From the streets of Compton, Calif., came a rap group that revolutionized music and pop culture as a whole. In the mid 1980s, N.W.A. became the world’s most dangerous group in the eyes of many and ignited a social revolution. The film Straight Outta Compton tells the story of N.W.A. and their rise from the mean streets of Compton, some of the most dangerous in the country at that time.
The city of Compton is as key a figure in the story of N.W.A’s rise as any other element. N.W.A’s defiant name, coupled with their hard-hitting lyrics, spoke directly to living life in this predominantly black, working-class neighborhood punctuated by gang life and violence. The complex story of this complex city, as told by the rappers, resonated with millions of people across the country.
Even more importantly, the group’s music became an anthem about what young black men everywhere were living, allowing them, their friends and their families to voice their rage against police brutality and injustice.
Director F. Gary Gray says, “I grew up in South Central L.A., and it was pretty rough in the 1980s. It was the Reagan era, the economy was really bad and there was this huge shift in the culture on the streets. N.W.A just laid it out uncensored and unfiltered. At times, living life was good and at times it was dangerous, and they captured all of that in their songs. N.W.A and Compton are a historical bookmark.”
The city of Compton is part of the fabric of N.W.A, and the phrase “Compton is the sixth member of N.W.A” is spoken confidently by those who grew up there. And because of N.W.A, shout-outs from West Coast rappers like Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur, and successful homegrown rappers like The Game and Grammy Award-winning Kendrick Lamar (both Dr. Dre protégés) who hail from there, the small city is still known globally.
Filming in South Los Angeles brought out neighbors who hoped to catch a glimpse of Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella and MC Ren. The “Kings of Compton” were home to tell their story, and they were welcomed with open arms. Wherever the production was scheduled to film, the news spread quickly. People from the old neighborhood would wave or shout their names to Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, who would stand slack-jawed as people reintroduced themselves and reminded them of a good party or so-and-so’s cousin from back in the day.
Capturing the flavor of South Central in the late ’80s and early ’90s was key to Gray’s approach to visualizing Straight Outta Compton. Working closely with his behind-the-scenes team of production designer Shane Valentino and costume designer Kelli Jones, they tapped into every resource at their disposal. Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Woods-Wright and their families shared many photos, videos and collective memories of growing up in the midst of LAPD’s crackdown/war on drugs.
Straight Outta Compton is available beginning Jan. 19 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.
© 2015 Universal Studios Credit: Jaimie Trueblood
