Following the release of the compilation N.W.A. and the Posse in 1987, N.W.A. released their debut album Straight Outta Compton on August 8, 1988 through Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records and Priority Records. This was seen as a seminal album for the rise of gangsta rap as the group presents their “reality rap” from the streets of Compton and South Central Los Angeles. Aside from Arabian Prince producing the electro hip-hop track “Something 2 Dance 2,” the production was handled by Dr. Dre and DJ Yella, while the songwriting was primarily handled by Ice Cube, MC Ren, and The D.O.C. The album was considered controversial due to the explicit lyrics that were seen as glorifying criminal behavior, degradation of women and Black people in general with the word “nigga” being used throughout the album. Their song “Fuck tha Police” even drew the attention of the FBI and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). The album’s significance was also marked by the fact that this was the first and last N.W.A. album to include Ice Cube, who left the group in 1989 due to a financial dispute before he embarked on his successful solo career. Despite any controversy, the album achieved triple platinum status with little to no radio airplay and limited video airplay for their singles “Straight Outta Compton” and “Express Yourself,” the Dr. Dre solo track that was remixed for the music video with verses from Ice Cube and MC Ren. The album has been included on several “best of” lists, including The Source’s Top 100 Rap Albums of All Time list and a ranking of #144 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time The album’s title was used for their 2015 biopic, which generated over $200 million worldwide at the box office.