This page is about the rap group; NWA can also mean Northwest Airlines or National Wrestling Alliance.

Niggaz With Attitude (N.W.A) were a hip hop group that popularized gangsta rap with the groundbreaking Straight Outta Compton (1989) album, a vicious hardcore record that became an underground hit notorious for its hardcore lyrics, especially those of "Fuck Tha Police," which resulted in Milt Ahlerich, an assistant director of the FBI sending a letter to Ruthless Records and its parent company Priority, advising the rappers that the law enforcement took "exception to such action (fucking the police)." The FBI's letter only served to draw more publicity to the group.

Ice Cube was the main MC for the group, as well as its most outspoken member, until he left the group in 1989.

On both the 1990 EP 100 Miles and Runnin' and the 1991 album Efil4zaggin ("Niggaz 4 Life" spelled backwards), Dr. Dre created dense, funky sonic landscapes (which presaged his innovative G funk sound). Combined with Eazy E's humorous lyrics and MC Ren's socially-charged raps, NWA kept at the top of the hip hop charts.

Members of the band included:

• Dr. Dre (Andre Young) D.J. - producer - rapper
• Eazy E (Eric Wright) rapper
• Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson) rapper
• MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson) rapper
• Yella (Antoine Carraby) D.J.
• Arabian Prince (Mik Lezan) D.J. - rapper

Since the group split, Dr. Dre has enjoyed a success as both a rapper and record producer for the likes of Snoop Doggy Dogg and Eminem. Ice Cube has been successful as both a rapper and film actor. Eazy E died in 1995 from an AIDS related illness.

Discography

• N.W.A. and the Posse, 1987
• Straight Outta Compton, 1989
• 100 Miles and Runnin', 1990
• Niggaz4life, 1991
• Greatest Hits, 1996
• The NWA Legacy, Vol. 1: 1988 - 1998, 1999

External links

• NWAWorld