"Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A

One of hip-hop’s true game-changers turns 35: a brutally honest call to arms from America’s ignored hoods.

“You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge.”

So begins Straight Outta Compton, the fiery debut from N.W.A., one of rap’s earliest supergroups. True to his word, main scribe Ice Cube, empowered by Dr. Dre’s bombing, sample-rich production, pulls no punches in describing what life was like on South Central’s streets. Later in the same song, he famously lets his enemies know he will fry them alive “in a pot like gumbo.” The rest of the record follows suit from there, with Eazy-E and MC Ren contributing their own cold-blooded bars to tracks like the remix of “8 Ball” and “If It Ain’t Ruff,” respectively.

Because gangsta rap’s tropes are so widely recognized now, it’s easy to forget how many feathers this album ruffled upon its release. The title track’s music video was banned from MTV, the F.B.I. launched an official inquiry into the group, claiming “F*** the Police” incited violence, and ushered in the Parental Advisory Label era of mainstream hip-hop. Despite all of this, Straight Outta Compton was certified platinum less than a year later, allegedly due to many suburban white kids who enjoyed it primarily for its catchy hooks and booming bass.

35 years later, with everything we know about police brutality and its influence on rap’s gangsta image, this one still feels like a sonic powder keg.

Got thoughts on this album? Did you love it? Sound off in the comments.