Not Without A-holes

Rating: 4/10 (18 January 2016)

The most entertaining thing about this movie for me wasn't actually in the movie. It was the clever memes people put onto Facebook. Mine was: Straight Outta My Mom.
Sure, I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s and knew of these artists, but they were never my bag. Never been a rap fan, so I knew very little of their history here. Make that, I knew almost nothing going in, so all of this was interesting from an outsider's POV. That said, my suspicions were correct: There were no good people here. Everyone was pretty much an asshole and contained very little moral ground to cling to.
I did, however, agree with their rights to the First Amendment and completely disagreed with those who fought against their privilege to use their talents to convey their messages.
The movie, while well-made, is just another run-of-the-mill music biopic. Inspiring artists with no one to back them and more telling them not to continue, finally make it. This comes with costs, tensions, jealousy, contract disputes, make-ups, etc., etc.
Mercifully, and delving into spoiler territory, the movie redeems the real-life characters, but sadly by the time the Lifetime Movie moment happens, I've all-but dismissed everyone as bad people.
Hell, even when they try and do the right thing, they give their opposition freedom to rightfully slam them.
Again, the movie was competently made, interesting and definitely well-acted. Didn't turn me into any fan of rap, or the N.W.A., but it was worth a watch.
***
Final thoughts: Either I saw the reader's digest version, or they're not telling the whole story, but it sucks on how much violence they threatened and caused and got away with it. All the way through this, I only stayed in their corner for their First Amendment rights. All the other sh|t they pulled, wellÂ…live by the sword