![]() Was it Bobby Brown? Tone Loc? Nope - it was 2 Live Crew - As Nasty As They Wanna Be. In her car (Ford Escort) she played mostly George Michael and Madonna and Paula Abdul tapes while we drove around but one day in 1989 she switches out the cassette for something else and tells me "these guys are going to be big". ![]() She was a straight A student and rode horses and was vice President of a couple of clubs. I have this story I tell people about the shift to rap music around 1990 - I had a high school friend who was a white hispanic girl from our middle class suburbs. The Library of Congress even recognizes Straight Outta Compton as being worthy of preservation! But their artistry has gained wider appreciation as time has gone on. So yeah, they were popular in the late 80s, early 90s but you had to be in the right circles. I'm now a 50 year old women who worked 20 years at an Episcopal seminary. But aside from my brother I've never met anyone else who appreciates or even knows much about NWA. What can I say? It shot me right in the heart.Įven today I have Straight Outta Compton on my ipod. When the movie Boyz n the Hood came out (starring Ice Cube, who had left NWA by then), my bro and I had to see it. He was afraid a female floor mate would pop in and conclude he was a sick twisted misogynist. My brother listened to them at low volume in his dorm room. I only listened to them when I was alone in my car. Needless to say we were not in NWA friendly environments. Is it okay if I touch your thigh? Do you mind if I kiss your neck? May I run my hand over your left breast? The kind that tried to teach us that in any sexual encounter you should ask permission to make your next move. My brother and I both went off to fancy progressive colleges. I copied my brother's Straight Outta Compton and Eazy E's solo album (loved the song 8 Ball enough to try the featured drink - ugh, nauseating IMO). Anyway, they were in the news and gained notoriety. I think their most controversial song was Fuck tha Police because it "promoted violence against law enforcement." But really, it expressed the justified rage over being repeatedly hassled by police for just being young, male and black in a poor neighborhood. There was just something about the beat, the anger, the rebelliousness and provocativeness, and of course the humor. I warmed up to them quickly even though my tastes ran to REM, Kate Bush and Depeche Mode. When my brother first had me listen to NWA I was shocked but amused. His memorable quote about music: "Melody is stupid." Or maybe they made a "clean" showing on MTV's "Yo, MTV Raps", a favorite of my bro's. NWA did have radio edits (which are no fun at all). ![]() Where he first found them, I have no clue. ![]() My brother, brilliant geeky white boy, took to NWA as soon as he heard them in the late 80's. ![]()
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