2015 saw the release of Straight Outta Compton, a biographical drama tale directed by F. Gary Grey that has remained a fan favourite ever since. It depicts the enormous popularity that the gangsta rap group N.W.A. had during their primetime; the members were involved in the production, which told the story from their point of view. The film was a box office success, coming in under budget by a maximum of 50 million dollars and grossing over 201 million dollars when it was first released.
Until now, we have seen several biopics based on various bands. Aside from the fact that the movie captures the wildest moments of N.W.A. before they fade, fans undoubtedly want to know the truth about whether Ice Cube destroyed his manager’s office and whether Easy E would kill Suge Knight. Stories about this band are still told, which is how we know that Straight Outta Compton is relevant even in 2022. Now, let’s separate fact from fiction.
Is Straight Outta Compton Based On A True Story?
Not unlike many other biopics, Straight Outta Compton did not accurately depict the true story behind the popular rap group; some elements were fictionalised, such as the creation of the slang term “Bye Felicia,” which came from the 1995 comedy film Friday, which was directed by F. Gary Grey and co-written by Ice Cube. The group faced significant controversy throughout their career because of the intense dispute between contracts, money, and their explicit lyrics, which kept them on the FBI’s watchlist.
However, 2015 had it all when they made a movie about the most deadly of all rap groups. We witness how the members entered the band against their will, but we also get a glimpse into their personal lives. While some of the film’s elements are based on true events, others are purely fictional. We will explain every detail to you.
What Was The Controversy About?
Street gangs, drug traffickers, and police violence turned Compton, California, into a chaotic dystopia in 1986. A police raid at a crack home is almost prevented one night by Eazy-E. The next day, Dr. Dre is having trouble deciding what he wants to accomplish with his life and his mother confronts him for skipping a job interview. Ice Cube, a senior in high school, wants to be a rapper in the meantime.
Curious about Cube’s “reality raps,” which address the recent issues of gang violence, police harassment, and crime that they and other African Americans have faced, Dre persuades Eazy to invest in Ruthless Records, a new record company that Dre will produce music for. Dre gets Eazy to perform their song “Boyz-n-the-Hood” after it was turned down by a New York rap group. After it becomes a local hit, MC Ren, DJ Yella, Dre, Cube, and Eazy establish the group N.W.A. (“Niggaz Wit Attitudes”).
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Straight Outta Compton: Facts!
Ice Cube decided to pursue a solo career and quit the band, inking a record deal with Priority Records. Bryan Turner made this deal happen and assisted in it. He is one of the Priority Records co-founders. There are rumours that Turner even promised Ice Cube more money for his second solo project if his first one was successful—even though it hadn’t been launched yet. Cube created the most recognizable record of the 1990s after taking this deal to heart. Turner did not, however, hold his commitment in high regard. Cube went to Turner’s office and completely wrecked it in retaliation. The movie also includes this moment.
Jerry Heller played a significant role in N.W.A. and had a variety of effects on the group. It was he who originally saw their potential and cast the band. Jerry contributed to N.W.A. becoming the mainstream success they deserved to be. The movie makes it clear that Cube is upset that Easy E is given preferential treatment by Jerry, even though Easy E wrote the majority of the group’s songs. This did occur. Jerry Heller is the one who caused Ice Cube to depart from the band. The two began to argue. Ice Cube just realized how much less the manager was paying him later in his career.
Straight Outta Compton: Fiction
The N.W.A. and the police were complete rivals. Their actions went against everything that the police are supposed to stand for. On the other hand, it was clear that the police did not approve of the band group either, and at one time, they had a letter from the FBI telling them to change their behaviour. In a scene from the movie, as soon as the members leave their studio, two policemen approach them and start asking them pointless questions. Jerry Heller said in an interview that this scene happened.
That being said, their song Fu** Tha Police was not inspired by this scenario in any manner. Only to provide some depth, it was shown in the movie. Contrary to what is depicted in the movie, Ice Cube came up with the song’s title much earlier. But this concept was never implemented until much later. Because his bandmate Dre had to go to prison on the weekends. Ice Cube reexamined the concept once Dre was released from the police holding cell.
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