Seeing as Straight Outta Compton is the much-anticipated biopic about NWA, the iconic hip-hop group, one can imagine there was a lot of pressure to create a soundtrack just as legendary as the movie's stars. The film is in theaters as of Aug. 14, so when and where can you get the Straight Outta Compton soundtrack? Interestingly, there are two very different answers to this question. The first is that the album is available on iTunes and Apple Music, having been released on Aug. 7. The other answer is that you can't listen to the Straight Outta Compton soundtrack anywhere, because it doesn't exist. Confused? No worries — here's a breakdown of the situation.
The album released on Aug. 7 is called "Compton: A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre," and it is "inspired by" the film, the rapper told DJ Big Boy in a radio interview. "Compton" is Dr. Dre's first album in 15 years, and his third overall. In the radio interview, held last March, he hinted at the soundtrack's existence, saying, "I'm working on something right now. I don't want to put it out there just yet and say that I'm definitely gonna put it out. But I'm really feeling what I'm working on right now. This would be a record that's inspired by the movie."
There wasn't much more talk of any new record, though, until Dr. Dre announced the album's completion himself on his Beats 1 radio show. Said the rapper, "During principal photography, I felt myself going to the studio and being so inspired by the movie that I started recording an album...I kept it under wraps, and now the album is finished. It's bananas. It's an 'inspired by' album. It's inspired by Straight Outta Compton, we're gonna call the album 'Compton: The Soundtrack.'"
So although the album has both "Compton" and "Soundtrack" in the title, it's not a soundtrack in the traditional "Music from the Motion Picture" sense. This is understandable, though, since the film revolves around the NWA's already-released music — including the titular "Straight Outta Compton" debut album released by the group in 1988. Dre's "Compton," therefore, can be considered a companion album to the film, celebrating the NWA's legacy with new tracks that feature many hip hop greats. Check out the track list below:
1. Intro
2. Talk About It (ft. King Mez & Justus)
3. Genocide (ft. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius & Candice Pillay)
4. It’s All On Me (ft. Justus & BJ the Chicago Kid)
5. All In a Day’s Work (ft. Anderson Paak & Marsha Ambrosius)
6. Darkside/Gone (ft. King Mez, Marsha Ambrosius & Kendrick Lamar)
7. Loose Cannons (ft. Xzibit & COLD 187um)
8. Issues (ft. Ice Cube & Anderson Paak)
9. Deep Water (ft. Kendrick Lamar & Justus)
10. One Shot One Kill (Jon Connor ft. Snoop Dogg)
11. Just Another Day (The Game ft. Asia Bryant)
12. For the Love of Money (ft. Jill Scott & Jon Connor)
13. Satisfiction (ft. Snoop Dogg, Marsha Ambrosius & King Mez)
14. Animals (ft. Anderson Paak)
15. Medicine Man (ft. Eminem, Candice Pillay & Anderson Paak)
16. Talking To My Diary
It's an impressive compilation of collaborations, to say the least. So, while the bad news is that there's *technically* no official Straight Outta Compton soundtrack, the good news is that there's something better: a brand-new album inspired by the movie, created by one of the people on whom the movie is based. Does it get any cooler than that?
Listen to "Genocide" below:
Image: Aftermath
