90’s wiki: The Rise of Compton

1990 saw Compton rise to international fame primarily due to the success of N.W.A and the controversy that constantly surrounded them. Off the back of N.W.A’s notoriety a number of Compton rappers and groups were catapulted into the limelight, many of them associated with the Eazy-E’s Ruthless records, or produced by Dr Dre.

N.W.A – 100 Miles And Runnin’

N.W.A’s stopgap EP 100 Miles and Runnin was released in 1990 to maintain media interest in the group and defy rumours that the group was imploding following the departure of Ice Cube. Though only a 5 track EP it served its purpose by going gold and also providing a steady platform to diss departed Cube for not signing the long term Ruthless records contract. Dre tries to step up the aggression and intensity of his flow to account for the loss of Cube, but sounds weaker than ever on these tracks. The group would only release one more album after this (efil4zaggiN) before the other members realised that Cube had been right all along and Eazy-E had been ripping them off for years.

100 Miles and Runnin’

On the DL

Comptons Most Wanted – Its A Compton Thang

Though covering the same ground as N.W.A, CMW always came off as being more laid back in sound and lyrical delivery. With slower funkier beats that you’d associated with Dr Dre’s later productions plus MC Eiht and MC Chill’s sun drenched Cali rhyme styles made this a summer classic in 1990. The production of the unknown DJ and DJ Slip was ahead of the time and subsequently still sounds tight today. As debuts go this was the kind of album that would normally have catapulted the quartet towards bigger and better things but with MC Chill’s incarceration following the albums release this was the high point of their recording career though later releases would do better in terms of sales.

This is Compton

On the DL

Above the Law – Livin Like Hustlers

Above the Law were signed to Eazy E’s Ruthless records and featured Dr Dre’s studio understudy Cold 187 Um on the boards making them every bit N.W.A protege’s. Dre even hits them off with 2 beats on their debut album including the classic single Murder Rap. The whole album features funky loops, laid back synths and piano riffs giving the perfect backdrop for the four MC’s to recount tales of west coast gang life.

This is one of the best west coast albums ever made but yet again their impressive debut sadly was not the start of a legacy. When N.W.A split and Dre went to Death Row records Cold 187 stayed with Ruthless records taking on the lions share of the production duties, whilst Dre went on to become a global star. 187 claims he is not bitter but also claims to have originally created the G funk sound and even claims Snoop imitated his voice and took his place on his Deep Cover debut.

Untouchable

On the DL

CPO – To Hell And Black

Another trio affiliated with N.W.A, Capital Punishment Organisation were in tight with MC Ren who lends his vocals and production skills to a number of tracks on this album. This album was unfortunately their only release due to the untimely death of DJ Train in a house fire in the early nineties. Without ever reaching any climactic highs the production is solid and promising which mirrors the complex flow patterns and delivery of MC Lil Nation. It is a shame we never got to hear anymore from the group as this album sounds more polished than the majority of albums of the same year.

Ballad of a Menace

This Beat is Funky

On the DL

King Tee – At Your Own Risk

King Tee’s second album features a classic west coast icon the droptop lowrider on the front cover but is anything but conventional Compton fare. Taking his lead from east coast influencesTee is more prone to bragging and battling than the gangbanging and pimping his contemporaries were espousing in 1990. King Tee proved you can be serious and witty in equal measures without having to resort to a one dimensional gangsta persona, unfortunately this was not a sentiment shared by the rest of Compton’s rap community.

At Your Own Risk (Marley Marl remix)

On the DL

Trivia

Future presidents George Bush Snr & Jnr briefly lived in Compton in the post war years.

Eazy E day is celebrated every year in Compton to commemorate the death of the N.W.A founder.

90s Guy says

As a big fan of N.W.A 100 Miles and Runnin was a dissapointing appetizer that did nothing to quel my thirst for ’street knowledge’. On the other hand though, in a time when Hip Hop albums had a stack of filler tracks in them Above the Laws album was one that never had me holding the fast forward and high speed dubbing buttons down together to get to the good bits cos it was all good. The whole Compton style of LA and White Sox hats and generally dressing in all black was so easy to imitate it got rocked a lot over in England especially by yours truly.

90s Guys Favourtites

Comptons Most wanted

Its a Compton Thang