The History of Gangsta Rap. From Its Roots to Present Day

Against the backdrop of rising gang activity, a crack epidemic, and police brutality, one group cut through the chaos of late 1980s Los Angeles: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glamorous producer, and a high school student, N.W.A. expressed their views on contemporary society, becoming the voice of all disenfranchised African Americans. They quickly changed pop culture around the world. Their names remain just as popular as ever: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Soon Dre joined forces with Suge Knight to create Death Row Records, which turned Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur into superstars. Ben Westhoff explores how N.W.A. shifted the balance of hip-hop from New York to Los Angeles.