"STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON"

Who could've guessed, way back in '88, that the much vilified NWA, & their seminal album, would 25+ yrs later be the focal point of the #1 movie in the country?!! Definitely not your Boy!!!

Any male that came of age in L.A., during the 80's, encountered the dehumanization of white supremacy, i.e., the LAPD. At the time when NWA put the police on front-street, the media was only too willing to oblige the powers that be, by portraying them, thus us, as being THUGS out for anarchy. As they say, time reveals all, & now it's not secret that the then police chief Daryl Gates' mentor, previous chief Parker, was a Grand Dragon in the klan. (See "City of Quartz," by Mike Davis) This fact, of itself, should give one an idea of the hell we went through in this era!!!

On account of the police's sadistic behavior, when NWA dropped "F**k the Police," it took off like wildfire!!! We bumped it out of every boom box & car system around! Finally, we had the opportunity to let the world FEEL our plight. These brothers kicked opened the door cracked by underground L.A. legends like Mix Master Spade, Toddy Tee, King T, et al. Besides having to hustle up on dubs of these legends, we only had east coast rap to survive on. Which was why when Ice T somehow managed to put a single on wax, "Cold as Ice," or something like that, I just had to have it. Actually, I wasn't even aware he had any wax until a cat was bragging he was in possession of one, & I told him to either put up, or shut up. When he did put up, no way I was going to let him leave with that record! I knew he was a big P-funk fan, so I convinced him to trade it for a Parliament album. (Sorry Moms!!!) On it Ice rapped about the legendary Snotty Fox motel in my neighborhood, that alone made it worth gold to me!!! (Although everyone swore I got the short-end of the stick! -lol-) Now lookin' back on it, I think this was the moment I fell in love w/the art of the deal.

Back to the present, unfortunately, I was not surprise to see this week, as I was basking in my contemporaries MONUMENTAL SUCCESS, to see a LAPD reserve, Dennis Zine, pop up on TMZ Live (8/17/15) attempting to steal their thunder once again! He had the nerve to pontificate how irresponsible it was for Universal, Ice Cube, & Dr. Dre to put out this movie during a time of great backlash against the police killing unarmed people! Isn't it bizarre how the police ALWAYS see as "IRRESPONSIBLE" such things as speaking out/protesting against injustice, but not their OWN BRUTALITY? Throughout history autocrats, when faced with THE PEOPLE'S demands for equality, consistently attempt to mollify "THE MOVEMENT" with, "Presently," it's the "wrong time," or "bad timing." All which offc Zine said on TMZ. In the past, it was the wrong time for the abolition of slavery, voting rights (both Blacks' & women's), the War on Poverty, ending the war (Pick one), & on & on. The right time for them is usually some where in the distant yonder.

The ironic thing about this beautiful redemption, called success, is that during the 25+ yrs since the release of "F**k the Police," the imagery has been completely reversed, Cube & Dre are now seen as the good guys to emulate, while the veil (or sheet) has been pulled off the police to reveal their authoritatively barbaric nature.

And for offc. Zine, $60 million at the box office, over a weekend.. the PEOPLE HAS SPOKEN, THE TIME IS NOW!!! AND "WE'RE [STILL] STOMPING STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON!!!"

SALUTE to: Cube, Dre, Ren, Yella, & Eazy E (RIP)!!!

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