William & Park | Compton, Where Legends Never Die

I was 2 when N.W.A. dropped its first single “Panic Zone” in 1987. My knowledge of gangsta rap is amateurish at best. But being an Angeleno, I’ve got to respect any history-busting talent that comes out of L.A., much less a tough hood like Compton. So going to see “Straight Outta Compton” on opening weekend was a no-brainer.

Of course, it helped that the subway has been plastered with ads for weeks now, while#straightouttacompton memes have been blowing up my Instagram and Twitter feeds. (Yeah, even the White House got in on this one.)

F. Gary Gray’s new biopic chronicling the lives of the N.W.A. crew is an entertaining and emotional two and half hours.