I still love because it's so original. Straight outa comptian, 8 ball, express yo'self ,man that's real rap for you. Now rap is all about people who pretend to be gangstas like ja rule,and jay z. Some rappers I like today like 50 cent and I still give it to snoop dogg. But this is the crown jewel, of the west coast rap scene. November 25, 2005

 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON AND INTO OUR LIVING ROOMS
This might not have been the very first Gangsta Rap album, but with the rage in Ice Cube's voice and the premium production of Dr. Dre this is the album that set the stage for mainstream Gangsta Rap even without the help of radio or MTV. An acronym for Niggaz With Attitude these guys packed all of the attitude of Compton into this disc. With MC Ren and Ice Cube spitting in your face street lyrics like a p***ed off Chuck D anyone who heard this couldn't dodge the impact of the subject matter. "F*** The Police", which of course warranted the imfamous letter from the F.B.I., was a dose of shocking realism at the time as was the rest of the album. Eazy E adds the Flavor Flav quasi-comic relief making this an all around entertaining album. DJ Yella assists Dre with the beats coming together with Bomb Squad's hardcore sonic influences and adding some West Coast flavor to them. As noted at the beginning of this review N.W.A. were not the first Gangsta Rappers, but as is often the case in music it's the ones who perfect the genre that get the recognition rather than the innovators. And perfect Gangsta Rap is exactly what N.W.A. does with STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON. July 13, 2005

 TOTALLY ILL!!!!!!!!!!
This baby is AWESOME! Its a classic. Every songs great,here is a review for each song.
Straight Outta Compton-***** ILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!
Gangsta Gangsta -***** Best on the album.
If It Ain't Ruff -**** Great.
Parental Discretion Iz Advised-***** Awesome.
8 ball -***** Hilarious!
Something like that -**** Good.
Express Yourself -***** I'm running out of things to say.
Comptons In The House -***** It is in the house!
I ain't the One -***** Cool.
Dopeman -***** I am out of things to say uggh cool.
Quiet On the Set -***** ugghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Something 2 dance 2 -***** Great way to end it. April 15, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...