Description
N.W.A. – And The Posse – Vinyl Record
N.W.A’s And the Posse is one of the most fascinating and often misunderstood releases in hip-hop history. Dropped in November 1987, it is not a “true” N.W.A album in the sense of their groundbreaking 1988 debut Straight Outta Compton. Instead, it’s more of a compilation that features tracks by N.W.A alongside songs from associated acts in the Los Angeles hip-hop scene, making it both a historical artifact and a snapshot of the underground West Coast rap community just before it exploded into mainstream consciousness.
The album was compiled and released by Macola Records, a small but influential independent label in L.A. that distributed early West Coast rap. At the time, N.W.A consisted of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, and DJ Yella, but this lineup wasn’t yet solidified as the powerhouse group the world would soon know. And the Posse features early N.W.A cuts like “Boyz-N-The-Hood” (Eazy-E’s breakout track) and “8 Ball,” but it also includes performances by lesser-known artists such as Rappinstine, Ron-De-Vu, the Fila Fresh Crew, and Frost (later known as Kid Frost). In many ways, the record was designed less as a cohesive group statement and more as a way to showcase a broader “posse” of West Coast talent while riding the momentum of “Boyz-N-The-Hood,” which had gained buzz in L.A.
The album is rooted in the sound of mid-1980s West Coast electro and party rap. The production is raw, built on drum machines, early sampling techniques, and heavy use of funk-inspired grooves. You can hear the influence of acts like World Class Wreckin’ Cru (Dr. Dre’s earlier group) in its reliance on uptempo beats and dance-floor sensibilities. This makes And the Posse very different in tone from the menacing, politically charged gangsta rap of Straight Outta Compton. Instead, the songs reflect a transitional moment—when West Coast hip-hop was still finding its identity between electro party jams and the harder-edged street realism that N.W.A would soon pioneer.
One of the most significant tracks on the compilation is Eazy-E’s “Boyz-N-The-Hood,” which quickly became a local classic and would later be included on Eazy’s solo album Eazy-Duz-It. The song, written by Ice Cube and produced by Dre and Yella, laid the groundwork for what would become N.W.A’s signature style: raw, unapologetic storytelling about street life in Compton. Other highlights include “Fat Girl” and “Drink It Up” from Rappinstine and Ron-De-Vu, which lean more toward humorous party rap, showing the diversity of voices represented on the record.
The legacy of And the Posse is complicated. Many fans new to N.W.A mistakenly think of it as their debut album, but in reality, it was more of a label-driven compilation, released to capitalize on N.W.A’s rising notoriety. Some members of N.W.A themselves were not particularly fond of it, since it didn’t reflect the direction they wanted to take musically. Nevertheless, the album is historically important because it documents the moment just before N.W.A crystallized into one of the most influential groups in music history. It shows the bridge between L.A.’s electro-rap scene and the birth of gangsta rap, capturing both the roots and the early sparks of the movement.
Today, And the Posse is regarded as a collector’s item and historical curiosity rather than a core part of the N.W.A discography. But for those interested in the evolution of West Coast hip-hop, it provides a fascinating listen—a time capsule of an underground scene in motion, full of rough edges, early experiments, and the first hints of the seismic shift that Straight Outta Compton would unleash just a year later.
A compilation album that collected various Dr. Dre-produced tracks and was marketed as an album by N.W.A. Originally released on vinyl and cassette in 1987 by Macola Record Co., it includes previously released tracks by N.W.A., Eazy-E, the Fila Fresh Crew, and Rappinstine.
In 1989, after N.W.A. had risen in popularity with their “official” debut album N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton, Eazy-E bought the rights to release “N.W.A. And The Posse” on CD, cassette and even vinyl on his own label Ruthless Records. On that version, N.W.A.’s “A Bitch Iz A Bitch” replaces Rappinstine’s “Scream” as its fourth track. “A Bitch Iz A Bitch” was already released as a b-side on their 1989 single Express Yourself, and on some reissues of “Straight Outta Compton”.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Eazy-E – Boyz-N-The Hood
N.W.A. – 8 Ball
The Fila Fresh Crew* Featuring The D.O.C. – Dunk The Funk
N.W.A.– A Bitch Iz A Bitch
The Fila Fresh Crew Featuring The D.O.C. – Drink It Up
N.W.A. – Panic Zone
Eazy-E & Ron-De-Vu – L.A. Is The Place
N.W.A. – Dope Man
The Fila Fresh Crew* Featuring The D.O.C. – Tuffest Man Alive
Eazy-E & Ron-De-Vu – Fat Girl
The Fila Fresh Crew Featuring The D.O.C. – 3 The Hard Way
