N.W.A

Released: August 8, 1988

Songwriter: MC Ren

Producer: Dr. Dre DJ Yella

[Intro]
Ain't that kinda shit you can sweep under no rug, you know?

[Verse 1: MC Ren]
Ren is the villain and you're just an hostage
So whenever I'm steppin' cover your head like an ostrich
Groupies been waitin' for this, suckers been hatin for this
You know why? Because so many are relatin' to this
Jealous is how they feel it intentionally
But they start to love it because I made it eventually
Pumpin' the music I keep the music like pumpin'
Cause Ren ain't in here for nothin', I keep the average crowd jumpin'
Yo, you know the color, the villain's in black
Always down to make noise, and attack
So you better get back unless you wanna come with it
And make your face like a target and close your eyes when I hit it
You're screamin' with fear but it's with fear that you're screamin'
You're wakin up in a sweat cause Ren is givin' bad dreams and
I'm not schemin', I'm just tellin the facts
That's how it is when N.W.A. starts to jack
So brothers that wanna scrap with me
That sweezin' and sneezin' will have to lap with me
Especially beggin' to write some lyrics with me
I just snatch your girl to take a nap with me
Cause when it comes to Ren there's no comparison
And if you try to be me, it's quite embarrassin'
But I understand cause you're mentally slow
Cause I can tell from the jump you're too nervous to go

[Chorus]
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me
The gangsta's black and he's about to attack
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me
Lemme bust a freestyle there - (Alright bet)

[Verse 2: MC Ren]
I can tell that you're afraid to fight me
Simple because you lost the crowd and they had to invite me
Because your sweat is a puddle but there's a puddle o' sweat
I'm a threat, so get a cold rag and wipe your neck
And clean the dirt off your face that causes acne
It's ridiculous thinkin' that you can jack me
This is the round where the punch will go
Into your H-E-A-D; that's known as a blow
I'm makin a point but it's a point that I'm makin
Like, see, I'm hatin' the fakin' I keep the suckers like shakin'
Scared to speak with a thought when they're chosen
The sound of my voice in their ear and they're frozen
This is a battle to the death, it's like the same ol'
Against a brother on a tip, with a Kangol
Givin' a pain but it's with pain that I'm givin
But I'm comparin' and tearin' em but I'm makin a livin'
With the hype of a nine volt battery
And the odds for me to conquer is averagely good
Meanin' I'mma flow
I'm from the streets so, yo, I'm ready to go

[Chorus]
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me (Yo Ren)
The gangsta's black and he's about to attack
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me
Man whatcha gonna do now? - *Get funky*

[Verse 3: MC Ren]
The 'do not disturb' sign is in effect
While I'm thinkin of a fool to select
To give the victim the verdict so for the verdict a victim
Slammin' my vocals on a dance with the rest then I kick them
Tell 'em they're guilty, and peep out the bailer
And get a new track o' drums so I can play with
Percussion, pumpin' it loud when I perform
Yo, you wanna play in my game, put on a uniform
It ain't a rule in the book you have to go by
Hey, cause when it comes to cheatin', yo, you should know I
For fear in the hearts cause it's the hearts full of fear
Coz what you hear in your ear is something funky and clear
The Hulk was incredible yo but Ren he was super
But now I'm ruthless, a civilian and not a trooper
But a soldier with a top rankin
Givin' dope material, the hell with the gankin'
So play like an airplane and just jet
And keep your blood pressure low cause I'm a threat, if not
I'm afraid of the show
That you're a sucker and you're too nervous to go

[Chorus]
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me (Yo Ren)
The gangsta's black and he's about to attack
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me (Yo Ren)
The gangsta's black
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me
The gangsta's black and he's about to attack
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me (Yo Ren)
The gangsta's black
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me
The gangsta's black and he's about to attack
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me (Yo Ren)
The gangsta's black
If it ain't ruff, it ain't me

Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince initially formed the collective known as “the world’s most dangerous group,” N.W.A.—Niggaz With Attitudes.

Following Ice Cube’s stint in C.I.A. and Dre and Yella’s departure from the World Class Wreckin Cru, they got together with Compton hustler Eric “Eazy-E” Wright, who formed Ruthless Records and released Eazy’s single “Boyz n the Hood,” written by Cube and produced by Dre. A compilation entitled N.W.A. and the Posse was released in 1987 but the group’s seminal debut, Straight Outta Compton, was released on August 8, 1988. It led to the rise of gangsta rap and West Coast hip-hop in general with their tales of “reality rap” from the streets of Compton and South Central Los Angeles. Their song “Fuck tha Police” even put the group on the hit list of the FBI.

Arabian Prince was the first to leave the group in 1988 over a financial dispute. Ice Cube left N.W.A. in 1989 after his own financial dispute, leading to the other members to diss him on their subsequent the 1990 EP 100 Miles and Runnin' and EFIL4ZAGGIN, which was released in 1991 and peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. The D.O.C., who contributed to Straight Outta Compton and was still recovering from a car accident that severly altered his strong voice, wrote more rhymes for Dr. Dre and Eazy-E on the EFIL4ZAGGIN album in attempt to fill the void left by Cube.

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