Straight Outta Compton is a film about survival, struggle and the power of music to break barriers. Set in Compton, a city in Los Angeles, it tells the story of five young Black men: Eazy E, Dre Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella and how they formed N.W.A. It is easy to forget that Compton, while historically underfunded and policed heavily, has also produced some of the most influential hip-hop artists with Kendrick Lamar being a modern example of this.
The film itself has a soft visual style, with brown tones dominating the lighting as well as the pacing being laid back, almost nostalgic. The movie itself and themes remind me of Babylon (1980), a British film about second generation Jamaican youth navigating racism and Sound system culture in London. Both films explore the power of music, state apathy and institutional racism. Both films highlight Black music as a form of expression, survival and protest against systemic systems.
The opening scenes are also striking. We see not just the crime, but the conditions that breed it; heavily policed and suffering from institutional apathy, Compton showcases the daily struggles citizens face. Whether that’s teenage pregnancies, a mothers struggle to raise and provide for her sons, or the daily gang rules that feel unspoken but permeate through early scenes. Compton highlights the daily struggles of citizens whilst also showcasing the desire to break generational cycles.
Music plays a dual role in this film, it’s both a character and a narrator. One scene that stood out to me was the use of the song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” during abrief school scene. It’s catchy, commercial and cheerful, a sharp contrast to the grit and danger that follows after that scene. That contrast feels intentional. It is even more pronounced with a track titled ‘London’ that plays in the background. To me it’s a perfect demonstration of the poverty that engulfs Compton and the indifference of wider American society.
Another standout scene comes from a group of police officers harassing our main characters outside a recording studio. Their manager explains their artist, rappers, but a cop dismisses them as nothing more but thugs. This scene really cuts deep, as it reminds us just how far rap music and sub genres of this style have come to being recognised and respected as an artform.
Straight Outta Compton is a stand out movie. You really feel infested in the characters and their journey in traversing fame and personal struggles. There is some language that can be triggering for many, so keep that in mind. But it is a great film and has a deep message on how powerful and game changing unfiltered music can be.
4/5
Image Credits – TheMov
ieDB
