N.W.A.

N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip-hop group formed in Compton, California, in 1987. Among the earliest and most significant figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, the group is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential acts in hip-hop.

Active from 1987 to 1991, N.W.A endured controversy owing to their music's explicit lyrics, which some viewed as misogynistic or homophobic, as well as to its glorification of drugs and crime. The group was subsequently banned from many mainstream American radio stations. In spite of this, they have sold over ten million units in the United States alone. Drawing on its members' own stories of racism and excessive policing, N.W.A made inherently political music. N.W.A's consistent accusations of institutional racism within the American police significantly contributed to the political awareness and involvement of American youth against racism.

The original lineup, formed in early 1987, consisted of Arabian Prince, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, and Ice Cube, with DJ Yella joining shortly thereafter and MC Ren recruited as the sixth member of the group in mid-1988. Their first release was the compilation/split album, N.W.A. and the Posse (1987), which peaked at No. 39 on Billboard magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and it was followed by their debut studio album Straight Outta Compton (1989). Arabian Prince left N.W.A in January 1989, just before the release of Straight Outta Compton, with Ice Cube following suit in December of that year. The group continued on as a four-piece, with no replacements for Arabian Prince and Ice Cube, and disbanded shortly after the release of their second album Niggaz4Life (1991).

Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Dr. Dre later became platinum-selling solo artists in their own right in the 1990s. Eazy-E died from AIDS on March 26, 1995. The surviving members of N.W.A have continued to occasionally work together since Eazy-E's death, including a reunion of the Straight Outta Compton lineup (sans Eazy-E and Arabian Prince) from 1999 to 2001, during which a third album was in the works but abandoned due to issues with the rights to the N.W.A name.

The group's debut album marked the beginning of the new gangsta rap era, as the production and social commentary in their lyrics were revolutionary within the genre. Niggaz4Life was the first hardcore rap album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 sales charts. In general, N.W.A had a lasting effect on generations of hip-hop artists and, in the late 1980s, played a crucial role in shaping rap as it evolved musically and lyrically. Moreover, the group was credited with being the first to open up rap to a white American audience, contributing to the rapid spread of rap within the American population in general, starting from the late 1980s.

Rolling Stone ranked N.W.A at number 83 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". In 2016, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, following three previous nominations. In 2024, they received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

History

Formation and "Panic Zone" (1987–1988)

N.W.A was assembled by Compton-based Eazy-E, who co-founded Ruthless Records with Jerry Heller. Eazy-E sought an introduction to Steve Yano. Although Yano initially rebuffed him, he was impressed by Eazy-E's persistence, and arranged a meeting with Dr. Dre. Initially, N.W.A consisted of Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, fellow producer Arabian Prince and Ice Cube who started out as a rapper for the group C.I.A.