![]() ![]() There are Gold Records, arrests, condemnations, orgies, babies, threats, TV appearances, rivalries, betrayals, and revelations. When the guys tour, it’s safe to say they don’t perform at church socials, the National Organization of Women events or fundraisers for the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.Īlong the way, members leave the group, some are cheated out of money and bad blood takes hold. Their rap music reflects the chaos in their environment and the rest of the world is shocked by their graphic lyrics that some feel glorify crime (“Gangsta Gangsta”), exploit women (“A Bitch Iz a Bitch”) and verbally assault cops (“Fuck Tha Police”). The group comes up at a time in L.A., during the Ronald Reagan’s years, when gang violence is rampant and police brutality is the norm. The rest is history, or urban folklore, depending on how you look at it. An ambitious music manager, Jerry Heller (Paul Giamatti), promises them gigs and a future. They form Ruthless Records, cut music and become NWA–Niggaz Wit Attitudes. Eazy-E has enough drug money to invest in producing. Ice Cube and MC Ren (Aldis Hodge) are young emcees starting to form fierce rhymes. Dre is a DJ in local Compton clubs, working alongside DJ Yella (Neil Brown Jr.). The three decide to pool their talents and change their focus to writing, producing and performing rap music. Eric Lynn Wright, aka Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell) uses his entrepreneurial skills selling drugs, but at age 23, he’s burned out and the thugs he does business with are dropping like flies.Ĭall it a confluence. I refuse to let you throw that all away!” Next thing you know, Dre is out on the streets, with his prized LPs in tow, couch-surfing. She’s in his face: “People said I would be shit. Mom, who had him as a teen and is holding down two jobs to make ends meet, isn’t having it. He’s focused on his music, and not working. Dre (Corey Hawkins) is a wannabe record producer/DJ still living with his mom Verna (Lisa Renee Pitts) and his younger brother. Twenty-one-year old Andre Romelle Young, aka Dr. It’s 1986 and 16-year-old O’Shea Jackson, aka Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson, Jr.), is getting involved in drug deals that don’t end well. That’s why what you’re viewing is so graphic. “True to the Game”) back in the day, and has gone on to direct urban dramas (Set it Off) and comedies (Friday), is at the helm. Gary Gray, who shot Ice Cube videos (e.g. Dre and Eazy-E’s widow Tomica Woods-Wright are co-producers of their own story. ![]() Instantly the thought occurs, who the hell orchestrated all this and why is it so good? Once you read the productions notes, it all makes sense. It’s as if you are a fly on the wall peeking in or a narc during a drug bust watching it all go down. ![]() The performances, the dialogue, the plotline-it’s all amazingly authentic. Dre met producer Jimmy Iovine.įrom the film’s first moments, you know you’re experiencing greatness because everything seems so real: the visuals of Compton streets, the strong bass beats in nightclubs, the ghetto fabulous clothes, the Jheri curls, the police arrests. You won’t learn how legendary rappers like Tupac and Snoop Dogg entered the rap scene, or how Suge Knight hooked up with Dr. Blink or go get popcorn and you’ll miss an integral piece of music and cultural history that defined the times. You’ll need to give your undivided attention to the 2h22m of footage. Dre and everyone around them who caused the big bang that popularized West Coast rap music. rap scene, that smartly, emotionally and historically capsulizes the life and times of Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. This is a full-fledged, big-budget looking homage to the L.A. Nor is it a should-have-gone-straight-to-DVD after-thought about hip-hop culture. Warning: This isn’t some chump change Sundance indie movie about the rap group NWA. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |