The soundtrack is awesome, the cinematography is beautiful, and the issues that helped spawn the super group are as relevant today as they were in the early 90s. It’s definitely a slog, but every second is compelling. as having blazed the trail not only for them but for the the entire genre. reunion, the film closes on a montage of pretty much every rap artist out there citing N.W.A. While E’s tragic death marked the bitter end of any N.W.A. Shortly after the resolution, Eazy E was diagnosed with HIV. The story streamlines itself for one poignant and touching “What if?”

Dre distances himself from the decadence and corruption that his own label had become. Eazy confronts Jay about his shady dealings. Their own vendettas and rivalries put into perspective, talk begins about getting the band back together. Secure within their own private kingdoms, Ice, Dre, and Eazy watch as the same factions that were once devouring each other stand united in an expression of outrage (and using the slogans and music N.W.A. documented in their songs continues to simmer, boiling over with the beating of Rodney King and the release of the cops who attacked him.

In the rest of the world, the same violence that N.W.A. Uneasy alliances and (now legendary) feuds are formed as N.W.A splinters under the weight of its own victories. As Cube and his comrades take a closer look at their contracts, deeper and deeper suspicion is placed on Eazy and their collective manager, Jerry Heller. rockets from their humble beginnings to one of the most popular and wealthy bands in the nation.īut as the old words of wisdom go, only two things will kill ya- one’s failure, the other’s success. The chorus of concerned mothers and conservative crusaders decry what they see as a celebration of crime, misogyny, and violence. spits a staccato impeachment of bigotry, police violence, poverty, and gangland violence. What follows, is, of course, rap history. Brought together by equal parts friendship, a knack for music, and the simple ugliness, brutality, and futility of their world, “Ruthless Records” is born, and the nearly formed N.W.A (Niggaz Wit Attitudes, for anyone who doesn’t know) begins its meteoric rise to fame.Īnd that’s just the beginning (seriously, this thing’s over two hours long, and is rumored to have been cut down from a marathon three and a half). Ice Cube, getting shaken down by cops and seeing his schoolmates nearly murdered by Bloods. Dre- he, his wife and daughter living with his mother while he DJs in a cruddy R&B lounge. We’ve got the hotheaded and ambitious Eazy-E, presently dealing drugs to get by. Against this dismal backdrop we’re introduced to the three founding fathers of gangsta rap. Our story begins in ’86, with the voice-overs of news reports on crime, poverty, and gang violence. Now try doing that with eleven characters at once.Īgainst all odds, Straight Outta Compton does just that. Suddenly there’s the additional burden of being honest and fair and avoiding litigation at the hands of the offended and his or her legions of lawyers.

Now try doing that while the main character’s still alive. Err to much on the side of harsh truth and you’ll often get a vicious hatchet job. Err to much on the side of leniency and you get a sappy, self-congratulatory, and ultimately meaningless popcorn flick.

Straight outta compton movie online