Straight Outta Compton

In a press conference following a riot that erupted after a show in Detroit, a reporter asked the members of N.W.A. to comment on the violence detailed in their lyrics. Ice Cube answered point blank: "Our art is a reflection of our reality." "Straight Outta Compton" succeeds in being a timely movie because like N.W.A.'s music in the early nineties, it reflects a current problem of police militarization, racism, and brutality. Seeing N.W.A. speak out about Rodney King and life in Compton, CA, we are reminded that not much has changed in thirty years.

At it's heart, "Straight Outta Compton" is a rags to riches story of how alienated African American outsiders with something to say marketed themselves and their new art form. In many ways, the genius of early rap artists had just as much to do with their business acumen as with their musical or lyrical abilities. Many traditional music producers simply did not get the explicitness and political undertones of the rap movement, which were the attributes that made it great. Rappers took it upon themselves to disseminate their own music and even start successful companies (ie: Death Row). N.W.A's rise to stardom by their own hand is very impressive, to say the least.

While Dr. Dre gets his due as a brilliant behind the scenes artist, the true hero of the film is Ice Cube, whose importance and talent has been overshadowed by his current family friendly ventures. Ice Cube was the soul of N.W.A. who had the most to say about economic squalor and the treatment of the black community by law enforcement.

The movie's noticeable failing is that it intentionally glosses over Dr. Dre's history of violence against women. Ironically, the conspicuous absence of Dre's personal shortcomings actually drew more attention to the issue, causing the artist to apologize in the press. I think presenting Dr. Dre's penchant towards violence with women would speak not only to the film's theme about how violence begets violence, but also elucidate a significant problem in hip hop, which is the continued degradation of women.

Still, the movie is well made and acted. It is certainly worth seeing and contemplating, especially given today's problems with race and law enforcement. It also makes us remember that music at one time was motivated by a message and not only concerned with profits.