Straight Outta Compton

"I got something to say."

In 1987, life in Compton, CA is rough.  Eric "Eazy-E" Wright (Mitchell) and Lorenzo "MC Ren" Patterson are drug dealers.  O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson (Jackson Jr.) writes rap lyrics, while his friends Andre "Dr. Dre" Young (Hawkins) and Antoine "DJ Yella" Carraby (Brown Jr.) DJ work as DJs.  Frustrated with their lives, they band together to form the rap group NWA.  Their first single is a success, and they are approached by Jerry Heller (Giamatti), who offers to manage their group.

Their studio album is a success, but controversial lyrics make them targets for the police and hate groups.  Their commercial success also brings personal tragedies.  Contract negotiations cause a rift in the group and their friendships.


In the 1980s, N.W.A. rose to popularity for their "reality rap."  They were among the first rappers to popularize gangster rap, and their legacy lives on in groups today.  Former members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, along with Eazy-E's widow Tomica Wright, served as producers on the film.

Director F. Gary Gray also has ties to the group.  He worked with both Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, directing music videos.  He also directed Ice Cube's first film Friday.

I don't know anything about rap and I don't know much about N.W.A. or their story.  Since this film came out, the group's violent past (specifically their abusive relationships) has come to light.  The film does not depict any of the female groups that were tied to N.W.A.  The only women that have main roles, are the women who married members of the group: Ice Cube's wife Kimberly, Eazy-E's wife Tomica, and Dr. Dre's wife Nicole.  Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre are the main focus of the film, often excluding or minimizing the contributions of the other members.  The other members of the group gave their support to the film, but were not all happy with their portrayal / screen time.  Jerry Heller filed a lawsuit against the film, filmmakers, and the producers, over this film.

As I mentioned before, I don't know anything about the group or their music... but it is an interesting film.  The actors do a decent job in the roles and the story is compelling.

This film is nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

Straight Outta Compton (2015) 147 minutes
Rating: R for language throughout, strong sexuality/nudity, violence, and drug use
Director: F. Gary Gray
Starring: O'Shea Jackson Jr. as Ice Cube
Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre
Jason Mitchell as Eazy-E
Aldis Hodge as MC Ren
Neil Brown Jr. as DJ Yella
Paul Giamatti as Jerry Heller
Marlon Yates Jr. as The D.O.C.
Alexandra Shipp as Kimberly Woodruff
Carra Patterson as Tomica Woods
R. Marcus Taylor as Suge Knight