Watch the 'Straight Outta Compton' Trailer Ice Cube Showed to Fans

The ni**az with attitude are here! Well, almost. Hip-hop fans who remember the dominance of the west coast rap scene have been anxious for any footage from Straight Outta Compton, about the rise of N.W.A. And apparently Ice Cube knows it because he excitedly dropped the first trailer on audiences at a concert in Sydney, Australia. This isn't an official release by any means but a pretty good quality version obtained by a fan in attendance.

Directed by F. Gary Gray, the film has Ice Cube portrayed by his son O'Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins as Dr. Dre, Jason Mitchell as Easy-E, Aldis Hodge as MC Ren, and Neil Brown as DJ Yella. But what could be amazing is Paul Giamatti as embattled manager Jerry Heller, who along with having some incredible hair will have some drag-out fights with the group over money.

Color me very excited over this one as everybody seems to fit their roles perfectly, and that was always the one aspect most were concerned about.

Straight Outta Compton opens August 14th 2015. We'll update this post with an official version once it is made available.

Read More

First Look at the Cast of N.W.A. Biopic 'Straight Outta Compton'

In today's world of homogenized hip-hop, a groundbreaking group like N.W.A. seems even more impressive. The controversial collective of west coast rappers gained notoriety for their hard gangsta lyrics that drove the cops nuts, bangin' beats that pumped on car stereos everywhere, and street attitude that became a fixture of the genre. Former members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, along with the late Eazy-E's mother have been trying to put together Straight Outta Compton, a biopic on their past exploits. And with a director secured and young actors cast to play the rap group, the first image of them together has arrived.

First up, a bit of a correction as it was reported earlier this week that Marcus Callendar had won the role of Dr. Dre in the film. Turns out that's not the case and Corey Hawkins (Non-Stop, Romeo & Juliet) will play the famous rapper/producer. The photo give us a look at Cube,whose son O'Shea Jackson Jr. is a spitting image of his dad; Dre, director F. Gary Gray, and co-stars Hawkins and Jason Mitchell.  Universal plans to release the film on August 14th 2015.

In the mid-1980s, the streets of Compton, California, were some of the most dangerous in the country.  When five young men translated their experiences growing up into brutally honest music that rebelled against abusive authority, they gave an explosive voice to a silenced generation.  Following the meteoric rise and fall of N.W.A., STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON tells the astonishing story of how these youngsters revolutionized music and pop culture forever the moment they told the world the truth about life in the hood and ignited a cultural war.

Starring O’Shea Jackson Jr., Corey Hawkins and Jason Mitchell as Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E, STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON is directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, Set It Off, The Italian Job).  The drama is produced by original N.W.A. members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, who are joined by fellow producers Matt Alvarez and Tomica Woods-Wright.  Will Packer serves as executive producer of the film alongside Gray.

Read More

Unknowns Cast as Dr. Dre and Eazy-E in N.W.A. Biopic 'Straight Outta Compton'

After years of struggling to find the right screenwriter and director for Straight Outta Compton, the biopic on influential hip hop group N.W.A., the film is finally starting to come together. F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job) is directing, and just days ago we learned Ice Cube's son O'Shea Jackson Jr. would play his father. While there had been some speculation the sons of Dr. Dre and Eazy-E would attempt the same, it will instead be two relative unknowns playing the group's other primary members.

Theatre actor Marcus Callendar will play producer/rapper Dr. Dre, while Jason Mitchell is Eazy-E. Callendar has had small roles on CBS dramas Blue Bloods and Elementary, while Mitchell appeared in two Mark Wahlberg movies, Broken City and Contraband. Still no word on who will the group's other members, DJ Yella and MC Ren, the latter an integral part of their success as a writer and rapper.

Filming will likely begin soon for release some time in 2015.  [Billboard]

Read More