Straight Outta Compton brings back ’90s gangster rap

If you haven’t yet seen the biggest blockbuster rap hit right now, I highly suggest heading straight to the theaters. This summer’s Straight Outta Compton is the biggest thing in the music world right now along with the release of Dr. Dre’s new album Compton.

Although the rappers and producers that originally started NWA and later went on to various solo careers have been quite famous since the early ’90s, “gangster rap” is coming back in a whole new way. Not only did Straight Outta Compton portray the artistry, genius and tragic struggle behind these group of friends, it painted a vibrant picture of the lucrative diversity within the music industry.

Compton back in the late 1980s was a tough place where a couple of bright, talented individuals started their music career. Despite the struggles of coming into the music world as supposed “gangsters” these men were able to highlight one of the most important and influential genres. People from all walks of life love the beats Dr. Dre throws down and the crude but brilliant lines of Ice-Cube. The ’90s began a trend that has been revived and reborn with the release of this brilliant movie.

The brilliance of these musicians is even more seen in the release of Dre’s newest album Compton that has been received along the side of this movie. His songs paint a vivid picture of the tough times he’s faced featuring artists like Kendrick Lamar. His album drop was a huge industry move considering it was his first in 16 years.

Between the movie and the album, the industry is swarming with the revival of this lost but not forgotten genre. NWA’s first album, from which the movie took its title, has hit the Itunes charts as a top seller alongside Dre’s new release. Everywhere in the streets you can hear the melodious words of Ice Cube, Eazy-E and the other members of NWA.

The success of the movie as well as Dre’s album in conjunction with the revival of gangster rap goes to show the significant amount of influence media has on the music industry. The lucrative path of combining several mediums of entertainment to start a movement within the music world has presented an outlet for future revivals. Straight Outta Compton will go down in history as bringing the swagger of the streets to the 21st century.