N.W.A. was an American hip-hop group from Compton, California, in the late-80s and early-90s. Its five core members were Eazy-E , Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Their popular, controversial music included explicit references to gang life, drugs, sex, and distaste for authority, especially the police. None other song compared to the controversy that surrounded “Fuck tha Police.” The song parodies a criminal trial, wherein Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy-E testify against the police department to a judge (Dr. Dre). The lyrics—and, indeed, the prosecutors—strongly criticize the police department for stereotyping, falsely arresting, and even brutalizing minorities. In their verses, Ice Cube, MC Ren, and Eazy-E also make threats toward police officers; these lyrics were the subject of the most controversy, though their alarming content was effective in creating conversation about racism and militarization in the police force. The song became increasingly relevant a few years later in the wake of the Rodney King beating, and it continued to be used as a protest song well into the 21st century. [Read more].