N.W.A Album: “Niggaz4life”

If you've never heard this album before, you are either only 15 or have been asleep since 1990, either way you missed out on one helluva ride. NWA made all the headlines with their first album, "Straight Outta Compton," but on "Niggas4Life," they nearly acheived perfection. Granted, had Ice Cube never left the group, this album would be considered one of the greatest of all time ,but that is a "what if." Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and Yella had their backs against the wall after Cube left, amid an array of diss songs, Dee Barnes beatings, etc. Quite simply, they came out swinging. Dre and Ren handle most of the lyrics themselves, spinning wild and gruesome tales of murder, pimpin', and how it relates to L.A., while Eazy provides the punchlines. This formula was masterful, despite the complaining that Eazy wasn't on the album enough. .... Dr. Dre and Yella provide the ultimate soundscape for their hardcore flows, and most of the album strongly hints at what was to come with the whole "g-funk" sound. Like it states above, if you like "The Chronic," pick up "Niggas4Life," it will not disappoint.

Despite its comedy, Niggaz4Life is in many ways a sad album. Ice Cube had left, and the boys were doing their best to continue after being written off. The production on this album is superb and is coupled with some great rapping, especially from the late Eazy-E. The amount of coarse language may offend many people, but it acts as two things; comedy and impact. The album also features several scenes featuring a cameraman being shot at an NWA concert, the band shooting a prostitute and a guy who's been arrested swearing his head off. Excusing the vulgarity and the comedy, there are some really good rap numbers like "Real Niggaz Don't Die", "Findum, F***um and Flee" and "The Dayz of Wayback". NWA were the revolution, but by the end of the album, the wheels had fallen off and the group had stopped working as a unit. Eazy-E does not rap enough on the album and is left to two hilarious solo numbers including "Automobile" which resemble! s a bar-room singalong. The final track, "The Dayz of Wayback" is an indication that there wasn't going to be anymore. A great album, for those who are not easilly offended.

Even after loosing their premier lyricist Ice Cube, N.W.A. released another classic record before the group broke up for good. Without Cube's in-your-face political rymes the group was definately less threatening, but Dr. Dre truly upped his game to create some of the best production heard in that day making this album classic for completely different reasons than those that made STRAIGHT OUT OF COMPTON a classic. Dre was coming into his own more than ever with production that signified what was to come with his solo debut and legendary album THE CHRONIC. The beats are all alot smoother than the raw, Bomb Squad influenced sound of their previous work. With such excellent production the fact that MC Ren was no Ice Cube didn't even matter and Eazy E's unique vocals complimented the music and made it appealing to the ears. While the lyrics here are often refered to as parodic (and rightfully so) they are often quite entertaining succeeding the most when they are comedy based. In back to back to back sex tracks "Automobile", "She Swallowed It" and "I'd Rather F*** You" the guys narate sexcapades even Too Short and 2 Live Crew couldn't top that will make anyone laugh. "Automobile" actually sounds like a guy playing piano in a 1890's saloon and would seem extremely out of place on this album, but fits in perfectly due to it's lyrical content. Of course the guys don't hold back from taking shots at former partner Ice Cube either in the heat of the battle between them. This record may not be as groundbreaking as STRAIGHT OUT OF COMPTON, but it's another stepping stone forward toward the landmark LP THE CHRONIC and is still a very enjoyable listen today.

When I first listened to "Three Chord Opera," I felt that it was okay but that none of the songs seemed to be earmarked for "standard" status. The more I listened to it, though, the more different songs began to appeal to me in different ways. First of all the arrangements: I usually prefer the ballads and I immediately found "You Are the Best Part of Me" memorable and gradually warmed to "Midnight Dream" (it has that "epic" feel to it), "Elijah's Song" (a beautiful lullabye) and "My Special Someone" (after "Canta Libre" and "Carmelita's Eyes," the third in his Spanish trilogy). However, "At the Movies" was clearly a fun song from the word go and it didn't take long for me to appreciate what the Tower of Power horns add to "Baby Let's Drive," "Mission of Love" and "Don't Look Down." Perhaps influenced by this, I felt that the album slowed down a bit too much at the end. Then the lyrics: "I Haven't Played This Song in Years" harkens back to the devastatingly personal tone of "If You Know What I Mean." It took me a few listenings to figure out how the gospel song ("Leave a Little Room for God") and the singalong ("Turn Down the Lights") fit into the mix. An eclectic set, but one that makes no concessions to "the times." As a friend of mine said, "He wrote what he wanted to write." And, yes, he did write a couple of new standards!

this album is stacked from begining to end with hard pumpin' beats and strong ass lyrics by the best rap group ever assembled they saved thier best for last even without cube, but it is still an instant classic