Police brutality is an issue still rampant in today’s society, and one thankfully still being addressed by artists, as with Kendrick Lamar in his love letter to Compton, "Alright." Lamar’s startling, brutally honest video sheds light on recent occurrences in Ferguson, South Carolina, Staten Island, and Baltimore — a video that could never have been produced if it weren’t for NWA.
READ MORE: Review: F. Gary Gray’s NWA Biopic ‘Straight Outta Compton’
In this short-doc from Noisey, the history behind the infamous tune from the band, "F*ck Tha Police," subject of the recent hit "Straight Outta Compton, is revealed in discussions with Ice Cube, DJ Yella, two former Compton police officers, and other longtime local citizens (and gang members). When the song was released in 1988, no one (and especially not musicians) was addressing serious socioeconomic issues, least of all the horrific treatment of the black community by the police.
It’s a nifty little documentary, well worth taking fifteen minutes out of your day, and is a worthy companion to "Straight Outta Compton." Check it out below.
It\’s amazing these guys couldn\’t figure out what the Italians and many other ethnic gangs could figure out. You form a council to resolve disputes. Less violence, more money for everyone, less police problems. Or sometimes you have one figure who\’s smart enough to consolidate power and the violence decreases. Why couldn\’t they figure it out?