Along with obvious tracks from N.W.A., Kendrick Lamar and Eminem will also feature on the soundtrack to Straight Outta Compton, the biopic about one of hip-hop's most influential supergroups. Stopping by San Diego Comic-Con, the film's director, F. Gary Gray, told MTV that the Dr. Dre-produced soundtrack is "insane."
Gray happened to be at Comic-Con to promote another project of his, an animated short based on the video game Assassin's Creed, though he was happy to speak on Straight Outta Compton, letting us know there will be a soundtrack to add anticipation to the upcoming movie release. Dre, a founding member of N.W.A., is also one of the film's producers, along with fellow group member Ice Cube.
Gray says Dre has a renewed focus that has led to a top-quality soundtrack: "Dr. Dre, it took him 15 years to step out and say, 'I want to do music again' in the way that he's doing it. The soundtrack is insane. Seriously, it's incredible."
He went on to reveal two huge features on the soundtrack and implied there will be many more: "He went deep and you can hear some of his influences, with jazz and soul and a little bit of funk. And Kendrick Lamar is on, Eminem; a lot of great guest stars." It sounds like Dre may have been inspired by Kendrick's own recent masterpiece, To Pimp a Butterfly.
Gray also spoke on the film itself, saying it would provide a deep and nuanced look into Compton's preeminent rap group: "The details, the stories, the authenticity that you get and you can draw from these guys, it goes beyond Googling what happened in the Death Row days or Googling what happened when the group broke up."
Look out for the soundtrack on Aug. 14, when Straight Outta Compton hits theaters. Watch the trailer below.
