This is one of the first known photos ever of the infamous super group. Taken in 1987, Oliver Wang uses those pictured to track down the origins, locations, and photographer. For lovers of minutia, factoids, and where-are-they-now effects, this is a must-watch to an overlooked moment in the N.W.A. story. This story ties MC Ren, Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, Cube and Yella to Phil Spector, The Beach Boys, Charles Wright, Ritchie Valens, and more. Wang shows what’s left, landmark-wise, of this Gangsta Rap moment today. Watch the video above to learn more about the story behind this photo….. Read more
THE FORGOTTEN MEMBERS OF N.W.A. – WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
There are multiple versions of this cover with different songs and collaborations between group members. So whatever happened to N.W.A.’s posse, Where are they now ?
SIR JINX
AKA: Anthony Wheaton
Before the photo: If there’s a golden link in the chain connecting everyone on the N.W.A and the Posse record cover, it’s Sir Jinx. The cousin of Dr. Dre, Jinx was nevertheless always more closely aligned with Ice Cube. At the time the photo was taken he was in the rap group C.I.A. (Cru’ in Action!). The other two members of C.I.A. — Cube and Kid Disaster — are also in the photo. They’re the two guys in white wearing Flavor Flav–style clocks around their necks, right next to Arabian Prince.
In the photo: Sir Jinx is on the top right, wearing all black. “All that writing on the picture? I did all that,” Jinx tells me. “Eric went and bought a bunch of neon spray cans. He knew I did graffiti, so I did as much as I could. If you look at the picture, and you look at me, my name is right next to me, you see ‘J-I-N.’ Everybody then kinda grabbed a spray can and the neon cans and wrote on the wall behind us.”
After the photo: Sir Jinx produced songs for all Ice Cube’s early albums, including AmeriKKKa’s Most Wanted, Death Certificate, The Predator and Lethal Injection. Included in his credits are two of Cube’s most controversial songs, the diss track “No Vaseline” and the Korean shopkeeper bashing “Black Korea.” Jinx also produced Xzibit’s 40 Dayz & 40 Nightz.
Now: Jinx recently did some studio work with Dr. Dre and keeps busy doing DJ gigs and appearing places like The Jimmy Kimmel Show and The Orlando Jones Show.
DJ SCRATCH
AKA: LaMont Burnett, King Scratch
Before the photo: Scratch was part of a tight-knit clique that included Sir Jinx, Candyman (bottom right in the Posse photo) and Tupac’s future producer, the late Johnny “J.”
In the photo: Scratch didn’t want to have his photo taken because he hadn’t had his hair done properly but was persuaded to jump into the shot by Eazy-E, who said Scratch looked like part of the Ruthless Records gang. “The picture was going to be taken later in the day, and we all had to get Jheri curls done and all that. Dre called early and said, ‘We’re gonna take the picture,’ so I wasn’t even going to get in the picture at all. I jumped in the car and I took Jinx and Candyman down there,” Scratch tells me. “We went up there, and I wasn’t in the picture. I actually had another camera, and I was just snapping them. And Eazy was like, ‘Come on, get in the picture. You look Ruthless. Get in the picture.'” ………..Read more
