“Our art is a reflection of our reality.”
Ice Cube’s statement in the movie is a powerful description of the movement created by influential, ground breaking, controversial and legendary group NWA.
With the long discussed movie being thrown around for years, the project is finally a reality with the release of the long-form trailer. Featuring a short introduction by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, rolling around Compton, interacting with fans and showing love for the neighborhood that gave birth to the talented duo, the movie promises to bring to life the story of the group of men that challenged the system, the police and the industry while putting the west coast, and “gangsta rap” on the map.
The power of NWA is undeniable, as evidenced by suburban white kids in the 80’s singing “F* tha’ police” loud and proud, but their music was more than bars and beats; it was more than a way for a collective group to earn millions of dollars and jump start highly successful careers in the field of entertainment. Their music was a lyrical weapon infused with “non-violent protest” (as stated by Ice Cube) used to express the feelings of people and communities which many in power ignored, and that weapon helped shine a beacon of light on problems which could no longer be denied or glanced over.
Ironically, the movie is being released at a time where, 30+ years later, we still face some of the same issues we witnessed and experienced in the 1980’s. But despite the length of time, it’s apparent that Cube and Dre, no matter how successful they have become, still understand just how powerful their art can be in society.
As stated in the trailer “When you have a unique voice, the world needs to hear it.”
We heard it loud and clear.
