N.W.A
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
<!-- start content -->This article is about the hip-hop group. For other uses, see NWA.
<TABLE class="infobox vcard" style="FONT-SIZE: 0.9em; WIDTH: 23em; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.4em; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><TBODY><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 1.4em; BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.3em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>N.W.A</TH></TR><TR><TD class="" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>
DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, MC Ren & Eazy-E.
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Background information</TH></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Also known as</TH><TD class=nickname>The World's Most Dangerous Group
Tha Niggaz in Black</TD></TR><TR><TH>Origin</TH><TD>Compton, California, USA</TD></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Genre(s)</TH><TD>Hip hop
West Coast hip hop
Gangsta rap
Electro-hop (early)</TD></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Years active</TH><TD>1986 – 1991
<SMALL>(Partial reunion: 1999)</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TH style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1em; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Label(s)</TH><TD>Ruthless, Priority</TD></TR><TR><TH>Website</TH><TD>www.nwalegacy.com</TD></TR><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Former members</TH></TR><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Eazy-E
Dr. Dre
MC Ren
DJ Yella
Ice Cube
Arabian Prince
The D.O.C.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>N.W.A, also known as Niggaz With Attitude, was a Compton, California-based hip hop group widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-MSNBC08302006_0-0>[1]</SUP> Active from 1986 to 1991, the group endured controversy due to the explicit nature of their lyrics. They were subsequently banned from many mainstream U.S. radio stations and even at times prevented from touring - yet the group has still sold over 9 million units in the U.S. alone. Their second album, Straight Outta Compton, marked the beginning of the new gangsta rap era as the production and the social commentary in their lyrics were revolutionary within the genre.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-0>[2]</SUP> Rolling Stone ranked N.W.A. eighty-third on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-2>[3]</SUP> Although largely unknown at the group's inception, rappers Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E and MC Ren would all go on to be platinum-selling stars as solo artists.
<TABLE class=toc id=toc summary=Contents><TBODY><TR><TD>Contents
[hide]
[edit] History
[edit] Origin
Compton-based drug dealer Eazy-E began Ruthless Records with Jerry Heller.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-3>[4]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-1>[2]</SUP> Ruthless released N.W.A. and the Posse in 1987 with Macola Records. N.W.A was still in its developing stages, and only credited on four of the eleven tracks, notably the uncharacteristic electro hop record "Panic Zone", "8 Ball", and "Dopeman", which first brought together (on wax) Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E. Also included was Eazy-E's solo record "Boyz-n-the Hood".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-4>[5]</SUP> In 1988, rapper MC Ren joined the group.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-2>[2]</SUP>
[edit] "The World's Most Dangerous Group"
N.W.A released Straight Outta Compton in 1988. With its famous opening salvo of three songs, the group reflected the rising anger of the urban youth ("Straight Outta Compton"), violently protested police brutality and racial profiling ("Fuck tha Police"), and painted the worldview of the inner-city youth ("Gangsta Gangsta"). While the group was later credited with pioneering the burgeoning subgenre of gangsta rap, N.W.A. in fact referred to their music as "reality rap".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-5>[6]</SUP>
Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, as High Powered Productions, composed the beats for each song, with Dre making occasional rapping appearances.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-6>[7]</SUP> Ice Cube and, to a lesser extent, MC Ren, wrote the lyrics. "Fuck tha Police", perhaps the group's most notorious song, brought them into conflict with various law enforcement agencies. Under pressure from Focus on the Family,<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-7>[8]</SUP> Milt Ahlerich, an assistant director of the FBI, sent a letter to Ruthless and its parent company Priority Records advising the rappers that "advocating violence and assault is wrong and we in the law enforcement community take exception to such action". This letter can still be seen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-20th_Anniversary_8-0>[9]</SUP> Policemen refused to provide security for the group's concerts, hurting their plans to tour. Nonetheless, the FBI's letter only served to draw more publicity to the group. Straight Outta Compton was also one of the first albums to adhere to the new Parental Advisory label scheme, then in its early stages: the now-iconic label then only consisted of "WARNING: Moderate impact coarse language and/or themes". However, the taboo nature of N.W.A.'s music was the greatest part of its mass appeal. The media coverage compensated for N.W.A.'s virtual lack of airplay and their album eventually went double platinum.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-straightouttacomptonreview_9-0>[10]</SUP>
One month after Straight Outta Compton, Eazy-E's solo debut was released. Eazy-Duz-It was dominated by Eazy's persona - MC Ren, appearing on two songs, was the only guest rapper - but behind the scenes it was a group effort. Music was handled by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, and the lyrics were largely written by Ren, with contributions from Ice Cube and The D.O.C. The album was another platinum success for Ruthless (in addition to girl group J.J. Fad in 1988 and singer Michel'le in 1989), also going double.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-10>[11]</SUP> 1989 saw the re-issue of Straight Outta Compton on compact disc, and the release of The D.O.C.'s No One Can Do It Better. The album was essentially a collaboration between "The D.O.C. and The Doctor" and notably free of "Gangsta rap content", but culminated in the N.W.A. posse cut "The Grand Finalé". It would be another number one album for the group.
[edit] "Departure"
Ice Cube left in late-1989 over royalty disputes, having written 40% of the "Compton" album himself but not getting fair share.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-11>[12]</SUP> He wasted little time putting together his solo debut, 1990's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, but avoided mentioning his former labelmates. The only possible exception is an interlude dubbed "A Message to the Oreo Cookie", in which samples of racist dialogue from Spike Lee's 1989 film Do The Right Thing are played, concluded by Ice Cube's "Think about it... fuckin' sell-out". While the ensuing song is a tirade against "house ******"-type African Americans in general, in light of Ice Cube's grievances and later allegations, it could have been interpreted as a message to Eazy-E.
N.W.A's next release was some five months later, the EP 100 Miles and Runnin', but would not be equally diplomatic. They alluded to Ice Cube's departure in its eponymous single, stating the group "we started out with too much cargo/so I'm glad we got ridda Benedict Arnold". Also heard on the EP (which also found its way on Efil4zaggin) was "Real Niggaz", a full-blown diss on Cube where the remaining members accuse him of cowardice, and question his authenticity, longevity and originality: "How the fuck you think a rapper lasts/With your ass sayin shit, that was said in the past/Yo, be original, your shit is sloppy/Get off the dick, you motherfucking carbon-copy." The song "100 Miles and Runnin'" is also notable for being Dr. Dre's final uptempo record, which had been a common feature of late-80s hip hop.
N.W.A. is referenced on Cube's 1990 EP, Kill at Will, where he name-checks his former group (likely in a mocking manner) on the song "Jackin' For Beats". On "I Gotta Say What Up!!!", Cube gives shout-outs to his rap peers at the time, among them Public Enemy, the Geto Boys, Sir Jinx, et cetera. At the end of the track, in what appears to be an on-the-phone interview, Ice Cube is asked, "Since you went solo, whatever happened to your crew?" and the interviewer is abruptly hung up on.
The group's second full-length release, 1991's Efil4zaggin ("Niggaz4Life" spelled backwards), re-established the group in the face of Ice Cube's continued solo success. The album is considered by many Dr. Dre's finest production work, and heralded the beginning of the "G-Funk era". It also showed a clear animosity towards their former member, and derogatory references to Ice Cube are found in several songs. The interlude "A Message to B.A." echoes his "A Message to the Oreo Cookie": in it, Ice Cube is first addressed by the name "Benedict Arnold" (after the infamous traitor of the American Revolution) but then named outright in a torrent of abuse from both the group and its fans: "When we see yo' ass, we gon' cut yo' head off an' fuck you with a broomstick", promised MC Ren.
The N.W.A.-Ice Cube feud escalated. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted had avoided direct attacks on N.W.A., but on Death Certificate, Ice Cube’s second full-length released later that year, he fired back. He sampled and mocked the "Message to B.A." skit before embarking on a full-blown tirade, the infamous "No Vaseline". In a series of verses, Ice Cube addressed the group (and responded to "100 Miles and Runnin'", explaining "I started off with too much cargo, dropped four niggas now I'm makin' all the dough"), and then MC Ren, Dr. Dre and especially Eazy-E individually, using homosexual metaphors to describe their unequal business relationship with Jerry Heller, who becomes the target of very harsh criticism: "Get rid of that devil real simple, put a bullet in his temple." The song attracted controversy for its perceived anti-Semitism (the beginning of such allegations involving Ice Cube) for referencing Heller's religion;<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-12>[13]</SUP> the track was omitted from the U.K. release, and later pressings have had the words edited. The alleged slurs used in lines such as "you let a Jew break up my crew" however, could be explained away as the results of writing in rhyme. "No Vaseline" is considered one of the greatest diss records of all time right next to the known diss tracks, Ether by Nas and Hit 'Em Up by 2Pac and his rap group Tha Outlawz. The increasingly violent content was reflected in real life as well—on January 27, 1991, Dr. Dre assaulted Dee Barnes, host of the hip hop show Pump It Up, after its coverage<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-13>[14]</SUP> of the N.W.A./Ice Cube beef.
According to Rolling Stone reporter Alan Light:<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-light_14-0>[15]</SUP>
<TABLE class=cquote style="MARGIN: auto; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 35px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; COLOR: #b2b7f2; PADDING-TOP: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left" vAlign=top width=20>“</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" vAlign=top>He picked her up and "began slamming her face and the right side of her body repeatedly against a wall near the stairway" as his bodyguard held off the crowd. After Dre tried to throw her down the stairs and failed, he began kicking her in the ribs and hands. She escaped and ran into the women's rest room. Dre followed her and "grabbed her from behind by the hair and proceeded to punch her in the back of the head."</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 36px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; COLOR: #b2b7f2; PADDING-TOP: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right" vAlign=bottom width=20>”</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Despite a lawsuit, the group was unrepentant. MC Ren later stated, "bitch deserved it"—Eazy-E, "yeah, bitch had it coming." As Dre described it: "People talk all this shit, but you know, somebody fuck with me, I'm gonna fuck with them. I just did it, you know. Ain't nothing you can do now by talking about it. Besides, it ain't no big thing—I just threw her through a door."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-light_14-1>[15]</SUP>
In this time as well the demographic which were interested in the group also began to change. Although they still rapped about similar themes of the "gangsta life" in Compton and South Central Los Angeles, without Ice Cube they were not as serious and hardly political at all, as they were on Straight Outta Compton. They turned to more of a self-parody and perhaps as a result their core audience became more whites living in the suburbs.
As Allmusic Guide says, "Initially, the group's relentless attack appeared to be serious, vital commentary, and it even provoked the FBI to caution N.W.A's record company, but following Ice Cube's departure in late 1989, the group began to turn to self-parody. With his high-pitched whine, Eazy-E's urban nightmares now seemed like comic book fantasies, but ones that fulfilled the fantasies of the teenage white suburbanites who had become their core audience, and the group became more popular than ever."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-3>[2]</SUP>.
[edit] The End of N.W.A
1991's Efil4zaggin would be the group's final album. After Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and Michel'le's departure from Ruthless for Death Row Records, in which Eazy-E was allegedly coerced into signing away their contracts (while however retaining a portion of their publishing rights), a bitter rivalry ensued.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-4>[2]</SUP> Dr. Dre began the exchange with Death Row's first release, 1992's "Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", and its accompanying video featured a character named Sleazy-E who ran around desperately trying to get money. The insults continued on The Chronic with "Bitches Ain't Shit". Eazy-E responded in 1993 with the EP It's On (<S>Dr. Dre</S>) 187um Killa and the tracks "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" and "It's On". Eazy-E accused Dr. Dre of homosexual tendencies, calling him a "she thang", and the music video for "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" shows promo pictures of him wearing make-up and a sequined jumpsuit. It should be noted however that these photos were from Dr. Dre's World Class Wreckin' Cru days, and the fashion was in the style of the West Coast Electro hop that been popular before N.W.A.'s pioneering of Gangsta rap.
After Eazy-E's AIDS-related death on March 26, 1995, all bad blood between the group ceased. Dr. Dre and Ice Cube would later express their re-evaluated feelings to their old friend on 1999's "What's The Difference", 2000's "Hello", and 2006's "Growin' Up".
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
<!-- start content -->This article is about the hip-hop group. For other uses, see NWA.
<TABLE class="infobox vcard" style="FONT-SIZE: 0.9em; WIDTH: 23em; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.4em; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><TBODY><TR><TH style="FONT-SIZE: 1.4em; BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.3em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>N.W.A</TH></TR><TR><TD class="" style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>
DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, MC Ren & Eazy-E.
</TD></TR><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Background information</TH></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Also known as</TH><TD class=nickname>The World's Most Dangerous Group
Tha Niggaz in Black</TD></TR><TR><TH>Origin</TH><TD>Compton, California, USA</TD></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Genre(s)</TH><TD>Hip hop
West Coast hip hop
Gangsta rap
Electro-hop (early)</TD></TR><TR><TH style="WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Years active</TH><TD>1986 – 1991
<SMALL>(Partial reunion: 1999)</SMALL></TD></TR><TR><TH style="PADDING-RIGHT: 1em; WHITE-SPACE: nowrap">Label(s)</TH><TD>Ruthless, Priority</TD></TR><TR><TH>Website</TH><TD>www.nwalegacy.com</TD></TR><TR><TH style="BACKGROUND: #b0c4de; LINE-HEIGHT: 1.5em; TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Former members</TH></TR><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" colSpan=2>Eazy-E
Dr. Dre
MC Ren
DJ Yella
Ice Cube
Arabian Prince
The D.O.C.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>N.W.A, also known as Niggaz With Attitude, was a Compton, California-based hip hop group widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-MSNBC08302006_0-0>[1]</SUP> Active from 1986 to 1991, the group endured controversy due to the explicit nature of their lyrics. They were subsequently banned from many mainstream U.S. radio stations and even at times prevented from touring - yet the group has still sold over 9 million units in the U.S. alone. Their second album, Straight Outta Compton, marked the beginning of the new gangsta rap era as the production and the social commentary in their lyrics were revolutionary within the genre.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-0>[2]</SUP> Rolling Stone ranked N.W.A. eighty-third on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-2>[3]</SUP> Although largely unknown at the group's inception, rappers Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E and MC Ren would all go on to be platinum-selling stars as solo artists.
<TABLE class=toc id=toc summary=Contents><TBODY><TR><TD>Contents
[hide]
- <LI class=toclevel-1>1 History
- <LI class=toclevel-2>1.1 Origin <LI class=toclevel-2>1.2 "The World's Most Dangerous Group" <LI class=toclevel-2>1.3 "Departure" <LI class=toclevel-2>1.4 The End of N.W.A
- 1.5 Reunions and legacy
- <LI class=toclevel-2>2.1 Eazy-E <LI class=toclevel-2>2.2 Dr. Dre <LI class=toclevel-2>2.3 Ice Cube <LI class=toclevel-2>2.4 MC Ren <LI class=toclevel-2>2.5 DJ Yella <LI class=toclevel-2>2.6 The D.O.C.
- 2.7 Arabian Prince
- <LI class=toclevel-2>3.1 Albums <LI class=toclevel-2>3.2 Compilations
- 3.3 Home Videos
- 5 External links
[edit] History
[edit] Origin
Compton-based drug dealer Eazy-E began Ruthless Records with Jerry Heller.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-3>[4]</SUP><SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-1>[2]</SUP> Ruthless released N.W.A. and the Posse in 1987 with Macola Records. N.W.A was still in its developing stages, and only credited on four of the eleven tracks, notably the uncharacteristic electro hop record "Panic Zone", "8 Ball", and "Dopeman", which first brought together (on wax) Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E. Also included was Eazy-E's solo record "Boyz-n-the Hood".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-4>[5]</SUP> In 1988, rapper MC Ren joined the group.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-2>[2]</SUP>
[edit] "The World's Most Dangerous Group"
N.W.A released Straight Outta Compton in 1988. With its famous opening salvo of three songs, the group reflected the rising anger of the urban youth ("Straight Outta Compton"), violently protested police brutality and racial profiling ("Fuck tha Police"), and painted the worldview of the inner-city youth ("Gangsta Gangsta"). While the group was later credited with pioneering the burgeoning subgenre of gangsta rap, N.W.A. in fact referred to their music as "reality rap".<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-5>[6]</SUP>
Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, as High Powered Productions, composed the beats for each song, with Dre making occasional rapping appearances.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-6>[7]</SUP> Ice Cube and, to a lesser extent, MC Ren, wrote the lyrics. "Fuck tha Police", perhaps the group's most notorious song, brought them into conflict with various law enforcement agencies. Under pressure from Focus on the Family,<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-7>[8]</SUP> Milt Ahlerich, an assistant director of the FBI, sent a letter to Ruthless and its parent company Priority Records advising the rappers that "advocating violence and assault is wrong and we in the law enforcement community take exception to such action". This letter can still be seen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-20th_Anniversary_8-0>[9]</SUP> Policemen refused to provide security for the group's concerts, hurting their plans to tour. Nonetheless, the FBI's letter only served to draw more publicity to the group. Straight Outta Compton was also one of the first albums to adhere to the new Parental Advisory label scheme, then in its early stages: the now-iconic label then only consisted of "WARNING: Moderate impact coarse language and/or themes". However, the taboo nature of N.W.A.'s music was the greatest part of its mass appeal. The media coverage compensated for N.W.A.'s virtual lack of airplay and their album eventually went double platinum.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-straightouttacomptonreview_9-0>[10]</SUP>
One month after Straight Outta Compton, Eazy-E's solo debut was released. Eazy-Duz-It was dominated by Eazy's persona - MC Ren, appearing on two songs, was the only guest rapper - but behind the scenes it was a group effort. Music was handled by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, and the lyrics were largely written by Ren, with contributions from Ice Cube and The D.O.C. The album was another platinum success for Ruthless (in addition to girl group J.J. Fad in 1988 and singer Michel'le in 1989), also going double.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-10>[11]</SUP> 1989 saw the re-issue of Straight Outta Compton on compact disc, and the release of The D.O.C.'s No One Can Do It Better. The album was essentially a collaboration between "The D.O.C. and The Doctor" and notably free of "Gangsta rap content", but culminated in the N.W.A. posse cut "The Grand Finalé". It would be another number one album for the group.
[edit] "Departure"
Ice Cube left in late-1989 over royalty disputes, having written 40% of the "Compton" album himself but not getting fair share.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-11>[12]</SUP> He wasted little time putting together his solo debut, 1990's AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, but avoided mentioning his former labelmates. The only possible exception is an interlude dubbed "A Message to the Oreo Cookie", in which samples of racist dialogue from Spike Lee's 1989 film Do The Right Thing are played, concluded by Ice Cube's "Think about it... fuckin' sell-out". While the ensuing song is a tirade against "house ******"-type African Americans in general, in light of Ice Cube's grievances and later allegations, it could have been interpreted as a message to Eazy-E.
N.W.A's next release was some five months later, the EP 100 Miles and Runnin', but would not be equally diplomatic. They alluded to Ice Cube's departure in its eponymous single, stating the group "we started out with too much cargo/so I'm glad we got ridda Benedict Arnold". Also heard on the EP (which also found its way on Efil4zaggin) was "Real Niggaz", a full-blown diss on Cube where the remaining members accuse him of cowardice, and question his authenticity, longevity and originality: "How the fuck you think a rapper lasts/With your ass sayin shit, that was said in the past/Yo, be original, your shit is sloppy/Get off the dick, you motherfucking carbon-copy." The song "100 Miles and Runnin'" is also notable for being Dr. Dre's final uptempo record, which had been a common feature of late-80s hip hop.
N.W.A. is referenced on Cube's 1990 EP, Kill at Will, where he name-checks his former group (likely in a mocking manner) on the song "Jackin' For Beats". On "I Gotta Say What Up!!!", Cube gives shout-outs to his rap peers at the time, among them Public Enemy, the Geto Boys, Sir Jinx, et cetera. At the end of the track, in what appears to be an on-the-phone interview, Ice Cube is asked, "Since you went solo, whatever happened to your crew?" and the interviewer is abruptly hung up on.
The group's second full-length release, 1991's Efil4zaggin ("Niggaz4Life" spelled backwards), re-established the group in the face of Ice Cube's continued solo success. The album is considered by many Dr. Dre's finest production work, and heralded the beginning of the "G-Funk era". It also showed a clear animosity towards their former member, and derogatory references to Ice Cube are found in several songs. The interlude "A Message to B.A." echoes his "A Message to the Oreo Cookie": in it, Ice Cube is first addressed by the name "Benedict Arnold" (after the infamous traitor of the American Revolution) but then named outright in a torrent of abuse from both the group and its fans: "When we see yo' ass, we gon' cut yo' head off an' fuck you with a broomstick", promised MC Ren.
The N.W.A.-Ice Cube feud escalated. AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted had avoided direct attacks on N.W.A., but on Death Certificate, Ice Cube’s second full-length released later that year, he fired back. He sampled and mocked the "Message to B.A." skit before embarking on a full-blown tirade, the infamous "No Vaseline". In a series of verses, Ice Cube addressed the group (and responded to "100 Miles and Runnin'", explaining "I started off with too much cargo, dropped four niggas now I'm makin' all the dough"), and then MC Ren, Dr. Dre and especially Eazy-E individually, using homosexual metaphors to describe their unequal business relationship with Jerry Heller, who becomes the target of very harsh criticism: "Get rid of that devil real simple, put a bullet in his temple." The song attracted controversy for its perceived anti-Semitism (the beginning of such allegations involving Ice Cube) for referencing Heller's religion;<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-12>[13]</SUP> the track was omitted from the U.K. release, and later pressings have had the words edited. The alleged slurs used in lines such as "you let a Jew break up my crew" however, could be explained away as the results of writing in rhyme. "No Vaseline" is considered one of the greatest diss records of all time right next to the known diss tracks, Ether by Nas and Hit 'Em Up by 2Pac and his rap group Tha Outlawz. The increasingly violent content was reflected in real life as well—on January 27, 1991, Dr. Dre assaulted Dee Barnes, host of the hip hop show Pump It Up, after its coverage<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-13>[14]</SUP> of the N.W.A./Ice Cube beef.
According to Rolling Stone reporter Alan Light:<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-light_14-0>[15]</SUP>
<TABLE class=cquote style="MARGIN: auto; BORDER-TOP-STYLE: none; BORDER-RIGHT-STYLE: none; BORDER-LEFT-STYLE: none; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent; BORDER-BOTTOM-STYLE: none"><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 35px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; COLOR: #b2b7f2; PADDING-TOP: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',serif; TEXT-ALIGN: left" vAlign=top width=20>“</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 4px; PADDING-TOP: 4px" vAlign=top>He picked her up and "began slamming her face and the right side of her body repeatedly against a wall near the stairway" as his bodyguard held off the crowd. After Dre tried to throw her down the stairs and failed, he began kicking her in the ribs and hands. She escaped and ran into the women's rest room. Dre followed her and "grabbed her from behind by the hair and proceeded to punch her in the back of the head."</TD><TD style="PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 36px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; COLOR: #b2b7f2; PADDING-TOP: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman',serif; TEXT-ALIGN: right" vAlign=bottom width=20>”</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Despite a lawsuit, the group was unrepentant. MC Ren later stated, "bitch deserved it"—Eazy-E, "yeah, bitch had it coming." As Dre described it: "People talk all this shit, but you know, somebody fuck with me, I'm gonna fuck with them. I just did it, you know. Ain't nothing you can do now by talking about it. Besides, it ain't no big thing—I just threw her through a door."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-light_14-1>[15]</SUP>
In this time as well the demographic which were interested in the group also began to change. Although they still rapped about similar themes of the "gangsta life" in Compton and South Central Los Angeles, without Ice Cube they were not as serious and hardly political at all, as they were on Straight Outta Compton. They turned to more of a self-parody and perhaps as a result their core audience became more whites living in the suburbs.
As Allmusic Guide says, "Initially, the group's relentless attack appeared to be serious, vital commentary, and it even provoked the FBI to caution N.W.A's record company, but following Ice Cube's departure in late 1989, the group began to turn to self-parody. With his high-pitched whine, Eazy-E's urban nightmares now seemed like comic book fantasies, but ones that fulfilled the fantasies of the teenage white suburbanites who had become their core audience, and the group became more popular than ever."<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-3>[2]</SUP>.
[edit] The End of N.W.A
1991's Efil4zaggin would be the group's final album. After Dr. Dre, The D.O.C. and Michel'le's departure from Ruthless for Death Row Records, in which Eazy-E was allegedly coerced into signing away their contracts (while however retaining a portion of their publishing rights), a bitter rivalry ensued.<SUP class=reference id=cite_ref-allmusic_1-4>[2]</SUP> Dr. Dre began the exchange with Death Row's first release, 1992's "Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", and its accompanying video featured a character named Sleazy-E who ran around desperately trying to get money. The insults continued on The Chronic with "Bitches Ain't Shit". Eazy-E responded in 1993 with the EP It's On (<S>Dr. Dre</S>) 187um Killa and the tracks "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" and "It's On". Eazy-E accused Dr. Dre of homosexual tendencies, calling him a "she thang", and the music video for "Real Muthaphuckkin G's" shows promo pictures of him wearing make-up and a sequined jumpsuit. It should be noted however that these photos were from Dr. Dre's World Class Wreckin' Cru days, and the fashion was in the style of the West Coast Electro hop that been popular before N.W.A.'s pioneering of Gangsta rap.
After Eazy-E's AIDS-related death on March 26, 1995, all bad blood between the group ceased. Dr. Dre and Ice Cube would later express their re-evaluated feelings to their old friend on 1999's "What's The Difference", 2000's "Hello", and 2006's "Growin' Up".
