N.W.A., short for Niggaz With Attitudes, was started in 1986 by Eazy-E (Eric Wright), Dr. Dre (Andre Wright), MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson), Ice Cube (O'Shea Jackson), and DJ Yella (Antoine Carraby). The deal was not to crank out the same type of danceable radio-friendly pop records that could easily get airplay, but instead to push the envelope of profanity, violence, and all that "normal society" deemed as decent.

Ice Cube left the group after the release of the first album, Straight Outta Compton, over a financial dispute, and started a solo career. Instead of buckling, NWA went on to record the EP 100 Miles And Runnin' which was immediately followed up with Efil4zaggin. Soon after, however, the group split, each member going their own separate way.