Didn’t even know what a “64” was before this flick…

You’ve reached Wednesday, the one day of the week where you’re at a total loss on what to do. And it’s not hard to see why. You’ve halfway through the work week, but still aren’t close enough to the weekend to start your weekly bender. All you can do is bunker down and hope to find the will to get through the next two days. Well, if you’re looking for a solid way to pass the time tonight, we have you covered. Or more specifically, Netflix’s Straight Outta Compton has you covered.

Based on the true events surrounding Los Angeles rap group N.W.A.’s rise to superstardom, the 2015 film is an explosive ode to street culture, hip hop and everything the hip hop pioneers achieved in the late ’80s/early ’90s. From calling out police brutality on concert stages to giving the world an unfiltered glimpse into what life was (and still is) like for the marginalised portions of society, it’s safe to say what director F. Gary Gray and his cast achieved in two-and-a-half hour epic was nothing short of exceptional. And aside from all the deep stuff, it’s just a fun as hell flick, bursting with action, laughs and enough solid performances to rival your usual Oscar-bait ensemble.

And so, our minds are made up. Tonight you’re hopping on Netflix and chucking on Straight Outta Compton. If you need some more persuasion (although we don’t see how), we have five reasons that’ll help convince you it’s the only option. Check it below.

A hip hop biopic done right

Any hip hop or rap fan would be well aware of the effect NWA had on music in the late 80s/ early 90s, but to see it splayed on the big screen was a true sight to behold. Of course, hip hop biopics don’t have the best track record in recent years (I’m looking at you Notorious and All Eyez On Me), but to see it done right was beyond satisfying.

The concert scenes

Imagine a hip hop concert where you don’t have every second punter waving their phone in the air or just being an obnoxious douche? Concerts from back in the day were about the music, first and foremost, and it’s a sentiment well captured in the concert scenes in Straight Outta Compton. The sheer intensity NWA were known for is well captured in these moments a swell, the scenes of performances of ‘Fuck Tha Police’ and ‘Dopeman’ helping transport you back to the golden age of hip hop.

Don’t fuck with Ice Cube

If there’s one thing we took away from this movie (aside from making sure to never sign a contract without reading it), it’s to NOT fuck with Ice Cube, as he’ll clap back at you ten times harder. Whether it be diss tracks or smashing record label offices up with a baseball bat, old mate was easily the most hardcore characters in the whole film. Which reminds me, I’m instituting a “no baseball bats” rule in the office after this flick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjgPOLbuVqo

A Snoop Dogg actor who looks absolutely nothing like him

I know, we’ve spent this article praising this movie but man, whoever was in charge of casting Snoop Dogg majorly fucked up here. Don’t get me wrong, Lakeith Stanfield is a gun and if you’ve seen Atlanta or Knives Out, you’d know he’s a a stellar actor. But he couldn’t look more different from the ‘Gin & Juice’ rapper, and it was quite hilarious to see him take on the role of the legendary MC, so much so that it actually adds to the film in some strange way.

The grittiness

Stories about the West Coast hip hop scene are filled with enough violence, street smarts and intensity to make you think you were listening to make-believe. And it’s all perfectly captured in the Oscar-nominated flick, right down to the town of Compton, which Eazy-E traverses (parkour style) in the opening scene. There’s no watering down of the events that took place or attempts to market it to a mainstream audience, which is definitely hard to avoid on the big screen these days.