N.W.A. and the Posse is a compilation album, re-releasing N.W.A and associated groups' underground rap songs from the Los Angeles area's rap scene on November 6, 1987. It is regarded as American rap group N.W.A's first but neglected album; N.W.A's authorized debut studio album, rather, is Straight Outta Compton, released in January 1989. Whereas Straight Outta Compton was certified platinum, one million copies sold that July, N.W.A. and the Posse was certified gold, half as many copies sold, in April 1994.
Backstory
Originally not N.W.A.'s intended album release, the Posse album was released by Macola Records—which was then the Los Angeles hip-hop scene's main distributor—by collecting songs, mainly from N.W.A.'s EP titled N.W.A., that Macola had distributed for Ruthless Records, a record label set up by N.W.A.'s Eazy-E.
Six of the 11 tracks on the N.W.A And The Posse album are from then-N.W.A. members: Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Arabian Prince. MC Ren and DJ Yella were not yet in N.W.A, however the former does appear on the cover photograph. One track is of Microphone Mike, later called Myka 9, along with Rappinstine, a traveling faction of the DJ crew World Class Wreckin' Cru, whose core had yielded N.W.A.'s Dr. Dre and DJ Yella.
Four of the Posse album's tracks are from the Fila Fresh Crew, In November 1989, after the commercial success of Straight Outta Compton that same year, Ruthless' distributor Priority Records re-issued the N.W.A And The Posse album with the track "A Bitch iz a Bitch" replacing "Scream". The success of Eazy’s single "Boyz-n-the-Hood" prompted Eazy's call for an N.W.A EP, distributed by Macola. due to being sick on the day the photo was taken (although he also was not active within the group yet, just a close friend of Dre). Rapper Candyman is also in the photo, bottom right kneeling down.
Track list
All songs produced by Dr. Dre and Arabian Prince.
Notes
- Panic Zone and Dope Man contains uncredited vocals from Krazy Dee