N.W.A - Greatest Hits [Bonus Track] (CD)

All Music Guide

N.W.A.'s career isn't necessarily one that lends itself well to anthologies. Though they had important singles, especially in the underground hip-hop community in the late '80s, they never received any support from radio or MTV, which meant they never had any official "hits." Instead, their albums were more important, popular, and influential, than their singles, even if individual tracks -- "Fuck tha Police," "Straight Outta Compton," "Gangsta Gangsta," "Express Yourself" -- became the focus of attention. And, if you notice, all those songs were from Straight Outta Compton: the only good album the group ever made. Greatest Hits does include all of the high points from that album (the title track is present in a previously unavailable remix), plus a scatter-shot sampling of raw early singles and the highlights from 100 Miles Runnin' and Niggaz4Life. It's nice to have the good tracks isolated from the group's latter-day efforts, but Greatest Hits is unnecessary -- all you need is Strai...ght Outta Compton. [Greatest Hits was reissued in 2003 and includes two bonus tracks: "Chin Check" and "Hello."] - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read more Less