Getting back to the greatest American band debate for me today, I'm going to dip back in the world of rap and nominate N.W.A.

N.W.A. are one of the most influential bands of all time. Their members were creators of an all new genre of rap music. They, for all intents and purposes, created listenable gangster rap. Their music wasn't just for the people from Compton, it was for everyone everywhere in the US. They made gangster rap accessible. Sure, people that lived in the suburbs of Missouri, Michigan and Tennessee didn't want to visit Compton, but N.W.A painted such a clear picture through their words, you knew what they were talking about, or you at least had your own idea.

What makes N.W.A. even better, they did all of this on one album. The group only released one full length record, but that record is so influential. Sure, they released other albums under the name N.W.A, but nothing compares to the magnitude of "Straight Outta Compton". That album is an absolute masterpiece. As I said, it gave the entire world a view of the gangster lifestyle and how tough it was to be a young, black man in the ghetto. I have not spent one single second in a ghetto, but this album gives me a vision of a horrible, scary and ruthless place. They do such a great job of portraying this. The album is also full of all time hits. Songs like "Straight Outta Compton", "Boyz in the Hood", "F&^k tha Police" and "Express Yourself" are absolutely phenomenal. When you open the album with "Straight Outta Compton", it lets you know and hear how great the members of this group truly were. Ice Cube explodes on the record, rapping with a vicious and ferocious rhyme scheme and it is awesome. He rips apart the lyrics and just crushes his verses throughout the whole song. When you hear the first lyrics, I get goosebumps and I'm ready to hear one of the greatest rap songs of all time. Dr. Dre kills it on the production and scratching of this song. He was/is truly a musical genius. He was pretty much the catalyst for this group to get started and you can hear his influence on this track. Eazy E is incredible, as he is on all of their songs. He has that high pitched, almost whiny cadence, but damn, it is infectious and he is a master on the mic. I really like his voice and I still haven't heard anyone like him to this day. "Straight Outta Compton" is the most perfect gateway song to the world of N.W.A. It tells you almost everything you need to know about this band.

Right after "Straight Outta Compton", we get what may be their most popular and most recognizable song, "F&*K tha Police". This track is a masterpiece. This song came from all the abuse that the members took from the police in Compton and, once again, they paint a very real picture that almost everyone can imagine, but not relate to. I've been harassed by the police before, in my teen years I had dreads and listened to a ton of Bob Marley, but I never experienced anything they rap about on the song. Once again, Ice Cube is at the forefront of this track and, once again, he is truly killing it. Ice Cube, who is very famous, and I will touch on that in a bit, but he is the most underrated person in N.W.A. He is just as important as Dr. Dre and Eazy E, but not everyone talks about him the same way they do about the others. On "F&*k tha Police", he comes out and calls the police racist and points out that, since they have authority, they choose to only go after minorities. His words and his lyricism are timeless and incredible. This song is so true and so bleak and so heart breaking, but it is so good. I, much like every fan of N.W.A, love this song.

"Express Yourself" is Dr. Dre at his best. He didn't rap a whole lot when he was in N.W.A, but his producing and beat making are top notch and this track is a primary example of his genius. He samples an old funk/rock song, that goes by the same name, and puts the emcees, Eazy E, Ice Cube and MC Ren, on full display. "Express Yourself" has one of the best beats in all of rap music and it is 100 percent due to Dr. Dre. It is a really, really good song.

Then, there's Eazy E's introduction to the world on "Boyz in the Hood". This song introduced us to the tiny, whiny, but super infectious cadence of Eazy E. When he starts rapping on "Boyz in the Hood", I can't help but rap along with him. When he starts out, "rolling down the street in my 6 4", I know that I'm in for a great time, accompanied by Eazy E's super unique style of rapping. This song is so great and Eazy E is so great. I love that he was a dope dealer, was friends with Dr. Dre and Ice Cube, and they just threw him on a track, and he absolutely killed it. I love that song.

N.W.A is one of the greatest rap groups of all time. Hell, they are one of the greatest groups of all time. They gave us gangster rap. They made it accessible for everyone. They painted a real picture of how tough it is to be young and black in the ghetto. They are pioneers and they did it on one record. Imagine what they would have become had Eazy E not gotten sick with AIDS. Eazy E was a great rapper, but he needed those other guys with him. He was the guy that bank rolled the group in their early years, but he became a star while recording with N.W.A. MC Ren was a very good rapper and was a perfect fit in N.W.A. He had a hard edge to his voice and was a great counter to the style of Eazy E. He has done some other stuff, like creating his own label, but he is most famous for his work in N.W.A. DJ Yella was a great DJ, but he pales in comparison to Dr. Dre. He's done other stuff, most notably with the group the Wrecking Crew, with Dr. Dre, but he will also be best known for his work in N.W.A.

Dr. Dre is ultra famous. I think we all know that. He was the driving force behind N.W.A and he was easily one of the harder workers and that shows in his later work. After leaving N.W.A, he and Suge Knight founded Death Row Records. In doing this, he discovered and helped some of the best talent to ever rap. He introduced the world to Snoop Dog on "Nuthin But a G Thang" on his classic record "The Chronic". Snoop was a very little known rapper until he met Dr. Dre and then he absolutely blew up. Dr. Dre also worked a ton with Tupac while both were on Death Row Records. They recorded some of the best rap songs of all time, most notably, "California Love". After leaving Death Row, he started his own label, Aftermath, and he has achieved great success. He discovered guys like Eminem and 50 Cent, just to name a few. Dr. Dre also created his own line of headphones, Beats by Dre, that have taken over the world. His hard work has paid off, and then some.

Then, there's Ice Cube. He left N.W.A after recording "Straight Outta Compton", due to not getting what he deserved, and went on to have an incredible solo career. He released many great solo records that went platinum a bunch of times. He solidified himself as a great rapper, but more so, a great lyricist and writer. He had a knack and a way with words that was incredible. He is a genius. He also has expanded into the world of acting with great success. He had a star making turn in "Boys in the Hood". He wrote and starred in every version of "Friday". Two of the three of those are very good, especially the first one. He has done some not so great stuff, but he usually delivers in the movies he has bit parts in. Just reference his small role in both "Jump Street" movies. He is hilarious and does a great job. So, yeah I'll deal with an "Are We There Yet" or a "Ride Along" if I can get a "Friday" or a "21 Jump Street". He has become a major, major ultra famous star in music, television and movies.

N.W.A. was incredible and they belong in the conversation. Side note, the movie "Straight Outta Compton", that came out last year, is so good and a great representation of what this group went through and how they dealt with their problems. It's a really good movie. I love N.W.A and I know a lot of people do too. They were great.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He thinks N.W.A. is 1000 times more deserving to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame than KISS. Gene Simmons has no idea what real rock music is. Follow Ty on twitter @tykulik.