S T R A I G H T O U T T A C O M P T O N
Straight Outta Compton is the classic stereotypical 90s hip hop rap song and video, with a very iconic album cover of this time. First of all the whole band is wearing very casual, classic 90s clothing which would make the audience feel they can relate to them better. This also represents them as more lower class, making this band possibly more popular to this specific audience.. As well as this, the beginning lyrics "You are now about to witness the strength of street knowledge" is obviously a direct referral to the audience watching, this is shown with one of the members in a close up shot directly telling this to the audience with a flame overlapping the video, showing the violence these bands have. Throughout the rest of the video it mainly shows shots of the band walking and rapping, but then also a man receiving a phone call and shots rapidly changing from the band to police themed photos.Then the video changes where the band is being chased by the police and eventually get caught and thrown into jail vans. Quickly after this, it switches to videos of N.W.A throwing stones and the van as they somehow been released, and shouting at police cars which go past.
THEMES OF RACISM
Throughout the video there are many of themes where racism is apparent, and N.W.A make this obvious by showing the police brutality throughout the video. These references will draw in black audiences and other minority groups who have experienced similar or the same racism with the police. N.W.A are shown to almost be conforming to the sterortypes of criminals being black, and using this to translate how tough they are instead and how actually the police should be scared. Police brutality is shown when they have finally caught up with the band and are handcuffing them with some of them on the ground looking in pain, and then also being brutally shoved into the police van. Interestingly, I noticed that one of the police officers were black, which completely contrasts this which N.W.A maybe did deliberately. In many of N.W.A's songs they speak about racism, and how the racist should be afraid of them for example the lyric in 'Straight Outta Compton' that if anyone should see N.W.A they should 'duck'. These themes of resilience and fighting back from racism is still appealing to a modern audience especially a black audience who might have received the same or similar types of racism. In modern society we are more aware of police brutality towards minority groups especially people of black ethnicity due to the Black Lives Matter campaign. The song highlights how long this has been going on for.
D I G I P A C K / A L B U M C O V E R
This iconic and powerful album cover features the N.W.A title in the top in the middle in a red colour, which reflects blood and violence possibly giving the audience an understanding of the themes they carry. Below this is the album name "Straight Outta Compton" in similar font to the bands name, which is in white possibly reflecting on there desire for peace. The photo in the middle features the whole band standing from a height looking down at the camera which is on the floor, this makes me as an audience feel intimidated by this powerful photo of the band above. They are dressed in the same 90s baggy clothes as they always have throughout there videos, which immediately tells the audience which class the band falls under (lower class). I believe the audience will find this photo very striking and powerful, feeling intimidated by them by there positioning above almost as they are looking at you.
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