N.W.A. Family Tree

NWA is a dynasty, pure and simple. There's no other way to state it. In 1988 they kicked the music industry's teeth in with the seminal album "Straight Outta Compton", establishing West Coast gangsta rap as a viable commercial force in the process. Since that time Ice Cube and MC Ren's caustic, confrontational lyrics, Dr. Dre's whistling, funk-laden beats, and Eazy-E's gremlin-with-a-gun snarl and misogynistic swagger have become the template for the genre. Not only did NWA establish countless hordes of imitators, but as the group imploded in a cataclysm of bad blood and animosity, each of its major constituent members (Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren, and Eazy-E) went on to establish royal households of their own and mentor the next generation of gangsta rappers (including such name brand acts as Snoop Doggy Dogg, Warren G, Mack 10, and Yo-Yo). Not only that, but many NWA affiliate acts (Above the Law, the D.O.C., Tha Eastsidaz, etc.) also achieved notoriety in the rap game.The concept behind this compilation is to pay homage to that legacy; to showcase the fact that like the West Coast gangsta culture the supergroup was steeped in, the influence of NWA didn't die, it multiplied, and that even as the group itself dissolved in a series of bitter blood feuds, its former members (and the protégés that each of them took under their wing) cranked out hit after hit and spread the gospel of gangsta even further afield.The concept itself is a hot one; the execution of that concept is a little less than perfect. Let's break it down:The album opens with four undeniably seminal and groundbreaking NWA tracks including the anthemic "Straight Outta Compton", the defiant "F*** tha Police", the sardonic yet poignant "Dope Man", and the ebullient "Express Yourself". Also included in this group of songs are two tracks credited to Eazy as a solo artist which were actually collaborative efforts featuring lyrics by Cube and beats by Dre: the gleefully narcissistic "We Want Eazy" and the epoch-making "Boyz-N-The-Hood".After these six classic cuts from NWA's golden era, the album ventures into the post-NWA period when each of the group's former members struck out as solo artists, attacked one another viciously on wax, and began raising armies of apprentices (some of which went onto become superstars in their own right, like Snoop and Mac 10) to aid them in their battles. Understandably, in keeping with the concept of this album, the diss tracks recorded during this period (such as "No Vaseline", "F*** Wit Dre Day", or "Real Muthaph****in' G's".), classics thought they may be, are eschewed in favor of less divisive fare.At this point, the contributions to this album can be divided into three categories: NWA solo acts, NWA protégés, and NWA affiliates:THE SOLO ACTS: As far as NWA solo acts are concerned, the contributions are mysteriously limited to two cuts. Ice Cube checks in with his lighthearted crossover smash "It Was a Good Day" while MC Ren comes across with its opposite number, the black and menacing "Final Frontier". And that's it. Nothing from Dre, nothing from Eazy, nothing further from Cube and Ren. As stated above, it's understandable that the compilers of this collection wouldn't want to put all of the diss tracks these artists lobbed at one another on this disc, but what about "Wicked"? What About "Let Me Ride"? What about "Check Yo Self", "Neighborhood Sniper", or "Right Up My Alley"?THE PROTEGES: Cube and Dre had the most success in cultivating acolytes, and as such Eazy and Ren's disciples (such as Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Kokane) are nowhere to be found on this compilation.Among Cube's protégés to feature on this disc (spitting on tracks which also showcase the skills of their mentor) are Mack 10, WC, and Yo-Yo.Mack 10 offers up the very conventional "Foe Life" as a solo artist before appearing with Cube and WC (of Maad Circle fame) as part of the supergroup Westside Connection on the deceptively melodious "Gangstas Make the World Go Round". A more substantial offering from the group is the banner-waving bravado of "Bow Down", a relic from the East Coast/West Coast war of the mid-to-late 90s.Yo-Yo represents hard for the ladies with the feminist anthem "You Can't Play With My Yo-Yo", but unfortunately (and inexplicably) the version presented here is the "clean" one; so incongruously, Yo-Yo is censored for saying silly things like "ho" and "ding-a-ling" while every other track on the album revels in the foulest possible language without incurring so much as a single backmasked slur. One can't help but wonder if it's because she's the sole female act featured on the disc. What a shame.Dr. Dre is perhaps the only former member of NWA to rival Ice Cube in terms of both mainstream success and the fostering of disciples after the demise of the group, and a few of his pupils show up in this collection, including his obvious heir apparent and mega-star mentee Snoop, who pops up on three cuts. The unquestionably brilliant DPG lyricist features with the equally talented Xzibit on the Dre produced "B***h Please", the mediocre Bad Azz on the banal "We Be Puttin' It Down", and with Nate Dogg, Tha Eastsidaz, Butch Cassidy, and a wack-as-ever Master P on the basic and derivative "Lay Low". As transcendent as Snoop is, the listener is left wondering why the archivists compiling this material chose to showcase him with filler cuts from his third rate albums instead of undeniable classics like "What's My Name?", "Gin and Juice", or "Beautiful".Also appearing from the Snoop/Dre camp are Nate Dogg and his partner-in-rhyme Warren G on their mega-smash "Regulate". No one could be mad at this cut on any compilation.THE AFFILIATES: Obviously, no compendium of NWA affiliated acts would be complete without a mention of Dre's early sparring partner, the Jamaican-American genius The D.O.C. who adds just the slightest dash of ragga flavor to his classic "Its Funky Enough" to make it hotter than your Grandma's jerk chicken.G-Funk pioneers Above the Law also turn up with the bouncy "VSOP", which blends the Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love" with Hall & Oates' "I Can't Go For That" to great effect.The influence of NWA can't be overstated, but despite its best intentions, this collection does not do the best job of showcasing that reality. For whatever reason (Licensing fees? Copyright battles?) The dis-inclusion of prominent NWA affiliates and mentees (most notably 2Pac and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony) and classic material from NWA solo artists leaves the portrait somewhat incomplete.

Good music

Dr. Dre recommendsbyRob JonesN.W.A.-N.W.A. & their family Tree (Priority) gels the riotous rap of a hip hop deity + also the spin off acts that have come via the lethal Boyz-n-the Hood. An 18 tune CD has controversial lyrics that issue a rallying call from the streets of strife & a tower of testosterone that states Gangstas make the world go Round! When it comes to the dancefloor these hot grooves will make your body go round even though the ladies may take umbrage at the braggadocio! Straight outta Compton & straight in to your home-NWA & co have a funky legacy that will not let go-& the story continues with the NWA recent film also adding weight to a tale that keeps on keeping on!

I bought this album on it's release day because I'm a huge N.W.A fan and these collections are always interesting. This one is no different. A lot of the versions of the N.W.A songs are original versions and, for that reason alone, it's a must-have if you're a die hard fan. As die-hards will know, most of the songs that became hits for the world's most dangerous group were remixes and this album showcases the material in it's purest form: original versions.If you're not a die-hard fan and own the NWA Legacy, Vol 1 album, then this collection is not necessary as it contains a lot of the same songs and, quite frankly, the 2-disc Legacy compilation is a better example of "the family tree."But, if you're a die hard N.W.A fan like me, this is a must have.

just bought it for reminiscing of those days.