"Gangsta Gangsta" is the second single from American hip hop group

N.W.A N.W.A (an abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group whose members were among the earliest and most significant popularizers and controversial figures of the gangsta rap subgenre, and the group is widely considered ...

's 1988 album, '' Straight Outta Compton''. The song later appeared on the '' N.W.A Greatest Hits'' album and ''

The Best of N.W.A. - The Strength of Street Knowledge ''The Best of N.W.A: The Strength of Street Knowledge'' is a greatest hits album by American hip hop group N.W.A. It was released on December 26, 2006 through Priority Records with a bonus DVD material (deluxe 20th anniversary edition). It contai ...

''.

Background

The song conveys the dangers of living in the streets of

Compton Compton may refer to: Places Canada * Compton (electoral district), a former Quebec federal electoral district * Compton (provincial electoral district), a former Quebec provincial electoral district now part of Mégantic-Compton * Compton, Que ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and

South Central Los Angeles South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of downtown. It is "defined on Los Angeles city maps as a ...

but also speaks of the appealing side of "gangsta life". The song has been covered or otherwise remade several times since its release, among them include versions done by The Game,

Mack 10 Dedrick D'Mon Rolison (born August 9, 1971), better known by his stage name Mack 10, is an American rapper. He has sold nearly 11 million records combining his solo and group works. Mack 10 made his first appearance on Ice Cube's 1994 " Bootle ...

and the 57th Street Rogue Dog with

Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold over two ...

and a parody of the lyrics appear in "The Salaminizer" by

Gwar Gwar, often stylized as GWAR, is an American heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia in 1984, composed of and operated by a frequently rotating line-up of musicians, artists and filmmakers collectively known as Slave Pit Inc. After th ...

. The first three verses are delivered by Ice Cube. The fourth and final verse is delivered by Eazy-E. The song is interspersed with interjections from other N.W.A. members. The song contains samples from "God Make Me Funky" by

The Headhunters The Headhunters are an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History (and name) Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with a s ...

, "Weak At The Knees" by Steve Arrington, "My Philosophy" by

Boogie Down Productions Boogie Down Productions (BDP) was an American hip hop group originally composed of KRS-One, D-Nice, and DJ Scott La Rock. DJ Scott La Rock was murdered on August 27, 1987, five months after the release of BDP's debut album, '' Criminal Minde ...

and "Be Thankful For What You Got" by

William DeVaughn William Edward DeVaughn Jr. (born November 28, 1947) is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known for the million-selling hit song "Be Thankful for What You Got" in 1974. Biography DeVaughn was a salaried government emp ...

among others.

Track listing

Charts

References

{{authority control 1988 singles 1988 songs N.W.A songs Song recordings produced by Dr. Dre Songs written by Ice Cube Songs about crime Ruthless Records singles