Tuesday, November 6, 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of the release of N.W.A's compilation album, "N.W.A. & The Posse." The record served as the introduction of one of the most highly regarded politically charged groups in rap history. Lead by Eazy-E, the Compton crew also included members Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella.
N.W.A. has been nominated to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2013.
N.W.A. & The Posse Factoids:
Inspired A Movie - Released one year before N.W.A's debut album, "Straight Outta Compton," the compilation included the Eazy-E song "Boyz-n-the-Hood" that would inspire the 1991 film "Boyz n the Hood." The song was penned by Ice Cube.
[Related: Ice Cube releases new song, "Everythang's Corrupt"]
The movie, written and directed by John Singleton, earned Oscar nominations for Best Director and Original Screenplay and served as the theatrical debut for Cube, who played the character Doughboy.
DJ YellaSomeone Is Missing On The Cover - All of the members of N.W.A are pictured on the album cover except for DJ Yella. According to Ice Cube, Yella is not in the photograph because he had not yet joined N.W.A. DJ Yella had previously worked with Dr. Dre as a member of the World Class Wreckin' Cru that scored the hit "Turn Off The Lights."
The Posse Spray-painted The Graffiti Backdrop - The guys in the photo actually provided the background artwork for the photo, according to Sir Jinx, Dr. Dre's cousin and producer for Ice Cube's early solo albums. "[Eazy-E] went and bought a bunch of neon spray cans. He knew I did graffiti, so I did as much as I could," Jinx told L.A. Weekly in 2010. "If you look at the picture, and you look at me, my name is right next to me, you see 'J-I-N.' Everybody then kinda grabbed a spray can and the neon cans and wrote on the wall behind us."
One Track Was Replaced - The song "Scream" by Rappinstine only appears on the 1987 original version of "N.W.A. & The Posse." On 1989 re-release, the song "A B-tch Iz A B-tch" appears in its place.
For a round up on all of the guys pictured on the "N.W.A. & The Posse" album cover, check out the L.A. Weekly story "What Ever Happened To N.W.A.'s Posse?"