In the late 1980s, NWA turned the rap world upside down by singing and rapping about real, everyday life in the inner city of Compton, ground zero for drugs, gangs, and guns in Los Angeles. Their music documented the rage and despair that led, eventually, to the L.A. riots in the aftermath of the Rodney King beating.
In 1989, the FBI went after them on the pretext that their music incited violence against police. Such actions seriously backfired - the more negative press they received, the more records they sold. Even after Ice Cube left, their second full-length album went to #1 on the Billboard charts - the first hardcore rap album to do so.
Their music captured a moment in time for young black men growing up in the inner cities - maybe things have changed since then, but I doubt it.
This documentary tells the story of their rise to fame - and it's narrated by Chris Rock (VH1, 2008).
N.W.A. The World’s Most Dangerous Group
NWA: The World’s Most Dangerous Group tells the story of a group of childhood friends from Compton who channeled the rage of the streets through the prism of rap music and pop culture. Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice-Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella gave a powerful voice to the late-80′s Compton ghetto that was on the verge of exploding, and in the process scared the hell out of White America. We also show you new interviews with Ice Cube, DJ Yella, Eazy-E’s widow Tamika Wright, former manager Jerry Heller, Ice-T, and director John Singleton. Supplemented by rarely-seen footage and interviews of the group’s early days, photos, and music, the documentary will show how gangsta rap was born in late 80s Los Angeles, a city torn by drugs and violence…and how a nation grew to fear the music that emerged.
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