10 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of The 1980s - Ranked

Since the release of the biopic of the same name, rap fans have been introduced to the behind-the-scenes aspect of one of the most culturally moving pieces of art to ever hit the streets; Straight Outta Compton. The only album to feature Ice Cube, it told the story of gang violence and social recidivism in South Central Los Angeles while introducing the world to the talented pool of artists that are now credited with starting the West Coast movement of the 1990s that followed; rappers Cube, MC Ren, D.O.C., Eazy-E, and Dr. Dre.

"**** Tha Police" has become a motto for the generation of angst-filled defensive plights of the hip-hop movement of the time and has surpassed its own initial culture shock and is now understood as a true protest piece.

"Gangsta Gangsta" and "Straight Outta Compton" are where the group finds comfort in the instability of the 'hood and bench marked the beginning of the meteoric rise of gangsta-rap and the careers of members of Cube and Dr. Dre have been long-standing reminders of just how important their message was.

To say that Straight Outta Compton is one of the most legendary hip-hop albums would be a massive understatement of disrespectful proportions, it is a true shift in culture and a phenomenon of itself that began as a simple attempt at tasting success they thought unattainable.

An inspiring piece, it is musically and aggressively informative and does not aim to please - perfectly reflective of their message to the world. One that spread like wildfire.