UK/EU reissue on 180-gram black vinyl. Originally released in 1988, Straight Outta Compton compelled the mainstream audience to see the hostile, underprivileged side to American living. N.W.A. did have an influential message. However, unlike Public Enemy's rational Fight the Power ethos, these teenagers were angrily brazen about sticking up a middle finger while possibly waving a AK47 in the other hand, in their pursuit of free speech. With Dre and DJ Yella on productions, the tracks were written predominantly by Ice Cube, while Easy E and MC Ren contributed with delivering the rhymes. It would be the group's notorious mantra F*k The Police that would create the most mayhem, with radio bans and FBI investigations. Nevertheless, the album reached double platinum sales status, being the first to do without commercial support.