#NWA is one of the most iconic forces in hip hop and without a doubt one of the most influential. Their hardcore lyrics really helped listeners to visualize street life in America which is what essentially launched the group to superstardom.
It’s been over 30 years since N.W.A. was founded, yet we are still learning intricate details about some of the drama that occurred as well as other anecdotal stories about the group, thanks to the 2015 #StraightOuttaCompton biopic.
Check out our list of 10 little known facts about N.W.A. and tune in to “Tales,” a new Hip Hop anthology series on #BET next Tuesday, June 27th 8/7c to see N.W.A and “F**k Tha Police” turned into cinematic magic!
1.) The FBI Helped Them Sell More Albums
A letter from the FBI which criticized ‘Straight Outta Compton’ accused the guys of representing police unfairly. However, the marketing team at Priority Records made a clever move by sharing it with the press which essentially helped the song become a hit!
2.) Ice Cube & John Singleton Threw Some Major Shade At Eazy-E In the ‘Boyz In Da Hood’ Film
Things had become so intense between Ice Cube and Eazy-E that while he was filming Boyz In Da Hood, the rapper and John Singleton threw some SHADE by having a crackhead run up on one of the characters while wearing a “We Want Eazy” shirt. Clearly the message was “No we don’t.”
3.) ‘F**k Tha Police’ Managed to Be Played On Just One Radio Station In Australia For Six Months.
The only radio station in the world that played ‘F**k Tha Police’ in 1989 was Australian station Triple J. Six months had passed before politicians and police demanded that they stop playing it. The song was eventually banned and the DJ responsible for playing it got fired, however the other DJs played the group’s ‘Express Yourself’ on a 24-hour loop in retaliation.
4.) The Group Almost Went From N.W.A. to N.W.E.
MC Ren, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube were so done with Eazy-E that they began working on an album called N.W.E. (N*ggaz Without Eazy).
5.) Eazy-E was the only group member with a criminal record.
6.) Dr. Dre and DJ Yella in Electro-Hip Hop group World Class Wreckin’ Cru before Eazy-E would later persuade Dre to join N.W.A. by promising to pay his car impounding fees.
7.) Tracy “The D.O.C.” Curry was an unofficial member of the group who mostly served as the group’ ghost writer.
8.) 80% of N.W.A.’s Fans Were White Suburbians
In his book The Words and Music of Ice Cube, the rapper thought that this proved that rap unified black and white people. “Rap has brought black kids and white kids closer together,” he wrote. “Thanks to rap, white kids are gaining a better understanding and a new respect for black culture. Rap has done nothing but bring people together. So, what’s the problem?”
9.) The Hated For Their Music To Be Called “Gangster Rap”
N.W.A. felt that their music gave listeners a chance to experience a taste of what life was like for them and preferred for it to be called “reality rap” rather than “gangster rap.”
10.) Ice Cube Studied Architecture In College
“I wasn’t sure if I was gonna make a living cussin’ on the radio,” he told art organization collective Pacific Standard Time back in 2011. He ended up leaving after less than a year when N.W.A. found success.
TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
