LibGuides: N.W.A.: Home

N.W.A.

Unexpected. Shocking. Flawed. Revolutionary. Worthy.

N.W.A.'s improbable rise from marginalized outsiders to the most controversial and complicated voices of their generation remains one of rock's most explosive, relevant, and challenging tales. From their Compton, California, headquarters, Eazy-E (Eric Wright), Dr. Dre (Andre Young), Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson), MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson), and DJ Yella (Antoine Carraby) would – by force of will and through unrelenting tales of street life – sell tens of millions of records, influence multiple generations the world over, and extend artistic middle fingers to the societal barriers of geography, respectability, caste, authority and whatever else happened to get in their way. More on rockhall.com...

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Books

Parental Discretion Is Advised: The Rise of N.W.A. and the Dawn of Gangsta Rap by Gerrick D. Kennedy
Call Number: ML421.N19 K46 2017
Hangin' in the Hood : NWA, Compton and the Birth of Gangsta Rap
Call Number: ML421.N19 C43 2001a
The Words and Music of Ice Cube by Gail Hilson Woldu
Call Number: ML420.I34 W65 2008
Hip Hop Family Tree Book. 2, 1981 - 1983 by Ed Piskor
Call Number: ML3531 .P57 2014
N.ot W.ithout A.lonzo by Alonzo Williams; as told to Donna Shannon
Call Number: ML429.W5555 A3 2015
Ruthless: A Memoir by Jerry Heller; Gil Reavill (As told to)
Call Number: ML429.H455 A3 2006
Hip-Hop & Rap: Complete Lyrics for 175 Songs by Hal Leonard Corp. Staff
Call Number: ML54.6 H57 2003
The Vibe History of Hip Hop by Alan Light (Editor); Vibe Magazine Staff
Call Number: ML3531 .V53 1999
Somebody Scream! : rap music's rise to prominence in the aftershock of Black power by Marcus Reeves
Call Number: ML3531 .R44 2009

Spotify Playlist

Audio

Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap by Various
Call Number: BOX VAR SMIT 2020
Back to black : 100 years of black music : music that changed the world, 1900 to 1999 by Various performers
Call Number: CDB COLL BACK 2001

Songs by N.W.A. and Ice Cube.

Video

Straight Outta Compton
Call Number: VID FIC STRA 2016

Articles

Free articles are available on Rock's Backpages through the Free on RBP link. The articles below may require you to be on-site at the Library & Archives in order to read them.

YouTube

Archival Resources

Listed below are notable collections and items from the Rock Hall's Archives. You can find more by searching our catalog here.

MC Ren Lyrics
Collection contains handwritten lyrics for N.W.A.'s "Niggaz 4 Life" and "100 Miles of Runnin'."The lyrics are undated.
Ton-E Watson Photographs
The collection span the years 1994-1997 and consists of 61 images of Black artists performing in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. Artists featured include Bone Thugs-n-Harmony featuring Eazy-E from N.W.A.
Abby Kearse Papers
The collection spans the years 1970 to 1998, while the bulk of the collection falls between 1991 and 1998. The papers consist of artist files, personal files, and research files relating to rap, MTV, and hip hop artists, including N.W.A.

N.W.A.: Home