Rudimentary yet undoubtedly cornerstone,
It's a Compton Thang
brings together for the first time a talented group of
rap
artists highlighted by future and former West Coast legends --
MC Eiht
and
the Unknown DJ
, respectively -- that would build upon the prototype
N.W.A
had established two years earlier on
Straight Outta Compton
.
Compton's Most Wanted
follow that prototype very closely here, even going so far as sampling
on the album opener,
"One Time Gaffled 'Em Up."
is more than simply a second-rate
, though. In fact, it expands upon that prototype, specifically with late-album highlight
"Late Night Hype,"
a laid-back
G-funk
ballad
that would set the stage for a million others in the coming years. Beyond historical significance,
doesn't quite measure up to what
CMW
would do in subsequent years.
The Unknown DJ
DJ Slip
piece together some memorable productions from classic samples, among them
James Brown
's
"Payback"
on
"Final Chapter,"
and the rappers similarly deliver some uniquely old-school style, yet all of this is more novel than anything, particularly to contemporary listeners -- more reminiscent of the much-treasured
golden age
than the much-criticized
gangsta
age. And while that
sense is precisely what's so much fun about this album, it's not what
would embody thereafter, as they hardened both their production and their rapping, which are anything but hard here. All of that aside, the true beauty of
is the initial synthesis of former
electro
legend
with future
icon
as well as the pleasant reminder that West Coast
gangsta rap
was once more about old-fashioned fun than cheap thrills. ~ Jason Birchmeier