On this date in 1990, the self proclaimed “World’s Most Dangerous Group” returned with something to prove when N.W.A. released their explosive 100 Miles and Runnin’ EP through Ruthless Records and Priority Records.
The five track project represented a turning point for the Compton collective. It was N.W.A.’s first release following the highly publicized departure of O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson, whose contract dispute with the group and Ruthless Records boss Eazy E ended one of Hip Hop’s most formidable writing partnerships. With Cube gone, MC Ren assumed an even greater lyrical role alongside Eazy E, while Dr. Dre and DJ Yella continued controlling the group’s sonic attack behind the boards.
And N.W.A. wasted little time addressing the elephant in the room.
“Real Niggaz” contained direct shots at their former groupmate, escalating a feud that would eventually produce one of the most vicious response records in Hip Hop history. Cube initially fired back on “Jackin’ for Beats,” but the tension reached another level with 1991’s “No Vaseline,” his infamous takedown of N.W.A. and manager Jerry Heller on Death Certificate.
Musically, 100 Miles and Runnin’ showed that N.W.A. wasn’t interested in playing it safe after losing one of its principal architects. The title track remains the EP’s centerpiece, with Dre and Yella providing a frantic backdrop while Ren and Eazy delivered verses built around the group’s ongoing battles with law enforcement and censorship. The accompanying video also expanded N.W.A.’s visual presence during a period when the group’s notoriety had already stretched far beyond Southern California.
The EP also marked an important evolution in the group’s production. Dre’s sound was becoming cleaner and increasingly sophisticated without sacrificing the aggression that made Straight Outta Compton so dangerous. That progression would become even more evident on N.W.A.’s final studio album, Niggaz4Life, the following year. “Real Niggaz” would also reappear on that project.
Commercially, losing Ice Cube didn’t stop the machine. 100 Miles and Runnin’ eventually earned Platinum certification from the RIAA, further proving that controversy surrounding N.W.A. wasn’t slowing down their growing national audience.
Thirty six years later, 100 Miles and Runnin’ remains an essential chapter in the N.W.A. story. It wasn’t Straight Outta Compton, nor was it trying to be. Instead, the EP captured the group during a period of transition, internal warfare and musical evolution just before Dre, Eazy, Ren and Yella returned for one final full length assault.
Salute to MC Ren, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella and the late Eazy E for another timeless piece of West Coast Hip Hop history.