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N.W.A.

Data updated on 2024-11-04 14:07:59 UTC
N.W.A, the unapologetically violent and sexist pioneers of gangsta rap, are in many ways the most notorious group in the history of rap. Emerging in the late '80s, when Public Enemy had rewritten the rules of hardcore rap by proving that it could be intelligent, revolutionary, and socially aware, N.W.A capitalized on PE's sonic breakthroughs while ignoring their message. Instead, the five-piece crew celebrated the violence and hedonism of the criminal life, capturing it all in blunt, harsh language. Initially, the group's relentless attack appeared to be serious, vital commentary, and it even provoked the FBI to caution N.W.A's record company, but following Ice Cube's departure in late 1989, the group began to turn to self-parody. With his high-pitched whine, Eazy-E's urban nightmares now seemed like comic book fantasies, but ones that fulfilled the fantasies of the teenage white suburbanites who had become their core audience, and the group became more popular than ever. Nevertheless, clashing egos prevented the band from recording a third album, and they fell apart once producer Dr. Dre left for a solo career in 1992. Although N.W.A were no longer active, their influence -- from their funky, bass-driven beats to their exaggerated lyrics -- was evident throughout the '90s, while their story was told in the critically acclaimed 2015 film Straight Outta Compton.

Ironically, in their original incarnation N.W.A were hardly revolutionary. Eazy-E (born Eric Wright), a former drug dealer who started Ruthless Records with money he earned by pushing, was attempting to start a rap empire by building a roster of successful rap artists. However, he wasn't having much success until Dr. Dre (born Andre Young) -- a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru -- and Ice Cube (born O'Shea Jackson) began writing songs for Ruthless. Eazy tried to give one of the duo's songs, "Boyz-n-the Hood," to Ruthless signees HBO, and when the group refused, Eazy formed N.W.A -- an acronym for Niggaz With Attitude -- with Dre and Cube, adding World Class Wreckin' Cru member DJ Yella (born Antoine Carraby), the Arabian Prince, and the D.O.C. to the group. N.W.A's first album, N.W.A. and the Posse, was a party-oriented jam record that largely went ignored upon its 1987 release.

In the following year, the group added MC Ren (born Lorenzo Patterson) and revamped its sound, bringing in many of the noisy, extreme sonic innovations of Public Enemy and adopting a self-consciously violent and dangerous lyrical stance. Late in 1988, N.W.A delivered Straight Outta Compton, a vicious hardcore record that became an underground hit with virtually no support from radio, the press, or MTV. N.W.A became notorious for their hardcore lyrics, especially those of "Fuck tha Police," which resulted in the FBI sending a warning letter to Ruthless and its parent company, Priority, suggesting that N.W.A should watch their step.

Most of the group's political threat left with Cube when he departed in late 1989 amid many financial disagreements. A nasty feud between N.W.A and the departed rapper began that would culminate with Cube's "No Vaseline," an attack on the group's management released on his 1991 Death Certificate album. By the time the song was released, N.W.A, for all intents and purposes, were finished. In the two years between Cube's departure and the group's dissolution, N.W.A were dominated by Eazy's near-parodic lyrics and Dre's increasingly subtle and complex productions. The group quickly released an EP, 100 Miles and Runnin', in 1990 before following it up early the next year with Efil4zaggin ("Niggaz 4 Life" spelled backward). Efil4zaggin was teeming with dense, funky soundscapes and ridiculously violent and misogynist lyrics. Naturally, the lyrics provoked outrage from many critics and conservative watchdogs, but that only increased the group's predominately male, white suburban audience. Even though the group was at the peak of its popularity, Dre began to make efforts to leave the crew, due to conflicting egos and what he perceived as an unfair record deal.

Dre left the group to form Death Row Records with Suge Knight and The D.O.C. in early 1992. According to legend, Knight threatened to kill N.W.A's manager Jerry Heller if he refused to let Dre out of his contract. Over the next few years, Dre and Eazy engaged in a highly publicized feud, which included both of the rappers attacking each other on their respective solo albums. Ren and Yella both released solo albums, which were largely ignored, and Eazy continued to record albums that turned him into a complete self-parody until his tragic death from AIDS in March 1995. Before he died, Dre and Cube both made amends with Eazy. With his first solo album, 1992's The Chronic, Dre established himself as the premier hip-hop producer of the mid-'90s, setting the pace for much of hardcore rap with its elastic bass and deep, rolling grooves. Gangsta rap established itself as the most popular form of hip-hop during the '90s -- in other words, N.W.A's amoralistic, hedonistic stance temporarily triumphed over the socially conscious hip-hop of Public Enemy, and it completely rewrote the rules of hip-hop for the '90s. A 2015 biopic, the critically acclaimed, Academy-Award-nominated Straight Outta Compton, made over $200 million worldwide at the box office and inspired Dr. Dre's third solo album, Compton, released that same year. With N.W.A.'s cultural resurgence and mainstream recognition of their legacy in the history of rap and hip-hop, the group received another honor with their induction into the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi

Total plays

1.8 billion
Updated on 2024-11-04

Country

United States

Monthly listeners

6,142,947

Followers

5,993,311

Top Cities

  1. United States
    88,954 listeners
  2. United Kingdom
    87,824 listeners
  3. Australia
    106,242 listeners
  4. Australia
    86,032 listeners
  5. Australia
    71,056 listeners

Most popular tracks

Track Plays Duration Release date
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
388,515,340 4:19 1988-08-08
Fuck Tha Police
Fuck Tha Police
359,515,068 5:46 1988-08-08
Express Yourself
Express Yourself
176,062,738 4:23 1988-01-01
Gangsta Gangsta
Gangsta Gangsta
115,346,762 5:37 1988-08-08
Chin Check
Chin Check
115,148,795 3:41 1996-07-02
Alwayz Into Somethin'
Alwayz Into Somethin'
67,640,824 4:25 1991-05-28
Dope Man
Dope Man
40,169,361 6:18 1987-01-01
A Bitch Iz A Bitch
A Bitch Iz A Bitch
32,660,586 3:11 1989-03-27
A Bitch Is A Bitch
A Bitch Is A Bitch
32,660,586 3:06 2006-12-26
Appetite For Destruction
Appetite For Destruction
28,706,873 3:22 1991-05-28
If It Ain't Ruff
If It Ain't Ruff
26,383,265 3:34 1988-01-01
Dopeman - Remix
Dopeman - Remix
25,953,377 5:20 1988-08-08
F***k Tha Police
F***k Tha Police
24,124,054 5:15 1988-01-01
Fuck Tha Police
Fuck Tha Police
24,124,054 5:15 2006-12-26
I'd Rather Fuck You
I'd Rather Fuck You
21,951,899 3:57 1991-05-28
I'd Rather F*** You - Edit
I'd Rather F*** You - Edit
21,951,899 3:59 2002-01-01
100 Miles And Runnin'
100 Miles And Runnin'
21,028,988 4:33 1990-08-14
8 Ball - Remix
8 Ball - Remix
17,287,340 4:53 1988-08-08
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
16,152,607 4:03 1988-01-01
Chin Check
Chin Check
15,396,326 4:23 1999-12-14
Quiet On Tha Set
Quiet On Tha Set
15,141,735 3:58 1988-01-01
Parental Discretion Iz Advised
Parental Discretion Iz Advised
12,650,210 5:16 1988-08-08
Real Niggaz Don't Die
Real Niggaz Don't Die
11,365,221 3:40 1991-05-28
Dopeman
Dopeman
11,101,330 5:50 1988-01-01
Compton's N The House - Remix
Compton's N The House - Remix
10,243,795 5:21 1988-08-08
Real Niggaz
Real Niggaz
10,186,158 4:27 1991-05-28
I Ain't Tha 1
I Ain't Tha 1
10,009,863 4:54 1988-01-01
Automobile
Automobile
9,045,710 3:16 1991-05-28
Something Like That
Something Like That
8,604,172 3:36 1988-08-08
Gangsta Gangsta
Gangsta Gangsta
8,204,048 5:30 1996-07-02
Niggaz 4 Life
Niggaz 4 Life
7,553,279 4:59 1991-05-28
Something 2 Dance 2
Something 2 Dance 2
7,064,834 3:24 1988-01-01
Real Niggaz
Real Niggaz
6,270,019 4:44 1996-07-02
Just Don't Bite It
Just Don't Bite It
6,084,706 5:28 1990-08-14
Findum, Fuckum And Flee
Findum, Fuckum And Flee
6,019,472 3:55 1991-05-28
She Swallowed It
She Swallowed It
4,820,913 4:14 1991-05-28
Straight Outta Compton - Extended Mix
Straight Outta Compton - Extended Mix
3,760,148 4:54 1989-03-27
A Bitch Iz A Bitch
A Bitch Iz A Bitch
3,671,800 3:09 1987-01-01
One Less Bitch
One Less Bitch
3,589,432 4:47 1991-05-28
Prelude
Prelude
3,445,793 2:28 1991-05-28
Bonus Beats
Bonus Beats
3,186,618 3:03 1989-03-27
Sa Prize (Part 2)
Sa Prize (Part 2)
3,151,943 5:59 1990-08-14
Kamurshol
Kamurshol
3,085,057 1:56 1990-08-14
Live Intro (1989)
Live Intro (1989)
2,988,476 2:21 1996-07-02
Panic Zone
Panic Zone
2,971,225 3:32 1987-01-01
Approach To Danger
Approach To Danger
2,954,050 2:46 1991-05-28
8 Ball
8 Ball
2,685,986 4:15 1987-01-01
The Dayz Of Wayback
The Dayz Of Wayback
2,457,933 4:19 1991-05-28
Arrested (Insert)
Arrested (Insert)
2,114,434 0:57 1996-07-02
Gangsta Gangsta
Gangsta Gangsta
2,099,495 4:06 1988-01-01
I Ain't Tha 1
I Ain't Tha 1
2,084,324 5:04 1996-07-02
Compton's N The House / Ruthless Gangster - Live/1988
Compton's N The House / Ruthless Gangster - Live/1988
1,871,954 2:09 1996-07-02
Message To B.A. - Interlude
Message To B.A. - Interlude
1,766,239 0:49 1991-05-28
Don't Drink That Wine - Interlude
Don't Drink That Wine - Interlude
1,763,906 1:08 1991-05-28
Fuck Tha Police (Insert)
Fuck Tha Police (Insert)
1,614,467 0:33 1996-07-02
Protest - Interlude
Protest - Interlude
1,608,277 0:53 1991-05-28
To Kill A Hooker - Interlude
To Kill A Hooker - Interlude
1,437,441 0:51 1991-05-28
1-900-2-COMPTON - Interlude
1-900-2-COMPTON - Interlude
1,352,764 1:28 1991-05-28
Nuthin' But A "G" Thang - Live
Nuthin' But A "G" Thang - Live
1,208,397 4:09 2002-01-01
Compton's N The House - Remix
Compton's N The House - Remix
1,169,304 5:16 1988-01-01
8 Ball - Remix / Remastered/2000
8 Ball - Remix / Remastered/2000
1,130,007 4:33 1988-01-01
Real Niggaz
Real Niggaz
1,053,694 5:26 1990-08-14
Parental Discretion Iz Advised
Parental Discretion Iz Advised
915,479 5:12 1988-01-01
Something Like That
Something Like That
740,734 3:34 1988-01-01
Don't Drink That Wine - Edit
Don't Drink That Wine - Edit
2,075 0:27 1996-07-02
Break Out (Insert)
Break Out (Insert)
1,753 0:21 1996-07-02
Cash Money (Insert)
Cash Money (Insert)
1,424 0:21 1996-07-02

New releases

The Best Of N.W.A: The Strength Of Street Knowledge
The Best Of N.W.A: The Strength Of Street Knowledge
2006-12-26
[Priority Records]
Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits
1996-07-02
[Priority Records]
Efil4zaggin
Efil4zaggin
1991-05-28
[Priority Records]
100 Miles And Runnin'
100 Miles And Runnin'
1990-08-14
[Priority Records]
Express Yourself
Express Yourself
1989-03-27
[Priority Records]
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
1988-08-08
[Priority Records]
Straight Outta Compton
Straight Outta Compton
1988-01-01
[Priority Records]
N.W.A. And The Posse
N.W.A. And The Posse
1987-01-01
[Priority Records]