Rap Group Once Targeted by F.B.I. Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Back in 1989, federal law enforcement took "Fuck tha Police" literally.

Groundbreaking Southern California gangsta rap group, N.W.A. were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of fame this week joining Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Chicago and Steve Miller. From the New York Times:

N.W.A, the pioneering gangsta rap group, is only the fifth hip-hop act to join the Rock Hall, after Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys and Public Enemy. The group had been on the ballot three times before; this year they were the subject of a hit biopic, "Straight Outta Compton," which has grossed over $161 million at the box office and is considered a contender in the film awards season.

N.W.A. gained popularity writing larger-than-life lyrics about life in South Los Angeles, writing songs like "Fuck tha Police," with lyrics like "takin' out a police will make my day" and "beat a police outta shape." But, back in 1989, federal law enforcement took those lines literally.

The band's record label received a warning letter from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) saying the lyrics to "Fuck tha Police" promoted "violence against and disrespect for the law enforcement officer." The unforeseen publicity over the First Amendment right of these rappers only fueled the street cred of the band. For more watch "Gov't Tried to Shut Down Rap in Straight Outta Compton, and They're Still Doing It."

Comments

[DenverJ]

Old school, baby.
But is it really Rock and Roll?

[Ken Shultz]

No.

It uses rock and roll.

But so do a lot of things that aren't rock and roll.

[The Hyperbole]

what's harder to pass - the Real Rock and Roll Test or the Libertarian Purity Test?

[DenverJ]

The True Scotsman Test

[Ken Shultz]

Rap isn't even music.

It uses music, but so does ballet.

[GILMORE?]

Straight out of Motherfuckin Votkinsk

[AlmightyJB]

From what I've seen, the Rap Test is the easiest to pass. They will literally put anyone with a rap no matter how bad on the radio or tv.

[Steve G]

Is deep dish....? Ah, fuck it.

[commodious spittoon]

Deep dish is not rock and roll.

[Homple]

Is one of those guys Lou Reed?

[Sevo]

Naah, but the guy on the left is Francisco Franco.

[Crusty Juggler]

I've got to say it was a good day.

[Rich]

Help the Groats get inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

[Notorious UGCC]

What does N.W.A. stand for?

Nice, With Aspirations?

[DenverJ]

#NiggasWithAttitudematter

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

Not Worth Acknowledging

[commodious spittoon]

Northwest Arkansas. It's a tribute to their birthplace.

[jester]

I thought they merged with Delta a few yrs back. Or was it USAir. I fergit.

[jester]

One of those FDR programs?

[F. Christmas Ape, Jr.]

I preferred their follow up, "Woodchip Tha Police".

[jester]

O, Sting! Where is thy death!

[DJF]

I am still trying to figure out why a Rap Group would be in a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? Or do words have no meaning in this Bizzaro world?

[AlmightyJB]

Yeah, they haven't stuck with the R&R part for a long time. Cool museum though.

[jester]

Did anyone else notice that Chicago is also inducted? Isn't there an Elevator Music H of F for acts like that?

[C. Anacreon]

Methinks you never heard the "Chicago Transit Authority" album. Chicago was quite good in their day, although now you are correct, they are probably best known as a soft-rock act.

The last part of "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" is a great jam.

[AlmightyJB]

Chicago has some great music. Every rock fan had a Chicago album in the day. They belong there a hell of a lot more than a lot of other bands in there. Certainly a greater influence than Cheap Trick or NWA.

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

+1 Donna Summer

[AlmightyJB]

I think the general criteria is if you did a lot of drugs listening to it back in the day. Hence the Donna Summer who was heard by millions of cokeheads. NWA definitely fits that as well.

[Notorious UGCC]

Then why don't they have Richard Wagner in there? Lots of good old boys listen to the Ride of the Valkyries sequence in Birth of a Nation while taking swigs out of their moonshine jugs.

Source: A warm, moist place

[AlmightyJB]

I think you already know the answer to that

[DenverJ]

Ice Cube is so young.

[DenverJ]

LOL Ice T, stoopid phone

[DEATFBIRSECIA]

The real issue here is that it took this long for Deep Purple to get in.

When Jan slots you in a full two years after Rush, you know just where in the Minor Gods of Rock universe you fall.

[Gene]

The real issue here is that it took this long for Deep Purple to get in.

This.

[jester]

Only because of that stupid riff from SOTW that every retard plays on a guitar. It's kneejerk like chopsticks on a piano.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

joining Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Chicago and Steve Miller

So they're pretty much just letting everybody in at this point.

[Hamster of Doom]

Steve Miller was going to be the sixth hip-hop group inducted, only the gangster of love wasn't street.

[AlmightyJB]

+ Midnight Toker

[AlmightyJB]

All four should get in. All the arguments are about timimg. Who belongs in before whom. It's so subjectuve anyways.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

Eh, I'd argue for Deep Purple and Chicago (both had big sales, hits, long career, some originality, influential), but I don't think Cheap Trick (some hits plus best live record evar) and Steve Miller Band (some hits) quite have the same credentials.

[jester]

Next year it'll be England Dan and John Ford Coley. Who does take Jann Wenner seriously anymore? I'm surprised Bruce Springsteen hasn't been inducted 12 times already.

[C. Anacreon]

Next year it'll be England Dan and John Ford Coley.

Little known fact: England Dan was Dan Seals, brother of Dash Seals of "Seals and Crofts"

[C. Anacreon]

I've always really liked NWA, but I agree with some of the other posters, what is rap doing in a "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame"? Also, Madonna? Michael Jackson?

Meanwhile, truly seminal and amazing rock bands like Little Feat don't even get considered.

Please, either make it about rock or call it the Pop Music HOF.

I guess that Yes still hasn't got in either, eh? They were only the pioneers of Progressive Rock, and their lead guitarist and bass player were the winners of the best in each category by Guitar Player magazine for several years in a row. WTF?

I am glad for Cheap Trick though. They've never gotten the respect they deserved. On arriving to college as a freshman, not knowing anyone, I opened the door to my dorm room and blasted the new Cheap Trick album "Heaven Tonight" album (which opens with 'Surrender') while I unpacked. Within a few minutes I'd met just about everyone else on the floor.

Green Day is considered with reverence, I've never been sure how they were any different that Cheap Trick when it comes down to it. Same three-chord bashing punky sound.

[Rhywun]

Green Day is considered with reverence

Really?! I thought their first album was catchy but didn't care enough to pay any further attention. I just don't "get" music criticism sometimes.

[GILMORE?]

"Green Day is considered with reverence"

whut

[C. Anacreon]

Green Day was elected to the R&R HOF last year in their first year of eligibility.
Nuff said.

[GILMORE?]

...

...

wow, that's funny.

I was always under the impression that they competed with the Dave Matthews Band, Spin Doctors, and Hootie & The Blowfish for "Most Annoying Musical Group of the 1990s that Should Die in a Plane Crash Along With Creed and Bush"

[The Hyperbole]

At least the Beach Boys have never got in, THAT would be a travesty.

[GILMORE?]

....

....

this isn't funny anymore. Maybe they should blow this one up and then start over.

[C. Anacreon]

At least the Beach Boys have never got in, THAT would be a travesty.

I assume you are being facetious. The Beach Boys were one of the earliest inductees, elected to the Hall in 1988, the same year as The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

[Vernon Depner]

Crack The Sky.

[C. Anacreon]

Another American prog rock band that I really liked, and actually saw live, was Yes-clone Starcastle. They had the original singer for REO Speedwagon (long before they were famous) as their lead vocalist. To further connect with this thread, the venue I saw Starcastle at sometime in the late 70's was a Chicago-area club called B'Ginnings, owned by Danny Seraphine, the drummer for the rock band Chicago (who had a hit song called "Beginnings" that the club was named after).

[Rufus J. Fisk]

Yes and such will get in. They seem to want to stretch these things out so every year so one of the "it's a crime they are not in!!" bands will get in, therefore getting the needed press and attention. It's going to be crazy now that you have all these 90's alt bands about to get in. Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, NIN, Rage Against the Machine, Radiohead, etc etc.

And at this point it is a Popular music hall of fame, but that is not as catchy as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I'm not really bothered by it. At the end of the day it is all music and none of those acts have invented a new note or anything.

[GILMORE?]

"either make it about rock or call it the Pop Music HOF."

Even that would be stupid.

Basically, all it is (or will ever be) is "American Music White People Spent a Lot of Money On (Except Country)"

Because they seem to want to include Soul music and Gospel and Funk and all sorts of black music...which *may or may not* actually have any contribution to what we think of as "rock& roll"... but are completely arbitrary about it, focusing on artists "white people like" but whom may not have actually been the best or most 'historic' in their actual specific sub-genres....

(i mean seriously, i love Parliament/Funkadelic or Earth, Wind and Fire... but i'd bet those motherfuckers are like, "dude, we did what we did *as an alternative* to rock & roll"... because black audiences weren't exactly buying Led Zeppelin records in the 70s)

...if they're going to start including rap-artists in any "hall of fame" i think it should be a Hip Hop-focused one. because otherwise it seems to simply co-opt rap artists without giving their actual genre of music the respect it deserves. I suppose some funk/soul fans (like me) might feel the same. I feel like if James Brown and Sam Cooke are going to be recognized in any "hall" of greatness... i see no reason why Luther Vandross or Teddy Pendergrass don't also deserve to share some space with them, rather than @#&*($ ABBA or the Beastie Boys.

In short, Fuck Cleveland.

[C. Anacreon]

Check it out now, funk/soul brother

[GILMORE?]

I have no doubt Fatboy Slim will be inducted in the HoF at some point

[straffinrun]

That ain't music. This is music.

[AlmightyJB]

Why. Just why.

[straffinrun]

Apologies. Here, watch this. Learn some Engrish.

[AlmightyJB]

Awesome! I would put her in charge of the Department of Education. She at least deserves some sort of award. However, I do kind if prefer the alternative "I do it well with my mouth".

[straffinrun]

The Santa coat makes it seasonal. I'm not random.

[AlmightyJB]

Kudos:)

[jester]

Haven't heard of that band. Metal? Like Sunn O)))? Drone shit?

[commodious spittoon]

Since we're doing mashups.

[sarcasmic]

Rage Against the Machine did a decent cover.

[AlmightyJB]

I like some RATM and they get some occasional jukebox love from me but that was painful. Might be my phone speaker.

[sarcasmic]

It was a terrible recording. I just like the intro: "Here's something nice and friendly..."

[F. Christmas Ape, Jr.]

Rage is a great band until the asshole starts shrieking.

[sarcasmic]

The Beastie Boys were inducted in 2012. Holy shit.

[GILMORE?]

Proving forever that the Beastie Boys are better rappers than those blackamoor ones

[sarcasmic]

I've always liked the Beasties.

[GILMORE?]

Ah, I was mistaken, RUN DMC and Grandmaster Flash were both inducted before them. They are also inferior to other white rappers such as ABBA or Neil Diamond.

[jester]

...and the Chritmas wrappers, Alvin and the Chipmunks.

[straffinrun]

I see Drudge is caught up in the Kabuki that Sanders and Clinton have concocted. I'm with NWA on this. FTP.

[AlmightyJB]

SFed link

[straffinrun]

Wasn't a link. Don't know how that did that.

[GILMORE?]

FTP. is like https://

file transfer protocol. what, you never used it for swapping giant Warez files back before torrents made them obsolete?

[straffinrun]

Man, I'm learning. Thanks. Here, Don't worry, I'm wearing underwear.

[straffinrun]

And still, F.T.P.

[straffinrun]

And still, F.T.P.

[GILMORE?]

Now that's the kind of quality, old-timey entertainment like we's a used to have.

we're sending this one out to Caitlyn Jenner

[straffinrun]

Caitlyn, oddly, didn't win a medal in the Biathalon. BTW, I'm just trying to avoid the Sikha thread that just popped up.

[AlmightyJB]

That is a weekend rerun.

[GILMORE?]

I don't even Shikha anymore.

[AlmightyJB]

I love Loretta

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Mmmhmm

[OneOut]

So do I JB.

For some reason Coal Miner's Daughter bring tears to my eyes even though I did not have that sort of upbringing.

[Voros McCracken]

"N.W.A. were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of fame..."

Congrats!

"...joining Deep Purple, Cheap Trick, Chicago and Steve Miller."

Um, congrats?

[Rhywun]

OT: Stay classy, NY Post.

"Obama puts record 95 criminals back on the street"

Followed by the tale of a "criminal" who was serving a life sentence for "conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute".

[AlmightyJB]

We're all criminals really. That's why will need to build a giant prison wall around the country.

[pan fried wylie]

federal law enforcement took "Fuck tha Police" literally

Hey, I'd be scared too if those four guys wanted to fuck me.

[AlmightyJB]

This is an example of great Rap.

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-ni.....in/2755303

[The Hyperbole]

I always liked this one.

[AlmightyJB]

And then there is really old school rap

https://youtu.be/pHCdS7O248g

[Notorious UGCC]

Today, on Troll Appreciation Saturday, it's trolls all the way down.

"...upon further reflection, we should stop referring to the killing of President Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth as a political assassination and start calling it what it really was, "workplace violence.""

[Notorious UGCC]

If I don't link to this you'll suspect I'm making it up

(all sorts of NSFW)

[AlmightyJB]

And to think people were worried about Ebola spreading.

[Notorious UGCC]

I've posted this before - my favorite rendition of Straight Outta Compton.

(I presume I don't need to mention the NSWF part)

[Notorious UGCC]

I don't think it would be appropriate to link to Eazy E's Christmas carol.

Because it's very offensive.

[Pompey]

Easy E gave me AIDS

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Worst Saturday thread EVAH!

[AlmightyJB]

that sounds like a challange

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Here is some Saturday AM outrage.

Enjoy!

The U.N. Sent 3 Foreign Women To The U.S. To Assess Gender Equality. They Were Horrified.
The human rights experts concluded that the country falls far behind most others.

The most telling moment of the trip, the women told reporters on Friday, was when they visited an abortion clinic in Alabama and experienced the hostile political climate around women's reproductive rights.

"We were harassed. There were two vigilante men waiting to insult us," said Frances Raday, the delegate from the U.K. The men repeatedly shouted, "You're murdering children!" at them as soon as they neared the clinic...

"It's a kind of terrorism," added Eleonora Zielinska, the delegate from Poland. "To us, it was shocking."

Another main area of concern for the delegation is violence against women -- particularly gun violence. Women are 11 times more likely to be killed by a gun in the United States than in other high-income countries, and most of those murders are perpetrated by an intimate partner.

The women's other recommendations for the U.S. include passing campaign finance reform that would allow more women to be elected into office, because the networks that raise money for political candidates are mostly dominated by men.

[DEG]

They can go fuck themselves.

[John Titor]

Wait, someone from Poland is complaining about the political climate around abortion in the U.S.? Poland, the country that has an outright ban on abortion outside of health reasons and rape? Poland, the country that actively went from fully legalized abortion in the Communist period to arguing for an anti-abortion constitutional amendment?

[jester]

It's always about climate. I'n it?

[Brochettaward]

I was wondering about that myself. Aren't they basically the most Catholic country in Europe, to include Italy?

It's just a hit piece, but that won't stop it from being reprinted as an indictment of America.

[Rhywun]

Hey, what am I, chopped liver?

/Ireland

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Not just complaining...

HORRIFIED!

[Brochettaward]

The women's other recommendations for the U.S. include passing campaign finance reform that would allow more women to be elected into office, because the networks that raise money for political candidates are mostly dominated by men.

Who could argue with rock solid logic like this?

particularly gun violence. Women are 11 times more likely to be killed by a gun in the United States than in other high-income countries

And men are far more likely to be victims of gun violence period. How is this a female issue?

They came here with left wing talking points, and by god - none of that was going to change regardless of what they saw. How exactly did visiting America give them special insight on gun violence or campaign finance?

[Francisco d'Anconia]

We got a nice, all expense paid, vacation to the US and we need to find something to justify it.

[Rhywun]

passing campaign finance reform that would allow more women to be elected into office ensure that the same old white men stay in office forever

FTFT

[jester]

I remind them that Maggie Thatcher was a woman (it puts them in fits, people like them.)

[Brochettaward]

Oh, and I clicked on the link after. The image of three old hags here - they fit the mold of creepy, bitter old feminist to the letter.

[Notorious UGCC]

What a diverse delegation - white ladies from Poland, UK, and Costa Rica!

This is the whitest thing to come out of the UN since their coke orgies.

[GILMORE?]

The polish delegate bemoans the fact that the free and unfettered access to Abortion in Alabama is marred by "people protesting".

Abortion is *banned* in Poland

Abortion in Poland is banned except in the following three circumstances.

- When the woman's life or health is endangered by the continuation of pregnancy,
- When the pregnancy is a result of a criminal act, or
- When the foetus is seriously malformed

Unlike in other countries where abortion is banned, women in Poland are not subject to a penalty for illegal termination of pregnancy. Consent of a physician is required for the circumstances (1) and (3) above, while abortions in view of circumstance (2) above must be certified by prosecutor. Parental consent is always required if the woman seeking abortion is a minor.[1]

In addition, persuading a woman to carry out illegal termination of her pregnancy is a criminal act in the same way as illegal abortion is.""

Gotta love these "experts"

[Nativist, Racist & Xenophobe]

Merry Christmas! Equality is Over if You Want It.

[SIV]

The Troggs aren't in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They've never even been nominated.

[JeremyR]

They should really call it the popular music hall of fame.

Rock n Roll last what, maybe 15 years?

[jester]

The Hall is Jann Wenner's baby. I suppose he'll start a new category, Very Important Groupie, and elect Preet Bharara for being such a huge fan of The Boss. Seriously, the Hall is the gayest shit evah.

[jester]

What did Tipper Gore think of NWA?

[DenverJ]

They autographed her breast at a concert in Chattanooga.

[OneOut]

She only has one ?

Poor Tipper.

And that nasty as Al.

He probably divorced he over the one tity issue.