Straight Outta Compton

Brief Sunday break in the Taranna December round-up. It’s movie time!

I am an outsider looking in. I can hear the music and know it’s real and fucking awesome, but it isn’t my life. Not even close. I won’t even pretend to identify.

But I can give a hearty shout-out to everyone involved in this film. The entire cast acted the hell out of every scene, it’s perfectly shot, and it is a true homage to the group, and the humanity within.

Covering from day one of N.W.A. to the death of Easy E (RIP) and the moment Dre left Death Row, this is the meat, the potatoes, and the damn plate, too.

Even if you’re not a fan of N.W.A., you’ll get pulled into the story told within and, unlike a lot of bio-pics, you can tell they were as uncompromising with it as N.W.A. was in their time.

Fully recommended.

N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton

I was late to this party – I wasn’t listening to this as a kid (I was into jazz). But once I heard this (ages ago, in high school), I was sold completely. Straight Outta Compton and Fuck Tha Police send us headlong into a record that is a funky, rebellious, angry, socially conscious, pro-free speech bomb going off. The message and strength here is incredible.

My 2002 copy has 4 bonus tracks, all worthy of inclusion. Unquestionably influential.