You see, I started my career in media and entertainment 25+ years ago -- and N.W.A. was my most significant client as a young entertainment lawyer (and before I entered the studio life and business world). Among other things, I defended the group in a major 1st Amendment battle -- which we won. Obviously, N.W.A. pushed all boundaries -- especially with its lyrics. But, that didn't mean those lyrics should be banned -- and that was the end proper conclusion by the courts. After all, rock and roll has a long history of artists accused of inciting violence (a topic I wrote about in a 1992 article titled, "Takin' the Rap - Should Artists Be Held Accountable for Their Violent Recorded Speech?" -- that I was able to dig up in a bit of online archeology; kind of my own personal blast from the past).
In a strange twist of fate (aren't they all, looking back?), N.W.A. also led me to my wife of nearly 20 years, Luisa. N.W.A.'s manager, Jerry Heller (a prominent and highly controversial figure in the new movie) just happened to ask me to have dinner and drinks with him on a Tuesday night I'll never forget (February 23, 1993) at the Mezzaluna Cafe in Beverly Hills to discuss the case -- and I just happened to accept (a rare thing on a work night) -- and Luisa just happened to be working at Mezzaluna that night while going to USC -- and I just happened to build up the right amount of courage to introduce myself and invite her to a lunch with me later that week -- and she just happened to accept (somewhat grudgingly, I might add) -- and we just happened to go to dinner instead of lunch that weekend -- and, as they say, the rest is history and we have been together ever since.
Obviously, this post is personal. And, our kids still don't "get" why N.W.A. is near and dear to us at a personal level.
But, at least Hollywood got it right by featuring a compelling story of key creative forces in the music world (Dre, Cube whose influence lasts today) and the overall crazy "times" in LA that birthed N.W.A. in the first place. Hard to see now, but those crazy times -- in the LA world of consecutive cataclysmic events such as Rodney King, the major Earthquake, the massive Malibu fires, O.J. -- led many to question the long-term viability of the City of Angels. Wasn't a particularly angelic time back then.
But, the times were extremely special to me in many personal ways ....