nwa Archives - Rolling Out

Dee Barnes made a name for herself during the late-1980s and early ’90s as a rapper and host of the hip-hop show, “Pump it Up.” But after a vicious encounter with Dr. Dre in 1991, Barnes’ career stalled and she struggled for decades to find employment. She eventually became homeless, staying with different friends who…

53-year-old rap mogul Suge Knight — who recently accepted a plea deal for the 2015 manslaughter of a man — believes Dr. Dre hired two men to kill him, leading to the events that led to the death of Terry Carter at Tam’s Burgers in Compton, California. The feud between Suge and Dre stems back…

Songwriting megastar Mariah Carey, who co-wrote 17 of her 18 No. 1 songs, is among the nominees revealed Monday for the 2018 Songwriters Hall of Fame. Also included as nominees is the iconic rap group N.W.A., who, of course, is best known for the album Straight Outta Compton and their heat-seeking single “F— tha Police.”…

Police in Raleigh, North Carolina, are upset over an impromptu sing along by employees at a popular barbecue restaurant, According to a Facebook post, officers were eating at Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Barbeque in Garner, North Carolina, when they got a side of disrespect along with their food. The staff began to sing the NWA classic…

NWA & Eazy E: The Kings of Compton, offers an exclusive inside look at the controversial and influential West Coast rap group, N.W.A. This rap group pioneered rap and West Coast hip-hop in the late 1980s, and this exclusive documentary features interviews with the individuals who experienced it all. Unlike Straight Outta Compton, directors Mike…

Ice Cube is back on the big screen. But this time he’s not in a sequel but in a brand new film called Fist Fight. It’s a twist on the classic bully tale in that it’s the teachers, not the students, who meet up in the parking lot for an after-school showdown. And, for Cube,…

Photo Credit: A.R. Shaw for Steed Media Ice Cube is headed straight outta Compton to Detroit this holiday weekend for Return of the Legends 13 at Chene Park. The hip-hop heavyweight is bringing along some of his Compton crew to help him rip up the stage. Special guests include fellow N.W.A. members, MC Ren and…

KISS frontman Gene Simmons upset a lot of the hip hop community with his comments about how hip hop artists should not be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and wanting the genre to die. He first had a Twitter war with Talib Kweli over the controversy, and now it’s Ice Cube. The…

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its official 2015 inductee list and, despite a push for more diversity in fan voting and nominations, this year’s list is dominated by older, White classic rock bands.

Straight Outta Compton continues to rake in the profits netting over $200 million this past weekend. Former NWA manager Jerry Heller is no doubt counting the coins as his lawsuit against the producers lists damages that could result in over $250 million. Heller’s biggest complaint is that he did not authorize the use of his name or likeness…

Jerry Heller, former manager of the group N.W.A, is suing over his portrayal in the hit movie Straight Outta Compton. Heller filed a $110 million defamation lawsuit on Friday, October 30, 2015 against the producers and other parties involved in the film. Heller is alleging misappropriation of likeness, tortuous interference, breach of a settlement agreement and…

What inspired you to write your first book? My inspiration comes from a love of black music history. The lack of information and the lies told about the roles blacks have played in the music game upsets me. That being said, I decided to write my story and set the record straight. Do you…

The success of Straight Outta Compton has shed light on the issues many Black and Brown people face in South Central Los Angeles. But while the city of Compton continues to deal with poverty and crime, there are beacons of hope within the city. Rolling out recently took a trip to Compton, California, to get…

Last week, Dr. Dre made headlines when he admitted that he’d made some terrible mistakes in his past when responding to accusations that he beat his ex-wife, Michel’le, as well as his high-profile 1991 attack on TV personality Dee Barnes. Despite Michel’le playing such a major role in Dre’s legacy, at least as far as tabloid…

Erin Bria Wright, E.B., was only 4 years old when her father Eazy-E died in 1995. His absence led to heartbreak, but she used his life story to find inspiration for her own path and career. With the release of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton, E.B. is excited to see a re-enactment of her…

Movie theaters across the country have prepared for the Friday release of Straight Outta Compton by having extra security on deck, and they are reportedly being offered a reimbursement by Universal Pictures. The film depicts the rise of 80s California rap group NWA, who made anti-authority songs like “F— the Police.” The downtown Los Angeles…

Straight Outta Compton is the biopic that chronicles the iconic hip-hip group NWA, which introduced the world to Eazy E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. As someone who lived through that time period and was a fan of NWA who listened to the music, watched the videos and news reports, I…

Warren G played a prominent role in crafting the West Coast sound of the ‘90s. His debut album, Regulate…G Funk Era, sold over three million copies and featured one of the greatest singles in rap history, “Regulate.” To celebrate the 20th anniversary of his debut, Warren G recently released Regulate…G Funk Era, Pt. II. The Long…

In advance of their highly anticipated theatrical release, the cast of ‘Straight Outta Compton’ visited rolling out TV for a serious round of straight talk.

Watching N.W.A. navigate through the music business in Straight Outta Compton, one wonders the outcome had they remained together as a musical act. Making consecutive hits looked easy. But there they were, five or more young black men from Compton, laying down layered tracks and defying record industry protocol. It makes one hopeful that N.W.A.…