Line #170 Music/StraightOuttaCompton


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/d37932871d17370ebff487d571bb2270.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:''"You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge."'']]
3
4	-> ''"It's definitely the best rap record I've ever heard. Of course, I can see why people might be offended by the lyrics. But as a human being and not as a public figure, I'm not offended at all. I realise from reading interviews with people like Music/IceCube, when they explain that they're not talking about women in general but about particular women they know, it makes a lot of sense. I think the sound of the record is brilliant. I really like hardcore hip-hop and reggae stuff, so it's right up my flight of stairs."''
5	-->-- '''Music/SineadOConnor''', quoted from an interview in ''Magazine/RollingStone'', November 15, 1990
6
7	''For the N.W.A biopic named after this album, [[Film/StraightOuttaCompton click here]]''.
8
9	''Straight Outta Compton'' is a 1988 HipHop album and the debut of Music/{{NWA}}, a group consisting of four rappers who would later have successful solo careers: Music/EazyE, MC Ren, Music/DrDre and Music/IceCube. The record is best known for controversial songs like "Fuck Tha Police", "Gangsta Gangsta", "Express Yourself", "Dopeman" and "A Bitch Is A Bitch". Despite urban legend, ''Straight Outta Compton'' was not the first album to be given the [[ThinkOfTheChildren "Parental Advisory: Explicit Lyrics"]] label [[superscript: [citation needed] ]], though post-1990 copies were given the sticker.[[note]] Music/TwoLiveCrew's ''Banned in the U.S.A.'' was the very first to receive it in 1990[[/note]]
10
11	!! Tracklist (* = Bonus tracks included in the 2002 reissue):
12
13	# "Straight Outta Compton" (4:19)
14	# "Fuck tha Police" (5:45)
15	# "Gangsta Gangsta" (5:36)
16	# "If It Ain't Ruff" (3:34)
17	# "Parental Discretion Iz Advised" (5:16)
18	# "8 Ball (Remix)" (4:52)
19	# "Something Like That" (3:35)
20	# "Express Yourself" (4:25)
21	# "Compton's in the House (Remix)" (5:20)
22	# "I Ain't tha 1" (4:54)
23	# "Dopeman (Remix)" (5:20)
24	# "Quiet on tha Set" (3:59)
25	# "Something 2 Dance 2" (3:22)
26	# "Express Yourself (Extended Mix)" (*)
27	# "Bonus Beats" (*)
28	# "Straight Outta Compton (Extended Mix)" (*)
29	# "A Bitch Iz A Bitch" (*)
30
31	----
32	!! Fuck Tha Tropes!
33
34	* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: "'''G'''angsta '''G'''angsta"
35	* AlbumFiller: "Something 2 Dance 2" is considered to be this by most fans. It's basically an excuse to give N.W.A. member Arabian Prince a chance to StepUpToTheMicrophone and rap some meaningless lyrics to a danceable electro track.
36	* AllMenArePerverts: The band members come across as this on most of the tracks.
37	* AmenBreak: Sampled during the title track.
38	* AntiLoveSong: "I Ain't The 1", where the protagonist informs his potential partner that he certainly isn't going to be told how to behave by her.
39	* AntiPoliceSong: "Fuck Tha Police"
40	* BadassBoast: The epic opener:
41	--> ''You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.''
42	* BiggerIsBetter:
43	** "Gangsta Gangsta"
44	---> ''So we started looking for the bitches with the big butts''.
45	** "I Ain't Tha 1"
46	---> ''But you see, I don't go nuts''\
47	''Over girls like you with the BIG ol' butts''
48	* CallBack and ContinuityNod:
49	** Ice Cube's line about his sawed-off gun in the title track would be referenced again on Ice Cube's solo album "Endangered Species (Tales From The Dark Side)":
50	---> ''I told you last album - when I got a sawed off, bodies are hauled off.''
51	** The line "Police On My Drawers I have to pause" from "N.W.A Remix" would be re-used by Easy-E on Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's' song "Foe Tha Love Of $”.
52	** The line "If It Ain't Ruff It Ain't Me" from "Quiet On The Set" is a CallBack to the song "If It Ain't Ruff".
53	* CopHater: The song "Fuck tha Police" is an AntiPoliceSong about protesting against the cops for [[PoliceBrutality brutality]] and racial profiling.
54	* CoversAlwaysLie: There are six guys on the album cover. The extra man (between Cube and Yella) is Arabian Prince, a founding member of the group who left after the picture was shot but before most of the album was recorded.
55	* DancePartyEnding: The last song on the album is the upbeat party jam "Something 2 Dance 2."
56	* DarkerAndEdgier: Much of the attention surrounded the heavier lyrical themes and sound compared to most hip hop at the time. Even in today's standards, the violent content has been tamed down as most of it is commercial glitz rap.
57	* DeathByIrony: At the start of "Gangsta Gangsta" the following dialogue takes place:
58	--> '''Person 1''': ''Ah shit. Man, them black gangstas are at it again. I wonder who they fucked up today?''\
59	'''Person 2''' ''You, motherfucker!'' (gun shots)\
60	'''Dr. Dre''': ''Got him.''
61	* DeathByRacism: "Fuck Tha Police"
62	-->''Fuck the police coming straight from the underground''\
63	''A young nigga got it bad cause I'm brown''\
64	''And not the other color so police think''\
65	''They have the authority to kill a minority''
66	* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: "Quiet On The Set"
67	--> ''It tempts me so with temptation''
68	* DirtyCop: "Fuck Tha Police" informs the listener about cops without much morals.
69	* DrugsAreBad: "Dopeman"
70	--> ''If you smoke 'caine, you're a stupid motherfucker!''
71	* FaceOnTheCover: The heads of the band members basically fill the cover.
72	* GangstaRap: One of the corner stones of the genre.
73	* GettingHighOnTheirOwnSupply: Mentioned negatively in "Dopeman", as a ShoutOut to ''[[Film/{{Scarface1983}} Scarface]]'':
74	--> ''To be a dopeman, boy you must qualify,\
75	Don't get high off your own supply.''
76	* GoshDangItToHeck: "I Ain't Tha 1" is close to entirely devoid of profanity, yet it does contain sexually explicit themes. Consequently, this trope was in play in some of the lyrics.
77	* HighVoltageDeath: Dr. Dre ends up the electric chair in the music video of "Express Yourself".
78	* HuddleShot: The band on the album cover.
79	* HypocriticalHumor: This gem from "Express Yourself", due to [[HilariousInHindsight Dr Dre being a supporter of marijuana use]]:
80	--> ''I still express, yo I don't smoke weed or sess, 'cause it's known to give a brother brain damage....''
81	* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle: "Fuck Tha Police" caused quite some controversy at the time with this anti-authoritarian message.
82	* JokerJury: "Fuck Tha Police" has a cop being tried by MC Ren, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E and eventually convicted for being "a redneck, whitebread, chicken-shit motherfucker".
83	* LetsDuet: "Something Like That", a duet between Dr. Dre and MC Ren.
84	* Letters2Numbers: "I Ain't The 1", "Something 2 Dance 2"
85	* MadeASlave: The music video of "Express Yourself" shows slaves working on a plantation.
86	* MisogynySong: Many would apply, but "I Ain't The 1" and "A Bitch Is A Bitch" are probably the best example.
87	* OdeToIntoxication:
88	** "Gangsta Gangsta"
89	---> ''We don't just say no, we to busy sayin' yeah!''\
90	''About drinkin' straight out the eight bottle''\
91	''Do I look like a mutha fuckin role model?''\
92	''To a kid lookin' up ta me''\
93	''Life ain't nothin but bitches and money''\
94	''Cause I'm tha type o' nigga that's built ta last''
95	** "8-Ball (Remix)"
96	---> ''Olde English 800 cause that's my brand''\
97	''Take it in a bottle, 40, quart, or can''
98	* OneManSong: "Dopeman".
99	* OstrichHeadHiding: "If It Ain't Ruff"
100	--> ''So whenever I'm steppin cover your head like an ostrich''
101	* PoliceBrutality and PoliceAreUseless: "Fuck Tha Police", though it most be noted that they never refer to the police as a whole, but to "the police department", indicating they target a specific kind of police forces.
102	--> ''You'd rather see, me in the pen''\
103	''Than me and Lorenzo rolling in a Benz-o''
104	* ProductPlacement:
105	** "Gangsta Gangsta"
106	---> ''A t-shirt and Levi's is his only disguise''
107	** The D.O.C. sings in the song "Parental Discretion Iz Advised" about his then-upcoming solo album "No One Can Do It Better" (1989).
108	** ''I Ain't Tha 1''
109	---> ''You want lobster, huh, I'm thinking Burger King''
110	** "Quiet on the Set"
111	---> ''I'm like Toyota, who could ask for anything more?''
112	** "A Bitch Iz A Bitch"
113	---> ''You're through without a BMW''.
114	* ProtestSong: See TakeThat.
115	* RedShirt: The dude who speaks at the beginning of "Gangsta Gangsta".
116	* RefugeInAudacity: To the point that they became even more notorious because of the controversy caused by their lyrics.
117	* RepurposedPopSong: "Dopeman" originally appeared on N.W.A.'s debut EP "Panic Zone" (1986).
118	* {{Sampling}}:
119	** "Straight Outta Compton" was one of the first popular tracks to use the AmenBreak by The Winstons from their song "Amen, Brother". It also samples "Funky Drummer" by Music/JamesBrown, "You'll Like It Too" by [[Music/GeorgeClinton Funkadelic]] from the album ''Music/ConnectionsAndDisconnections'', "West Coast Poplock" by Ronnie Hudson and the Street People, "Get Me Back In Time, Engine No 9" by Music/WilsonPickett and "One For The Treble" by Davy DMX.
120	** "Fuck Tha Police" samples "Funky President" by Music/JamesBrown, "It's My Thing" by Marva Whitney, "Boogie Back" by Roy Ayers, "Feel Good" by Fancy and "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William [=DeVaughn=].
121	** During "Gangsta Gangsta" the line "It's not about a salary, it's all about reality" is a sample from Boogie Down Productions' song "My Philosophy". The line "hope all you sophisticated motherfuckers hear what I have to say" is sampled from Lady Reid's "Sonnet To My Idol". The sample "What we're gonna do right here is go way back" is from "Troglodyte (Cave Man)" by Jimmy Castor Bunch and "As We Go A Lil' Somethin' Like This" is from Slick Rick's "La Di Da Di". It also samples "God Make Me Funky" by The Headhunters, "Weak At The Knees" by Steve Arrington, "N.T." by Kool & The Gang, "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players, "Prison" by Creator/RichardPryor, "Girls" by Music/TheBeastieBoys, "Impeach The President" by The Honey Drippers, "Weak At The Knees" by Steve Arrington, and "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William [=DeVaughn=].
122	** "If It Ain't Ruff" samples "A Star In The Ghetto" by The Average White Band.
123	** "Parental Discretion Iz Advised" samples "I Turned You On" by The Isley Brothers
124	** "8-Ball Remix" samples the line "Kick that shit" from Music/PublicEnemy's "Terminator X Speaks With His Hands" (1987), "City Of Compton" from "Ronnie Hudson & The Street People's "West Coast Poplock", "Cold Kickin' Ass" from Sweet Tee & Jazzy Joyce's "It's My beat"., "Pull up a chair" from Eric B. and Rakim"s "My Melody" from their album ''Music/PaidInFull'', "Yeah!" from Music/TheBeastieBoys "Fight For Your Right To Party" from ''Music/LicensedToIll''. It also samples "Yes We Can Can" by The Pointer Sisters, "Be Thankful For What You Got" by William Devaughn, "It's My Beat" by Sweet Tea, "Hollywood Swinging" by Music/KoolAndTheGang, "Let's Get It On" by Music/MarvinGaye, "Go See The Doctor" by Kool Moe Dee.
125	** "Something Like That" samples "Down On The Avenue" by Fat Larry's Band, "Take The Money and Run" by The Steve Miller Band and "I Think I'd Do It" by Z.Z. Hill.
126	** "Express Yourself" samples "Express Yourself" by Charles Wright (who incidentally, was Eazy-E's uncle) & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band.
127	** "I Ain't Tha 1" samples "The Message" by Brass Construction.
128	** "Dopeman" samples "Dance To The Drummer's Beat" by Herman Kelly & Life, "Funky Worm by The Ohio Players and "My Posse" by C.I.A.
129	** "Quiet On The Set" samples "Funky Drummer" by Music/JamesBrown, "I Get Lifted" by George [=McCrae=], "Rock Creek Park" by The Blackbyrds, "Take The Money and Run" by The Steve Miller Band, "On The Bugged Tip" by Big Daddy Kane and "Rebel Without A Pause" by Music/PublicEnemy.
130	*** The line "They can be cold and ruthless, no question about that, but sometimes it's more complicated than that" from "Quiet On The Set" samples a line from CBS 48 Hours Mystery: A Crime Story in the LA.
131	** "Something 2 Dance 2" samples D-Train's "You're The One For Me", "Dance To The Music" from ''Dance To The Music'' (1968) by Music/SlyAndTheFamilyStone, the quote "Calling the police, Calling the g-men/ Calling all Americans to war on the underworld" from the radio show "Gangbusters", and the ''WesternAnimation/MightyMouse theme song'' (the line "Here I come to save the day").
132	** "A Bitch Iz A Bitch" samples "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex.
133	* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: Eazy-E on the album cover.
134	* ShoutOut:
135	** Ice Cube raps in the title track that he has a ''crime record like UsefulNotes/CharlesManson.''
136	** "Fuck Tha Police" was referenced in Music/KanyeWest's "All Fall Down", Music/IceT's "Cop Killer", Music/TheGameRapper's "Doctor's Advocate" and Music/LilWayne's "Mrs. Officer".
137	** "Gangsta Gangsta" disses Nancy Reagan's "Just Say "No"" campaign against drugs
138	---> ''We don't just say no, we too busy sayin' yeah!''\
139	''About drinkin' straight out the eight bottle''
140	** "If It Ain't Ruff":
141	---> ''[[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk The Hulk was incredible]] yo, but Ren he was super''
142	** "8 Ball" namedrops Music/MarvinGaye and the rap group C.I.A., of which Ice Cube was a member before he joined N.W.A.
143	---> ''Put in the old tape Music/MarvinGaye's greatest hits''\
144	''(...) Hail to the nigga's from C.I.A.''
145	** "Something Like That" references Creator/MattDillon and ''Series/{{Gunsmoke}}''.
146	---> ''And strapped with a gat, it's more like Matt Dillon''\
147	''On "Gunsmoke", but not a man of the law''
148	** "Compton's In The House" references boxer Mike Tyson and ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959''.
149	---> ''But it's some shit from a nigga in black it's much worse''\
150	''Than a beat from Tyson cuz Ren is not nice and''\
151	''(...) That's standing in [[Series/TheTwilightZone1959 the zone of the twilight]]''
152	** "I Ain't Tha 1" references "Wild Thing" by Music/TheTroggs.
153	---> ''And after the date I wanna do the wild thing''
154	*** At the end of the song, there's a reference to an Creator/EddieMurphy standup routine.
155	-->'''Girl:''' But you said you loved me!
156	-->'''Cube:''' I don't see no rings on this finger.
157	** "Straight Out Of Surrey" is a parody of this album by Music/MrBTheGentlemanRhymer.
158	** "Straight Outta Lynwood" (2006) is a parody title by Music/WeirdAlYankovic.
159	** Music/TupacShakur sampled "Straight Outta Compton", "Fuck Tha Police" and "Gangsta Gangsta" on his album ''2Pacalypse Now'' and Music/{{Oasis}} did the same on their song "D'You Know What I Mean" on "Be Here Now". Music/{{Eminem}} sampled "A Bitch Is A Bitch" on "Without Me" from his album "The Eminem Show".
160	** The Dutch hip-hop band Osdorp Posse took a literal translation from the line "If you fuck with me I'll put my foot in your ass" from "Gangsta Gangsta" in their own song "Kort Maar Krachtig". They also literally translated the line "straight from the 'underground'" from "Fuck Tha Police" on several of their tracks.
161	** "A Glitch Is A Glitch" is the title of an episode of ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'' spoofing the song title of "A Bitch Is A Bitch".
162	* SingerNameDrop: At the start of the album.
163	* SmokingIsNotCool: "Express Yourself", ironically rapped by Dr. Dre, who is a notorious marihuana smoker.
164	--> ''I still express, yo I don't smoke weed or sess''\
165	''Cause it's known to give a brother brain damage''\
166	''And brain damage on the mic don't manage nothing''\
167	''But making a sucker and you equal, don't be another sequel''
168	* SpokenWordInMusic: "Fuck Tha Police" is done in the form of a story where the band members are brought to court and have to provide testimony about PoliceBrutality and racism against blacks. The interludes are skits where the cops come and arrest some black people.
169	* STDImmunity: [[AvertedTrope Averted]] in "Dopeman":
170	--> ''Strawberry, just look and you'll see her''\
171	''But don't fuck around she'll give you gonorrhea''
172	* StepUpToTheMicrophone: Arabian Prince raps on "Something 2 Dance 2".
173	* StutterStop: "Parental Discretion Iz Advised"
174	--> ''C-C-C-Camera's are flashing when I'm in action''
175	* SurprisinglyGentleSong: In a way of speaking... "Express Yourself" is one of the few NWA tracks to almost completely lack profanity. It was made because they needed ''something'' that radio stations could play.
176	* TakeThat:
177	** "Fuck Tha Police", against the police.
178	** "Dopeman" against drug dealers.
179	** "A Bitch Is A Bitch" against bitches.
180	---> ''Now the title bitch don't apply to all women''\
181	''But all women have a little bitch in 'em''
182	** "Compton's In The House" has a diss against Romeo and Master Rhyme, who had a song called "Crackerjack" with the last line: "What do you call a crew that can rock like that? You call that crew a Crackerjack":
183	---> ''Yeah I'm tired of these mothafuckerz runnin' around town, talkin' about''\
184	''They're from Compton and shit, tryin' to get on the bandwagon ...''\
185	''Yeah Dre, I know what you're sayin' man, but let's tell 'em who we're''\
186	''Talkin' about ...''\
187	''WHAT DO YOU CALL A CREW THAT CAN RAP LIKE THAT ...?''\
188	''Yo NWA call 'em muthafuckaz wack...''\
189	''[Yeah you know what time it iz, listen to why we call 'em wack]''\
190	''They got a wacky wack record with o' wacky wack crews''\
191	''Yo what about the lyrics?''\
192	''That shit's wacky wack too''\
193	''With a fucked up style and a fucked up show''\
194	''Hey yo Ren, what about the scratchin', is it def?''
195	''Fuck no!''\
196	''The mothafuckin' record is a mothafuckin' wack''\
197	''The mothafuckin' cracka jack needs to step the fuck back ...''
198	** "Something Like That" also disses their rivals:
199	---> ''Never sayin' I'm the best and just goin' for mine''\
200	''Unlike a lotta suckers who claim they're gettin' busy''\
201	''When their records only make good frisbees''\
202	''You need to stop runnin' off the mouth''\
203	''Stop and think before you put some whack bullshit out''\
204	''It's not difficult, in fact it's kinda simple''\
205	''To create something funky that's original''\
206	''You need to talk about the place to be''\
207	''Who you are, what you got, or about a sucker MC''
208	* ThinkOfTheChildren: "Parental Discretion Iz Advised"
209	--> ''I get low on the flow so let your kids know''\
210	''When I bust, parental discretion is a must''
211	* TitleTrack:
212	--> ''Straight Outta Compton, crazy motherfucker named Ice Cube''\
213	''From the gang called Niggas With Attitudes''.
214	* TrunkShot: The band on the album cover.
215	* VillainousBreakdown: "Fuck Tha Police" closes with the police department being convicted by the band.
216	--> '''Dre:''' The jury has found you guilty of being a redneck, [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain white bread]], ''[[ClusterFBomb chickenshit motherfucker!!]]''\
217	'''Cop:''' [[OhCrap Wait- That's a lie!]] ''[[VillainousBreakdown That's a god damn lie!]]''\
218	'''Dre:''' [[GetOut Get him out of here!]]\
219	'''Cop:''' [[VillainousBreakdown I want justice!]]\
220	'''Dre:''' ''[[RunningGag Get him the]] [[PrecisionFStrike fuck]] [[RunningGag out of my face!]]''\
221	'''Cop:''' ''[[VillainousBreakdown I want justice!]]''\
222	'''Dre:''' ''[[RuleOfThree Out, right]]'' '''''[[RuleOfThree NOW!!!]]'''''\
223	'''Cop:''' '''[[AtomicFBomb FUCK YOU, YOU BLACK MOTHER]]-''[[AtomicFBomb FUCKERRRRRRRRRRRRS!!!]]'''''
224
225	----
226	-> Aw, shit, [[Website/TvTropes that pinche internet wiki]] is at it again. I wonder who it fucked up today?\
227	* SCREECH*\

Context Music / StraightOuttaCompton