The rap group Niggaz With Attitude (N.W.A. for short) hit the big time back in 1988, with their seminal album ‘Straight Outta Compton’, which has sold three million copies so far, and was certified double platinum in 1992, and basically introduced the world to gangsta rap (shaping the direction of hip-hop music from that point forward), with songs like ‘Straight Outta Compton’ and ‘Fuck Tha Police’ resonating very hard with a huge number of people.
Now, 22 years after the groups debut album was released, there are plans to turn the story of the N.W.A. into a biopic movie, which will be written by none other than Andrea Berloff; the, extremely white, woman who wrote the script real-life tale ‘World Trade Center’ (which starred National Treasure’s Nicholas Cage, was directed by Platoon director Oliver Stone, and focussed on the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in Manhattan); who will have plenty to write about, as the groups rise to stardom wasn’t exactly the smoothest of rides; with being banned from a large number of U.S. radio stations (as a result of their explicit lyrics) the least of their problems.
Most people tend to think of the N.W.A. as comprising of Eazy-E (the former drug-dealer turned record label founder), Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella, but there was another member (Arabian Prince) who left the group shortly before ‘Straight Outta Compton’ was released, and after the group began to rise in popularity, notoriety, and sales, a number of egos and personalities began to clash, leading to certain splits and solo projects.
Ice Cube left the others in 1990 (as a result of a royalty dispute) and began warring with the others through his solo songs, and even after his parting there was a fair amount of turmoil, with some serious infighting between Eazy-E and Dr. Dre taking centre stage. Although each of the ‘Straight Outta Compton’ members went on to have platinum-selling careers as solo artists as well as working in other capacities as well; Ice Cube has formed a successful career as an actor and producer (he was recently announced as receiving a part in the upcoming movie Rampart), and Dr. Dre is now a top music producer (his producing work includes recording tracks for an up-and-coming Eminem); and the group eventually reconciled their differences after the death of Eazy-E.
So there are no shortage of storylines for Berloff to pull from, but as not only Eazy’s widow, Tomica Woods (who inherited his share of song rights after his death), will be producing, but Ice Cube as well, there is always the potential for previous grievances to resurface, but to get a skewed version of the past (most likely Cube’s, as the movies is being overseen by Michelle Weiss and Dave Neustadter for New Line, but produced via Cube’s own production company; Cube Vision).
