When talking about controversy in the music industry look no further than NWA. Everything about them reeks of controversy. From the way they were formed to their music.
NWA formed in the late 80's when an admitted drug dealer invested his earning in a record company. Eric Wright AKA Eazy E found Ruthless Records with money gained illegally. With Ruthless Records started up,Eazy E decided to recruit some of his friends. Dr. Dre, Ice Cub, Yella and MC Ren.
In 1989 the controversial rap group released their debut album, Straight Outta Compton. Straight outta Compton had a vivid description on life in the ghetto and where these rappers emerged. One song on the album was Fuck the Police. It insulted police officers, making claims of police brutality. The CD had some mixed reviews. However, a reviewer for Newsweek acknowledged that Straight Outta Compton "introduced some of the most grotesquely exciting music ever made."
Another Newsweek reviewer added, "Hinting at gang roots, and selling themselves on those hints, they project a gangster mystique that pays no attention where criminality begins and marketing lets off." Defending the group's stance, original N.W.A. member Ice Cube told Rolling Stone: "Peace is a fictional word to me." "Violence is reality. . . . You're supposed to picture life as a bowl of cherries, but it's not. So we don't do nothin' fake."
These rappers lived the life of a thug. They spoke nothing but the truth on how life was lived in Compton.
Straight out of Compton was so controversial, it was granted limited air time.
MTV refused to show the debut video on Straight Outta Compton claiming it was "glorified violence."
Controversy to a whole new level
Despite limited air time, Straight Outta Compton sold a million copies. Making all five rappers stars... The F.B.I, officially condemned "Fuck the Police" for encouraging violence against law-enforcement officers. The group members were supposedly harassed at a concert in Detroit by the Police.
The groups lyrics aroused heated controversy. Critics feel NWA glamorizes gang violence. Critics ate up the NWA but that didn't stop them. They still produced great music and controversial music for years. There second CD went off the charts, even though Ice Cube left the group, the group still went on to be very popular and controversial.
NWA brought gangsta rap to the forefront where violent lyrics were prevalent unseen before in mainstream music while it caused many to picket against NWA's music and hip hop in general, it also eventually lead to the acceptance of hip hop's new violent nature, and created the environment for the likes of 2pac's and biggie's deaths the controversial style and lyrics of NWA also caught the attention of suburban kids and rather than hip hop being mostly an African American music, it began the shift to Caucasian kids becoming fans of hip hop. NWA was controversial in many ways, it can be controversy in a negative eye, or you can view there controversy as positive. But no matter which way you look at it. There music style changed the world. They are truly controversy that created cash.
NWA formed in the late 80's when an admitted drug dealer invested his earning in a record company. Eric Wright AKA Eazy E found Ruthless Records with money gained illegally. With Ruthless Records started up,Eazy E decided to recruit some of his friends. Dr. Dre, Ice Cub, Yella and MC Ren.
In 1989 the controversial rap group released their debut album, Straight Outta Compton. Straight outta Compton had a vivid description on life in the ghetto and where these rappers emerged. One song on the album was Fuck the Police. It insulted police officers, making claims of police brutality. The CD had some mixed reviews. However, a reviewer for Newsweek acknowledged that Straight Outta Compton "introduced some of the most grotesquely exciting music ever made."
Another Newsweek reviewer added, "Hinting at gang roots, and selling themselves on those hints, they project a gangster mystique that pays no attention where criminality begins and marketing lets off." Defending the group's stance, original N.W.A. member Ice Cube told Rolling Stone: "Peace is a fictional word to me." "Violence is reality. . . . You're supposed to picture life as a bowl of cherries, but it's not. So we don't do nothin' fake."
Right about now NWA court is in full effect.
Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department.
Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.
Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth
and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?
Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?
Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young ***** got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority
Fuck that shit, cuz I ain't tha one
For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beatin on, and throwin in jail
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product
Thinkin every ***** is sellin narcotics
You'd rather see me in the pen
Then me and Lorenzo rollin in the Benzo
Beat tha police outta shape
And when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To tape off the scene of the slaughter
Still can't swallow bread and water
I don't know if they **** or what
Search a ***** down and grabbin his nuts
And on the other hand, without a gun they can't get none
But don't let it be a black and a white one
Cuz they slam ya down to the street top
Black police showin out for the white cop
Ice Cube will swarm
On any muthafucka in a blue uniform
Just cuz I'm from the CPT, punk police are afraid of me
A young ***** on a warpath
And when I'm finished, it's gonna be a bloodbath
Of cops, dyin in LA
Yo Dre, I got somethin to say
Fuck the police (4X)
Judge Dre presiding in the case of NWA versus the police department.
Prosecuting attourneys are MC Ren Ice Cube and Eazy muthafuckin E.
Order order order. Ice Cube take the muthafuckin stand.
Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth
and nothin but the truth so help your black ass?
Why don't you tell everybody what the fuck you gotta say?
Fuck tha police
Comin straight from the underground
Young ***** got it bad cuz I'm brown
And not the other color so police think
They have the authority to kill a minority
Fuck that shit, cuz I ain't tha one
For a punk muthafucka with a badge and a gun
To be beatin on, and throwin in jail
We could go toe to toe in the middle of a cell
Fuckin with me cuz I'm a teenager
With a little bit of gold and a pager
Searchin my car, lookin for the product
Thinkin every ***** is sellin narcotics
You'd rather see me in the pen
Then me and Lorenzo rollin in the Benzo
Beat tha police outta shape
And when I'm finished, bring the yellow tape
To tape off the scene of the slaughter
Still can't swallow bread and water
I don't know if they **** or what
Search a ***** down and grabbin his nuts
And on the other hand, without a gun they can't get none
But don't let it be a black and a white one
Cuz they slam ya down to the street top
Black police showin out for the white cop
Ice Cube will swarm
On any muthafucka in a blue uniform
Just cuz I'm from the CPT, punk police are afraid of me
A young ***** on a warpath
And when I'm finished, it's gonna be a bloodbath
Of cops, dyin in LA
Yo Dre, I got somethin to say
Fuck the police (4X)
These rappers lived the life of a thug. They spoke nothing but the truth on how life was lived in Compton.
Straight out of Compton was so controversial, it was granted limited air time.
MTV refused to show the debut video on Straight Outta Compton claiming it was "glorified violence."
Controversy to a whole new level
Despite limited air time, Straight Outta Compton sold a million copies. Making all five rappers stars... The F.B.I, officially condemned "Fuck the Police" for encouraging violence against law-enforcement officers. The group members were supposedly harassed at a concert in Detroit by the Police.
The groups lyrics aroused heated controversy. Critics feel NWA glamorizes gang violence. Critics ate up the NWA but that didn't stop them. They still produced great music and controversial music for years. There second CD went off the charts, even though Ice Cube left the group, the group still went on to be very popular and controversial.
NWA brought gangsta rap to the forefront where violent lyrics were prevalent unseen before in mainstream music while it caused many to picket against NWA's music and hip hop in general, it also eventually lead to the acceptance of hip hop's new violent nature, and created the environment for the likes of 2pac's and biggie's deaths the controversial style and lyrics of NWA also caught the attention of suburban kids and rather than hip hop being mostly an African American music, it began the shift to Caucasian kids becoming fans of hip hop. NWA was controversial in many ways, it can be controversy in a negative eye, or you can view there controversy as positive. But no matter which way you look at it. There music style changed the world. They are truly controversy that created cash.