2
2015
Thank you for the Street Knowledge
An article by 
Hey lallster world, to be honest I didn’t really know how to start this blog, the movie I saw changed my life, and gave me the greatest music education I could ever receive.
Now when these five men came onto the music scene I wasn’t even born, and when they became bigger then you would ever know I wasn’t even old enough listen to their music, it was not as if my mom had Boyz in the Hood blaring in the delivery room, and if she did I feel like I may have come out of the womb saying, “Hey mamma, where’s my ’64?” But no. And if I think about when I first started actually listening to rap of any kind it was in the form of an artist known as Eminem. I mean there wasn’t any where you went that you didn’t hear kids spit, “Ha my name is…” And of course he owes this to one of most renounced if not the only producer known around the world as Dr. Dre. I never knew the impact N.W.A. had on the music industry and the world until I saw Straight Outta Compton; and really how could I? A newborn isn’t really scream Eazy-E’s name.
Watching this movie I couldn’t help but feel everything for these men. As a grown woman now, I can fully understand what these men stood for and what they struggled for to make their life better than it was, better than being put in hand cuffs just because of the color of their skin. Portrayed by Jason Mitchell, Corey Hawkins, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Neil Brown Jr., and Aldis Hodge and produced by Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Tomica Woods-Wright and directed by F. Gary Gray, Straight Outta Compton shed light on the life and the history of who are still known as, “The Most Dangerous Group” N.W.A. To say that their music was controversial is a great understatement. These men redefined gangsta rap, and with Dr. Dre on their side produced the most recognized music of all time.
This 2.5 hour movie, had so many things going on, from the police brutality of people of color, which it seems it didn’t matter if you were male or female it just happened. And like how it unfortunately is today, more so prevalent in the United States, it hasn’t changed. To break this movie down on what it meant to me, is more than just the music, it is the movement that these men created, saying that yes I came from Compton but look at me now. If I can do this you can do this, you just have to be hungry enough to want to change your outcome. It said you do not have to be another teenager from the streets falling into the wrong crowd, that you can make a better life. With all that being said, here are my top ten Straight Outta Compton moments:
10) “Bye Felicia” – This has morphed into a meme, a way of dismissal, a way of expression for someone that pisses you off, or just did you wrong. Coined by Ice Cube himself in his movie “Friday” this was used in the movie by his son’s portrayal of him, when their characters were partying in a hotel room, and a woman named Felicia was pleasuring Eazy-E’s character while her man was looking for her. This moment made me laugh in the fact that after you have 4 men walk down the hallway holding shot guns, with their swag walk on chase Felicia’s man out of the hallway, (yes this moment although kind of menacing, had a feel of sex appeal. There is just something about a bunch of “thugs” walk with a little lean saying I got this.) you have Ice Cube’s character (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) push Felicia out of the doorway improvising the iconic line “Bye Felicia”. This perfect “Thanks for ruining the party” helped bring the movie to 2015 and allowing the kids of this generation with their selfies, and attitude relate to the movie.
9) F The Police in Concert – Their concert in Detroit, while preforming this stand against law enforcement was perfect. I personally was waiting for it ever since I saw the trailer, and the line. “Yo Dre, I got something to say”. I was like a proud parent for her child. You were excited to see what would happen and at the same time mad at the police, because in a way they started the riot that later proceeded because they shut down the performance and the people were fighting back in saying, leave them be, we are enjoying ourselves, and you are creating a bigger issue then it really is. Freedom of speech is a right. And like Ice Cube says, “It is a glimpse into our reality that you are witnessing”
8) Dr. Dre on the turn tables – Are you kidding me. I mean damn! I know Dr. Dre is an amazing producer, I mean some of my favorite songs are produced by this man. But to see Corey Hawkins embody his ability to spin,create some of the most beautiful mixes, and get people excited about music was amazing. I loved seeing his true passion to music because he loves it. You saw how he sees music and not just the way it makes you feel, but the way its technical, the way a beat can mean so many things.
7) Eazy-E first time recording – To see Eazy-E try to rap Boyz in the Hood, was hilarious, but enlightening. It was amazing to see a non rapper, find his swag. He got comfortable, and laid it down. And like life, you just have to not think about it and just do it. Plus when Dre, and E kick Cube and Yella out of the studio it is wonderfully funny. “Write the songs Cube, get the fuck out Cube.”
6) Suge Knight – As soon as I saw the actor who (spot on looked like Suge) portray Suge, I didn’t like him. Sure they may have exaggerated his behavior but really there must be something in you that didn’t trust him. I know I didn’t. I mean, you just had all this money, and pissed it all away with dog fight, and ego contests. He many have been a “business man” but my money would probably be safer under a mattress. Oh! and God forbid you parked in his parking spot, I mean in the movie when he beat down that man for parking in his spot, well let’s just say, homie take the bus!
5) Ice Cube going into Priority Records – Even I felt a little gangsta when Ice Cube went into priority records and destroyed the place. I all of a sudden wanted to go buy a metal bat. If you can’t act right, you shouldn’t have nice things.
4) Eazy- E’s death – It was 1995, and even though in real life they may not have squashed the Lynch Mob, Death Row, Ruthless, N.W.A, beef at that time, it was nice to see brothers come together, to remember a pioneer of music. Through out this movie, I learned that Eazy-E was a smart man, he was a business man. Slinging drugs to slinging records, to becoming an iconic figure in music. This scene for me was one of the hardest ones for me to watch. To see a beaten man, who still had so much to do with life, he was ready to leave his ego at the door and build back bridges, and make himself better for his fans and family. To see him succumb to H.I.V. left me in tears and with a heavy heart. Jason Mitchell, thank you very much for 15 min where I couldn’t breath, and had a cry!
“I just feel that I’ve got thousands and thousands of young fans that have to learn about what’s real when it comes to AIDS. Like the others before me, I would like to turn my own problem into something good that will reach out to all my homeboys and their kin. Because I want to save their asses before it’s too late.” Eazy-E.
3) The chemistry between these 5 men. – I felt like a I was in a boys group. It was insane. You felt a brotherhood from these 5 actors. It was a chemistry that oozed off of the screen into my heart. And I have fan love (NOT CRAZY fan love) but love for these young men. I am proud of all of them. They came from different walks of life, trained for 2 hard years, adapted mannerisms, fell in love with music, and studied a group that changed music.
2) Dr. Dre leaving Death Row – When Suge’s character ask what the label was going to be called and he said “Aftermath” I had the biggest smile on my face. I mean do you know what Aftermath meant? It meant some of the greatest MC’s, best music, a fresh start to music. I mean of course the man retired 3 times already but just dropped Compton, yet still aftermath was my adolescence of music. Don’t worry, I am able to properly function in society, and no my parents have never worried about my life choices.
1) What this movie did for me – This movie changed my life. It opened my eyes to a true hustle. That you can come from the darkest places, and times and with the need to be better, you will be better. I watched Ice T’s “Art of Rap” and he said that his wife never used to listen to the lyrics. And to a brilliant lyricist that is detrimental. I mean here is my kin, and they never listen to the lyrics! What BS is that? And to tell the truth I never really did. I mean there are just some songs where you are thinking to yourself, what is this song!? *Cough Lil Wayne cough* I mean I write for a hobby, and to me if some one never read my words? “Bye Felicia!”. Artists are saying, here is my struggle, my love, my heart, my soul, my sadness, my happiness and why you are not listening to or reading what I have to say. Now that has changed, I will skip over “Truffle Butter” from now on. This movie opened my eyes and ears to a world of music, and what these 5 men did for music and the world. Yeah thanks Dre for my crush on Eminem.
Well there you have it, saw it twice, took me 3 weeks to write this review and here it is. We are all straight outta somewhere. My name is Halima and I am straight outta Edmonton. I am a 26 year old, educated woman and I have a voice. I am more hungry now more than ever for my beautiful future, and the future of my next generation. Where are you straight outta?
