Song #17: N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton"

Song #17: N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton" (1987)

Straight Outta Compton

"As I leave, believe I'm stompin', but when I come back, boy, I'm comin' straight outta Compton!"

If there were ever a song on "The One-Hundred Songs of Steve Pulaski" that needed virtually no explanation and could easily exist with just the above information, it's probably N.W.A.'s bestselling single "Straight Outta Compton." To put it simply, and to exercise brevity, this is one of the strongest, most cut-throat rap songs ever made, showcasing the talents of multiple young men in one graphic and detailed song about growing up in a violent part in Los Angeles.

It was "Straight Outta Compton" that set the bar for West Coast Rap in the middle of brutal "coast wars" when it came to rap music. It was "Straight Outta Compton" that showed the true power, not just one, but up to five or six rappers could have on a single track. And it was "Straight Outta Compton" that brought mainstream audiences aware of the violence, criminal activity, coldness, and pulsating fear that lurked in the poverty-stricken neighbors all across America.

"Straight Outta Compton" has been a go-to anthem of mine for its energy as well as its display of culture, and I guarantee you I'll keep coming back for more, as this, while one of the granddaddies of the genre, is also one of my personal favorite rap songs of all time.

Give "Straight Outta Compton" a listen, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZqZschnrxM