Ahead of the theatrical premiere of Straight Outta Compton, Kendrick Lamar was afforded the opportunity to interview N.W.A. for Billboard.
During their sit down, the four living members of the legendary rap group discussed the impact they had on pop culture, E-Eazy's legacy, learning how to make it in the music industry and their opinions on the new generation of rappers.
Lamar, one of the group's unanimous new favorites, shared his opinion on the gangsta rappers saying, "N.W.A did a lot more than entertain. They told the truth."
As portrayed in the film, N.W.A. gained mainstream popularity following the release of their debut album, which shares the same title as the new film. The group sparked controversy amongst the masses with their cutthroat lyrics but also shed new light on the ongoings of America's underclass neighborhoods.
Straight Outta Compton was certified double-platinum by the RIAA and featured captivating tracks like "F*ck the Police."
Dr. Dre expressed his shock at how far the group has come from making tracks for their neighborhood.
"We had no idea we'd blow up this major," he said. "You see, every time we went into the studio we were only trying to make tracks that would rock our neighborhood. Our goal was to be local stars...Imagine this: We made Straight Outta Compton in six weeks, and that's without working weekends. Twenty-five years later, and here's a big-ass Hollywood movie carrying the same name. It's unbelievable."
The film, Straight Outta Compton, which has reportedly been in the works for some 13 years, opened in box offices on Aug. 14.
Lamar's latest album, To Pimp A Butterfly, featured a track titled "Mortal Man," which includes an interview between the TDE rapper and the late Tupac Shakur. The exchange between the two artists was reportedly created using quotes from a 1994 interview between Shakur and Swedish music journalist, Mats Nileskär.
Read Kendrick Lamar's N.W.A. interview in its entirety here.
