Back in the day, N.W.A. shattered perceptions about the kinds of stories that hip hop could tell. Over the weekend, N.W.A. shattered expectations at the box office with their hotly anticipated biopic, Straight Outta Compton. The film—which is one of my favorites of the year so far—manages to rise above the constrictions of a musical biopic’s format in order to tell a sweeping story about one of the most daring musical groups in the last few decades. With pitch perfect performances and a soundtrack that will have you bumping, this is one to put on your to-watch list.
To celebrate this new chapter in their ongoing mythos, I sat down with original N.W.A. members Ice Cube and DJ Yella, director F. Gary Gray, as well as stars O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Ice Cube), Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre), and Jason Mitchell (Eazy-E). Over the course of our wide-ranging conversation, we covered everything from what the cast listened to in order to get them into the zone to who is the worst actor among the original N.W.A. lineup and beyond. One thing is for certain: if you enjoyed this movie, you need to hear what these guys have to say. Especially when they’re throwing shade
Straight Outta Compton is in theaters now. Read our full review.
What did you think of Straight Outta Compton? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
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Dan Casey is the senior editor of Nerdist and the author of 100 Things Avengers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die. You can follow him on Twitter (@Osteoferocious).
Editor’s note: Nerdist is a subsidiary of Legendary Digital Networks.
