“Straight Outta Compton” is a film that is based on the rise and fall of hip-hop group N.W.A. which comprises some American gangsta rappers. The biographical drama was directed by F. Gary Gray in 2015. The major protagonists in the film are Andre Young (Dr. Dre), Eric Wright (Eazy-E), and O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube). These characters were brought up in Campton city, California, a place known for the disreputable gang violence practice and issues of the drug trade, therefore experiencing anything that was done in town, especially racial discrimination, violence, police brutality, and poverty. In general, the social life of the three characters was characterized by the society in Compton.
‘Role’ is one of the social aspects portrayed by the film group and the general society. In the hip-hop group, every protagonist is assigned some roles to play. Society grows because of the roles played by its members (Csikszentmihalyi, 52). Working as a team made the group successful. Dr. Dre served the role of the producer, Ice Cube operated as the writer of the most of the team’s lyrics, while Eazy-E was the investor or the dream holder of the group and focused on getting studio time as he led the team. Having been involved in gangsta activities, Eazy-E was fit for the leadership of the Gangsta rap group. Jerry Heller played the duty of managing the group in the film. He offered the necessary assistance to the three characters concerning issues related to financial advice, career coaching, concert bookings, and conflict management process. The group also played a major role in society. The N.W.A.’s were involved in the role of informing the society about the nature of streets of Compton based on their “behavior projected of an individual who is in a specific social place.” Consequently, it was possible for the streets to change equally with the local dwellers due to the roles played by the group (Csikszentmihalyi, 52). The group functioned through the caring about what was said by other people, and the three were also careless, something which made people love them.
The film is associated with criminological theories, that is, Social Disorganization Theory and General Strain Theory. Through these theories, it is possible for the audience to understand life in Compton and the journey of the boy while escaping from crime-based life. According to Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory, which was sourced from Merton’s Strain Theory, the society set up needs to have the capacity to control deviance (Lianos and McGrath, 680). Merton supposed that the society members are forced to accomplish its goals, for instance, the American Dream, which was to be achieved through education and hard work.
However, on some occasions when people focus on the attainment of culturally admirable objectives, it becomes impossible for them because of the experience of anomie, which makes them become disconnected from the particular society. In the film, the African American young people in Compton city have the dream of making some difference and rule over others. Through this theory, it is possible to explain the life of the majority of young people in Compton (Lianos and McGrath, 682). The three characters are considered to have been troubled since they grew up encountering strain due to their exposure to negative stimuli like racism. Consequently, the three protagonists lived a life of crime and ended up becoming street gangsters and being affected by many marital issues. Jackson, Young, Wright, and Lorenzo Patterson (MC Ren) and Antione Carraby (DJ Yella) had distinct visions. They did not intend to be identified as drug traders or live a life where they looked over their shoulder; however, because they never wanted to be known as ‘nigga,' they had to look for a solution. The characters begin by being motivated to accomplish legitimate ends in the form of money; whereby they made music (Lianos and McGrath, 683). Nonetheless, even though they were on ethical conduct, they ended up experiencing strain based on undesirable stimuli like racism subjected by police officers. This caused them to make music, but with hidden motives to defy the police.
Among the five men, Eazy E was identified as the most problematic person, therefore fitting in Agnews Strain Theory. As the group was looking forward to leaving Compton and lend a productive life that had no marital, violence, and crime issues, their journey was cut short by a hard way. In the film, Eazy E, Dr. Dre, and Ice Cube were identified by the other society members as the members with most crimes. However, Dre and Cube retained the level of offense they were engaged in. What they would directly rebind back for their opportunities of recognition would not be stopped. Eazy E, fit in this theory since he led a crime-based life and finally lost everything including life and personal friends. Money was the primary source of his motivation (Lianos and McGrath, 684). Given that he was a beginner drug trader when he was joining the hip-hop group, he conducted some of his adventurous behavior with him.
Nevertheless, the moment Eric joined the music industry, he turned to be financially stable, although the status was only there for a while as he finally lost his money and home. Eric finally decided of selling drugs, which was an illegitimate way of making money and was a positively valued goal, as music, which was a legitimate way based on the situation was no longer a means of him to make returns (Lianos and McGrath, 684). His entire dreams were cut short, and finally, he lost his life due to the several relationships that he was involved in. Eazy followed the same path of other Young-African Americans living in Compton, as he died at his young age for his foolish conduct. However, his friends focused on being successful and living their imagined life.
The disorganized social theory connects crime rates to locality environmental features, hence, a significant norm of social disorganization theory of the aspect of the place being vital. This theory-based perspective describes the community variations in crime levels (Weisburd et al., 501). Despite the power, as practiced by the police officers at Compton, social disorganization was the primary cause of crime in the city. The reported crimes in the town were many, but power and authority were poorly practiced, and this led to the discrimination of the minorities or the young African Americans. The city of Compton was a place where crime began and the lifestyle encouraged crime. In the film, the city tends to be the hot spot of drug sale epidemic, therefore the city fitting as the transitional region of the social disorganization theory. This theory identifies that once the community members are able to retain good connections, criminal activities are less developed (Weisburd et al., 503). In Compton, there is poverty and dwellers are from mixed racial groups. This causes the rise in delinquency level due to the interruption of the community member’s capabilities to work as a team.
Poverty is identified as one of the primary reasons why people are involved in criminal activities. Engaging in crime is a significant way of life of people's ability to achieve their goals in Compton. In the film, Eazy E. was brought up in a low-income family and grew up being part of the notorious neighborhood because of its engagement in crime and gang activities. Eazy’s parents worked for little pay. After dropping out of school when he was in the tenth grade, he only found the way in his life through trading drugs. This activity enabled him to earn a lot of money but left the business after his cousin got killed and yet he was the one who guided him through the business. Therefore, as per the Social disorganization theory, Eazy was transitioned from one state to the other, as he invested his money in hip-hop music (Weisburd et al., 505).
Finally, the film characters were able to record hits, and this enabled the N.W.A to record its famous album "Straight Outta Compton. The film indicates that the character’s social life was characterized by living a society that was full of criminal activities, playing individual roles and focusing on having changes in life. In the film, the three characters concentrate on living a successful life irrespective of the nature of life at Compton.
Work Cited
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly. "Society, culture, and person: A systems view of creativity." The Systems Model of Creativity. Springer, Dordrecht, 2014. 47-61.
Film: Straight Outta Compton; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jompvgbxfQ
Lianos, Helen, and Andrew McGrath. "Can the General Theory of Crime and General Strain Theory Explain Cyberbullying Perpetration?." Crime & Delinquency 64.5 (2018): 674-700.
Weisburd, David, Elizabeth R. Groff, and Sue-Ming Yang. "The importance of both opportunity and social disorganization theory in a future research agenda to advance criminological theory and crime prevention at places." Journal of research in crime and delinquency 51.4 (2014): 499-508.
