Includes bibliographical references (pages 383-409) and index.

The stash -- Sir Romeo -- We'll pull your card -- OG -- I'm not giving you shit -- A little bit of gold and a pager -- All hell breaks loose -- Most wanted -- Me and Allah go back like cronies -- Like winning the lottery -- The enforcer -- L.A.'s on fire -- Silencing the messenger -- The funk -- The heir and the janitor -- It's on -- What's my name? -- Negative rap -- The one by his side -- Time to testify -- Political prophet -- My .44 make sure y'all kids don't grow -- Potential leads -- Trepidation and bravado.

"A monumental, revealing narrative history about the legendary group of artists at the forefront of West Coast hip-hop: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg, and Tupac Shakur,"--Amazon.com.

1980s Los Angeles. Amid rising gang violence, the crack epidemic, and police brutality, a group of unlikely voices cut through the chaos: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glammed-up producer, and a high school kid, N.W.A gave voice to disenfranchised African Americans across the country, and redefined pop culture across the world. Westhoff explores how this group of artists shifted the balance of hip-hop; how their shocking success lead to rivalries between members, record labels, and eventually a war between East Coast and West Coast factions. In the process, hip-hop burst into mainstream America, and became the most dominant musical movement of the last thirty years.

"Amid rising gang violence, the crack epidemic, and police brutality, a group of unlikely voices cut through the chaos of late 1980s Los Angeles: N.W.A. Led by a drug dealer, a glammed-up producer, and a high school kid, N.W.A gave voice to disenfranchised African Americans across the country. And they quickly redefined pop culture across the world. Their names remain as popular as ever--Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube. Dre soon joined forces with Suge Knight to create the combustible Death Row Records, which in turn transformed Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur into superstars. Ben Westhoff explores how this group of artists shifted the balance of hip-hop from New York to Los Angeles. He shows how N.W.A.'s shocking success lead to rivalries between members, record labels, and eventually a war between East Coast and West Coast factions. In the process, hip-hop burst into mainstream America at a time of immense social change, and became the most dominant musical movement of the last thirty years. At gangsta rap's peak, two of its biggest names--Tupac and Biggie Smalls--were murdered, leaving the surviving artists to forge peace before the genre annihilated itself. Featuring extensive investigative reporting, interviews with the principal players, and dozens of never-before-told stories, Original Gangstas is a groundbreaking addition to the history of popular music." -- Publisher's description