The Impact of N.W.A.

N.W.A. not only had a massive impact on the entire development of mainstream music in the western world, but also paved the way for huge social change in the US, as well as greatly raising awareness for issues faced by people of colour in the United States, such as police brutality and racial profiling.

With their song ‘Boyz n tha hood’, they projected what they referred to as ‘their truth’ across the world, and provided outsiders with a unique perspective on life through the lens of someone who lives in Compton, CA. In this song, the lyrics ‘cruising down the street in my six four’, project the image of affluence in the otherwise downtrodden neighbourhood, with this being a commentary on the desires of the members of N.W.A. to ‘get out’ of Compton, another phrase used in large by the group. This ‘escape Compton’ mentality is also reflected by the song ‘Straight Outta Compton’, from the hit album Straight Outta Compton, with many rappers to this day expressing this very message.

Another example of the group's influence is on modern rap. Artists such as Drake, Lil Uzi Vert and Post Malone have all credited N.W.A. as a considerable portion of their inspiration, and others have named them as trailblazers for modern rap, and bringing it into the mainstream.

Another key message pushed by N.W.A. is the uphold of freedom of expression in the US. Their songs reflect this by using lyrics that are aggressive and often include vulgar language. As well as with freedom, they also often justify this language and the themes in their songs in interviews as their ‘truth’, and this unapologetic attitude is what many argue largely contributed to their massive success, particularly amongst their younger audience.

Overall, the impact that N.W.A. had on music in general cannot be understated, and they remain one of the most influential and recognisable groups, not only in ‘Gangsta Rap’, but in music as a whole.