In the wake of the first reunion of the surviving members of N.W.A. in more than 25 years at Coachella, it's time to reflect on an album that prominently changed the face of rap forever. You probably saw the 2015 biopic of the same name, but when was the last time you listened to the record?

NWANWA are rap pioneers

The artists...
N.W.A. were a group of pioneering Compton rappers including Dr Dre and Ice Cube that may have invoked controversy with the explicit content of their lyrics, but nonetheless became the inspiration for almost every single rapper to come after them despite only ever releasing two albums. 

More: N.W.A. reunite at Coachella 2016

The album...
Debut album 'Straight Outta Compton' was released in 1989 via Priority records and probably earned a good amount of its popularity from MTV banning the video for the title track. It became a notorious figure of hatred among the law enforcement with its brutal remarks against cops.

Why you need to hear it...
All controversial lyrics aside, it's a passionate onslaught that really gets across some of the original themes of hip hop. And even if you hate it, it's always worth experiencing something that has incited so much intense emotion over the last couple of decades.

The best song...
It's a tricky one, but 'Gangsta Gangsta' is a good all rounder. With tight rhymes, infectious rhythm, funky grooves and that classic police siren, you really get a sense of what the album is all about and the kind of dance-worthy tunes the N.W.A. were capable of. 

Where are they now?
Sadly, Eazy-E died in 1995 but DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and MC Ren re-united for a set at Coachella in April 2016. It's probably a bit early to expect a follow up to 1991's second album 'Niggaz4Life' though.

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