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This Photo Proves The N.W.A. Movie Is Actually, Finally Happening
Billionaire Dr. Dre tweeted a photo of the cast and release date for the long-awaited N.W.A. biopic, essentially confirming the film was finally set in motion after being stuck in development hell for years.
The photo Dre tweeted pictured the three actors cast to play Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre, kneeling in front of the real-life Ice Cube and Dre and director F. Gary Gray. In front of Ice Cube in the picture is his own son O'Shea Jackson, Jr., whom the rapper has long been pushing for to play himself. Jackson is a chip off the old block (cube?), rapping under the unfortunate stage name of OMG and having been featured with his brother Doughboy on their father's last album.
Dr. Dre will be portrayed by Marcus Callender, a classically trained actor with minor TV credits to his name. The late Eazy-E will be played by Jason Mitchell. No word on whether or not Callender or Mitchell were found at the casting call held in Compton recently. The two rappers and Eazy-E's widow Tomica Wright each hold veto power over casting and the script, and Wright was reportedly the last holdout, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Straight Outta Compton, set to be released on August 14, 2015, will tell the story of the short-lived rap group from Compton. Their first album, which the film is named after, included such infamous songs as the title track, "Fuck Tha Police", and "Gangsta Gangsta" that were accused of glamorizing violence in South Central Los Angeles. Coined "gangsta rap" (apparently by Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold), the music would draw the ire of law enforcement officials, with the Secret Service and FBI each sending letters to their label admonishing the record. Ironically, that only served to give the group more publicity. Straight Outta Compton would go double-Platinum and is today regarded as a classic that changed West Coast rap.
N.W.A. began to crumble through the early 90s as each member left over disputes over royalties and contracts, with the most public spat between Dr. Dre and Eazy-E. Dre's first solo album, The Chronic, opened with the Eazy-E diss track "Fuck wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin')", while E retaliated with "Real Muthaphuckkin G's". The spat would come to an end in 1995, though sadly because of Eazy-E's death from AIDS. They reportedly made amends shortly before he passed away, and all surviving members have since set aside their differences.
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Oh, and if you know somebody looking for an acting gig, Ice Cube tweeted that they weren't done casting the rest of the group yet:
Still looking for our MC Ren and DJ Yella. #straightouttacompton coming 8/14/15
— Ice Cube (@icecube) June 18, 2014
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