Today in Hip-Hop: Compton’s Most Wanted Drop ‘It’s a Compton Thang’

On this day, May 24, in hip-hop history...

1990: Compton's Most Wanted drops their debut album It's a Compton Thang on Orpheus/Epic. MC Eiht was a pivotal member of the group prior to his solo career.

In the mid–1980's, he group was founded by Tha Chill and Ant Capone, who were writing raps with a neighborhood friend MC Ren. Soon Chill invited Eiht off the street corner to quit hustling and start rapping.

The LP was produced by DJ Slip and The Unknown DJ, two mainstays in the Compton scene at the time. Their first single "This Is Compton" was released in 1989 at a time when N.W.A. was trailblazing for gangster rap on the West Coast. CMW were pioneers alongside Eazy, Dre and the crew, despite getting considerably less props.

In fact, Alonzo Williams, mastermind behind Dr. Dre's first group World Class Wreckin' Cru, signed the group to the Sound Control Mob prior to the group's first single. They started a label called World Class/City Fresh Records, but Ant Capone left prior to their debut album due to contractual and managing issues.

It's a Compton Thang is a hard-hitting mix of street raps and sample-laden, bass-heavy beats. Over 25 years later, it still bangs in the whip.

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