Rags to Lyrics

Straight Outta Compton

Over time the music industry has seen many facelifts. However, I don’t know of any revision better known than that of the late 80s/early 90s Hip Hop music scene. Known has a poetic expression, Hip Hop evolved into a whole culture into itself. Spearheading the revolution was five men from Compton, CA wanting nothing more than to change their scenery. This year Universal Studios gave audiences around the world more of an insight on who these figures were and their very palpable inspiration.

Well I am sure that most of us know who N.W.A is and the contributions that they had on Hip/Hop music. If not, then here is a brief history: N.W.A is a late 80s rap group started by Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, and MC Ren. They were one of many groups during the time that spoke out against police brutality and shed light on a lifestyle the world wanted to turn their backs to. Straight Outta Compton, named for the group’s debut album, chronicles the group’s rise to superstardom and the eventual fall caused by egos and money.

Now I really struggled with finding the words to express how I felt about this film. I liked the film, primarily for the fact that it peels back the hard exterior of the three most popular members of N.W.A (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E). I also thought that F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job) did an amazing job focusing on what motivated these young men into write the lyrics they produced. The film is led by a great young cast who personify the real people they are portraying. None of the performances really jump off the screen, but all of the actors do a more than average job.

Here is where I am going to disagree with most of the critics when it comes to this movie. No, I don’t think that it is the greatest musical biopic ever produced. No I don’t think it was one of the best films of 2015. Straight Outta Compton does NOTHING different than any other biopics out there. The film shows the group coming together, breaking up, and then rising yet again as individuals. I believe the film was good and definitely worth watching. I also believe that the popularity of this film is largely based on my generation and how much of these events we remember growing up with.  So maybe how much it is ‘relatable’? I’m 34 and I still remember how much these guys changed the entire face of American culture during the 90s. As far as my gripes with the film itself, I didn’t like how it centered on just three of a five member group. Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E’s popularity far exceeds that of DJ Yella and MC Ren (unless you are a hardcore Hip/Hop fan) so I understand playing to your audience. However, the other two were just as instrumental in the formation and popularity of N.W.A.

Don’t get me wrong, I highly respect these men for their courage to change the music world and the path they paved for similar artists. The film is good insight for many of us suburban kids that loved the music of the era and never really understood why they were so angry. Filled with great young actors and wonderful direction by Gray, Straight Outta Compton is a great biopic, but not the best ever.

The Verdict: Worth Your Time.