A little over 2 months ago, my kid is straight outta transitional kindergarten, and it reminded me that I wrote a Straight Outta Compton movie review that I never posted.
What the hell happened
I watched Straight Outta Compton–the biopic about N.W.A that came out in 2015–in 2018. I realize it’s 2019, but I have kids so the years are a blur.
Back to 2015; I convinced my husband to see SOC with me in the theater. It’s still kinda shocking because he doesn’t love movies and likes rap even less. (I know, right?!) It must have been my birthday, but he acquiesced and we lined up my mom to babysit. The time came to leave, and my mom was a no-show. Turns out, she was rescuing a turtle. *SMH*
Years passed, and friends couldn’t believe I’d never seen it. Then one day, it magically turned up on my DVR in between Peppa Pig and Thomas & Friends! I must have recorded it while drinking and forgot, but what a gift!
About the movie
Straight Outta Compton is the story of N.W.A, one of the most influential rap groups to ever come out of the West Coast. The movie documents the life & times of the pioneering group, who changed rap music forever. We all know the story: 2 studio albums (one called Straight Outta Compton), Ice Cube leaves the group for financial reasons, and Eazy-E ultimately dies of AIDS. But for me, seeing it all again gave me a total ‘90s moment.
Movie highlights include the backstory on Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre’s rap anthem Nuthin’ but a G Thang, Ice Cube being portrayed by his actual son, and a glimpse into the early days before Dr Dre made more money than God.
Growing up in the ‘90s
When Straight Outta Compton the album (not the movie) came out in 1988, I was approaching middle school. I still remember hearing Eazy’s voice for the first time, and it was unlike any voice I’d ever heard. Then they all started cussing and my pre-teen/angry/contrarian self was like, “YEEESSSSSSSS!!!”
I would ride my bike home from school down the crowded streets of Pacific Beach, use the key on my wrist keychain to unlock our apartment door because I was a “latchkey kid,” pop some food in the microwave, and watch Yo! MTV Raps with Ed Lover and the other Dr Dre. Every. Single. Day.
People wore Raiders gear, even though our local team was the Chargers. If you were badass, you played N.W.A at your 10th birthday party. (You had to buy the CD because conservative San Diego radio stations were not playing it.) The parent in charge would be horrified. Those were the good ole days.
Not much has changed
Today, whenever a meme circulates on social media about moms driving minivans while bumping gangster rap, I get tagged about 10 times. And although I don’t drive a minivan, I do love ‘90s rap & hip hop. Friends know this about me. So, watching Straight Outta Compton was like reliving a bit of my childhood in Southern California in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. And it took me back. Way back.
>>My recommendation: see Straight Outta Compton by the year 2020, if possible.
I recently attended the Mixtape Tour, primarily to see Salt-N-Pepa, another ’80s-’90s rap supergroup. Flannel is a Punk and Junk original–because the Ladies Love Cool James. I’m gonna stop now.
Cat of Lezure 
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