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Straight Outta Compton: NWA’s Sneaker Legacy

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy
Straight Outta Compton: NWA’s Sneaker Legacy

This past weekend it was announced that Dr. Dre will release new music for the first time in over 15 years on Saturday, August 8. Dre’s new album was inspired by the upcoming film Straight Outta Compton. The story of N.W.A. is a well documented one but the combination of new music from Dr. Dre, the film being directed by legendary filmmaker F. Gary Gray, and the buzz of a possible reunited tour for “The World’s Most Dangerous Group” has sparked a level of interest in gangster rap that hasn’t been seen in quite some time.

In fact, with the exception of Kendrick Lamar (and his new Reeboks) and a few others, there really hasn’t been this kind of attention on on west coast hip hop at all in at least a decade. Being from California and an age where N.W.A. was one of my early experiences of hip hop, I couldn’t be more excited for the movie and potential new energy surrounding the music I loved growing up. There is one thing that has long gone overlooked and that’s NWA’s sneaker legacy.

While N.W.A. is known for their game-changing music and the legacy that has unfolded over the last 30 years, something became apparent to me from the comments on a recent Instagram post about my only pair of Air Force 1s. Many people in the hip hop and sneaker community outside of California don’t really understand that back in the day, on the west coast, it wasn’t about Air Force 1s. In fact, one of the things I always admired about the Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren and Yella, the members of NWA, is that they always rocked an extremely diverse group of brands and styles when it came to footwear.

Take a stroll down memory lane with Straight Outta Compton: NWA’s Sneaker Legacy

 

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Yella Wearing Nike Air Jordan 4 Military Blue
Yella Wearing Nike Air Jordan 4 Military Blue, Eazy in the Nike Cortez, Dre and Cube in the Air Force STS

Eazy-E rockin’ the Nike Cortez is what most people would remember from NWA and rightfully so. The Cortez was one of the most important sneakers growing up and if you had the leather joints, you were the man. The Nike Air Force STS, seen on Ice Cube and Dr Dre, is a classic basketball shoe that surprisingly hasn’t been retroed very often. DJ Yella is in the original “Military Blue” Air Jordan 4, another true classic.

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Yella Wearing the Nike Air Jordan 3
Yella Wearing the Nike Air Jordan 3

Yella was clearly a Jordan fan back in the day. What’s dope about this pic is the Nike shirts on Yella and Eazy, and the timeless scripted “Flight” Jordan shirt on Ice Cube.

 

Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Cortez, Dr Dre and Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Force STS
Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Cortez, Dr Dre and Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Force STS

Clearly the Nike Cortez and Air Force STS were the shoes to have back in 1990. Wait, are those joggers on Dre? Let’s take a closer look…

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Dr Dre Wearing the Nike Air Force STS
Dr Dre Wearing the Nike Air Force STS

So Dr Dre was also a pioneer on the cuffed pants, not just on the sound boards? Who knew!

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Eazy-E Wearing the adidas Forum Hi
Eazy-E Wearing the adidas Forum Hi

Eazy-E, RIP, is a legend. Not sure about that stop watch around his neck but the adidas Forum Hi is an iconic footwear choice.

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - MC Ren Wearing the Nike Air Max 90
MC Ren Wearing the Nike Air Max 90

MC Ren steals the shine in this photo wearing the original Air Max 90, in white leather with “NWA colored” accents. Andre Young is in the back right rockin’ the 3 Stripes.

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Dr Dre Wearing the K-Swiss Gstaad
Dr Dre Wearing the K-Swiss Gstaad

K-Swiss, being a California brand, was a natural fit for the late 80s and early 90s. Dr Dre opted for the K-Swiss Gstaad, one of the classic designs from the brand.

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Yella Wearing the Reebok Reverse Jam
Yella Wearing the Reebok Reverse Jam

It’s good to see the guys getting along with law enforcement. Yella, on the right, is straight up stuntin’ on fools with the car alarm remote controls hangin’ out the pocket. Of course those Reebok Reverse Jams are also fire.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - MC Ren Wearing Nike Air Trainer
MC Ren Wearing Nike Air Cross Trainer III

With the Raiders as the (un)official team for NWA, it makes sense that we’d see someone from the group rockin’ Bo Jackson’s. In this case, MC Ren opts for a pair of white, black, and silver Air Cross Trainer IIIs from 1991.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - MC Ren Wearing the Converse Weapon
MC Ren Wearing the Converse Weapon

Despite the storytelling that has NWA in all black all the time, back in 1987, the group was still trying to find its own. Some old school footwear gems can be seen on this Macola Records cover but we gotta call out Ren for rocking those Converse. Especially considering those were the “Larry Bird” versions in the Magic versus Bird era.

 

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Dr Dre Wearing the Nike Delta Force
Dr Dre Wearing the Nike Delta Force

1988’s Express Yourself single featuring Dr. Dre wearing the original Nike Delta Force in white and grey.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Eazy-E Wearing Nike Air Jordan 3
Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Air Jordan 3

Eazy-E in the head-to-toe Nike Air Jordan 3 outfit.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Force STS
Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Force STS

Another shot of the group with Ice Cube in the Nike Air Force STS and Eazy-E in Cortez.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Eazy-E Wearing Nike Cortez
Eazy-E Wearing Nike Cortez

Whether it was Cortez or Reebok Classics, nylons were the standard issue if you were from Cali back in the day. Eazy duz it.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - MC Ren Wearing the Nike Air Flight 90
MC Ren Wearing the Nike Air Flight 90

There is nothing like a fresh pair of white sneakers. They’re the status symbol for an entire generation. However, if you had the money to get something like the Air Flight 90s that MC Ren is wearing…man, the dudes with the visible Air units got all the glory back in the day.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Cortez
Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Cortez

Eazy-E Wearing the Nike Cortez, Dre in Delta Force

Sh*t Happens shirts. Real.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Eazy-E Wearing the adidas Campus
Eazy-E Wearing the adidas Campus

As NWA began to come apart, each of the artists seemed to go their own way. But the influence of each member and the group as a whole carried on through the years. Eazy-E wearing the adidas Campus in front of his 1963 Chevy Impala lowrider.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Flight 90 High
Ice Cube Wearing the Nike Air Flight 90 High

Ice Cube in the Nike Air Flight 90 High. All white leather of course.

Straight Outta Compton: NWA's Sneaker Legacy - Yella Wearing the Nike Air Jordan 3 True Blue
Yella Wearing the Nike Air Jordan 3 True Blue

Who didn’t want a convertible Suzuki Sidekick at some point in 1989…with some True Blue 3s, of course.

Nick Engvallhttp://nickengvall.com
Nick Engvall is a sneaker enthusiast with over 15 years of experience in the footwear business. He has written for publications such as Complex, Sole Collector, and Sneaker News, helped companies like Eastbay, Finish Line, Foot Locker, StockX, and Stadium Goods better connect with their consumers, has an addiction to burritos and Sour Patch Kids, and owns way too many shoes for his own good.
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Nick Engvallhttp://nickengvall.com
Nick Engvall is a sneaker enthusiast with over 15 years of experience in the footwear business. He has written for publications such as Complex, Sole Collector, and Sneaker News, helped companies like Eastbay, Finish Line, Foot Locker, StockX, and Stadium Goods better connect with their consumers, has an addiction to burritos and Sour Patch Kids, and owns way too many shoes for his own good.

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