Review: Straight Outta Compton

We saw Straight Outta Compton this weekend.

If you’ve never been in the car with me, you might be surprised to learn that I love rap music.  Well, rap music made before 2004 and Migos.  But as far as this movie, I wasn’t dying to see it.  I’m just having a hard time being excited about seeing movies of things I remember.  I was so just unmoved by the Notorious movie.  I STILL HAVE THE SOURCE MAGAZINE FROM WHEN 2PAC DIED.  That and just this summer of movies has been so lackluster for me.

So if somehow you don’t know anything about anything, Straight Outta Compton is the one record that N.W.A. put out.  It’s a hip hop classic and changed everything from rapping about your tennis shoes and Jeep.  Even if you weren’t a part of the hood, you loved the idea of all things hood and Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube brought it to you.  Ol mark ass busters.

Anyway so the story starts with Eazy-E deep in the drug game.  Dr. Dre has a baby mama and baby issue but won’t stop listening to records and dj’ing to get out of his mother’s house and pay for his family.  Ice Cube is just dealing with hood shit on his way to and from school every day.  Dre convinces E to give them some dope money to put together records and play some stuff for the hood.

Boom.

Jerry Heller (aka The Man) gets a whiff of what they’re doing and wants to take N.W.A. to the top.  Hooray!  The induction of gangsta rap into the mainstream.  While the band were doing their thing, L.A.P.D., the worst antagonist in the every day lives of all people in California (in real life and in movies) is steady attacking the group for looking like gangbangers.  Meanwhile the Rodney King trial was happening and DJ Yella was all

well they have to go to jail, it’s on film

Then of course, as all groups go, money separates friends and people aren’t getting their fair share and leave the group.  Ice Cube went solo.  Dr. Dre went to Death Row.  Easy E found Bone Thugs.  etc.

The movie was fine.  I know a lot of people on twitter were upset that it didn’t get into Dr. Dre beating women.  And the fact that no woman has a role whatsoever except for Tomica Wright, who was an executive producer of the film.

I suppose I didn’t get the feels for this movie because I know Ice Cube is alright.  I seen all his movies, even the silly ass ones made after 2000.  And I know how much Beats By Dre headphones cost.  I’m glad the story was told because younger kids need to understand WHY gangsta rap is a thing.  And while I know how important Dre is to music history I also alternately hate/love with the fact that he is also responsible for Eminem and 50 Cent career.

The thing that gave me the giggles was Suge Knight.  Granted, if Easy-E was able to kill Suge, I’m sure 2Pac would still be alive today.  Also I seriously doubt Dr. Dre punched anyone in Suge’s crew unless they were a women (OHYESIDID).  But all I ever think about is Suge at the Source Awards.

And I was audibly dissatisfied with the whole “bye Felicia” scene.  And I know Ice Cube needed money to tide him over while he was getting record deal money but did he WANT to be in movies?  Was Boyz in da Hood just coincidental?  They went right to Friday!

I loved the fact that they didn’t go with big names for the movie.  I really liked Jason Mitchell as Easy-E.  Corey Hawkins and Ice Cube, Jr. were good as Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, Sr. as well.  Straight Outta Compton was a cohesive story.  It went into the friendship and the money issues.  Banging ass soundtrack of course.  But just be mindful of who is telling the story (it’s Dr. Dre).

And be thankful Ice Cube left the group and was able to give us my favorite rap song of all time.