N.W.A., an acronym for Niggaz With Attitude, was a rap group that formed in 1986. From Compton, California, the group helped coin the term and genre of gangsta rap, which derived from hardcore hip-hop and the often violent nature of urban youth lifestyles. N.W.A. stirred controversy with its explicit lyrics and found much of its music banned from radio stations. The group's 1988 debut album Straight Outta Compton, was centered on inner-city life and social criticisms of police, particularly racial profiling and police brutality. Arabian Prince, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube and MC Ren originally made up N.W.A. before Ice Cube left over business disagreements and Arabian Prince left to pursue a solo career in 1989. Due to tension and arguments between the group members, the 1991 release Niggaz4Life was the group's last album.
