NWA

Niggaz With Attitude (NWA) were a hip hop trio that popularized gangsta rap with the groundbreaking Straight Outta Compton (1989) album, a vicious hardcore record that became an underground hit notorious for its hardcore lyrics, especially those of "Fuck tha Police," which resulted in the FBI sending a warning letter to Ruthless Records[?] and its parent company Priority, suggesting that the group should watch its step.

On both the 1990 EP 100 Miles and Runnin'[?] and the 1991 album Efil4zaggin[?] ("Niggaz 4 Life" spelled backward), Dr. Dre created dense, funky sonic landscapes (which presaged his innovative G funk sound), together with Eazy E's humorous lyrics and Ice Cube's socially charged raps, kept NWA at the top of the hip hop charts.

Members of the band included:

Dr. Dre (Andre Young) d.j. - producer - rapper

Eazy E (Eric Wright) rapper

Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson) rapper

MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson) rapper

Yella d.j.

as well as

Arabian Prince d.j. - rapper

who is recognized as a pioneer of west coast electro funk (see also Egyptian Lover). He left NWA after Straight Outta Compton and went on to produce his highly innovative album Brother Rab[?]. Its style was defined by a German critic as a synthesis between Curtis Mayfield and Kraftwerk.

After the band split Dre had a highly successful career as both a rapper and record producer for the likes of Snoop Doggy Dogg and Eminem. Ice Cube was successful as both a rapper and film actor. Eazy E died in 1995 from an AIDS related illness.

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NWA can also stand for National Wrestling Association and National Wrestling Alliance. The former operating from 1905 to 1948 and the latter in operation from 1948 until the present.