'Straight Outta Compton'

I freely admit that NWA -- and other "gangsta rappers" -- scared the shit out of the 10-year-old me.

I was white. I lived in rural Texas. I cut my teeth on pop music and groups such as The Beach Boys, The Zombies and The Beatles.

Of course "gangsta rap" was going to scare me. It was supposed to scare me.

I thought Eazy-E, Ice Cube, DJ Yella, Dr. Dre and Lord knows who else were going to travel around the country robbing, stealing, shooting, killing and creating general havoc. I sincerely felt this way. I blame it on "20/20." I'm sure they had some story about the evils of "gangsta rap."

Even the city named "Compton" sounded threatening. It sounds industrial and gritty. It sounds like a tool or steel company.

As is the case, if we had known then what we know now, we wouldn't be as frightened and I think that would have taken away from the album.

If we knew Ice Cube would be in family movies, that Eazy-E would die and Dr. Dre would be shilling for Dr Pepper, I don't think we'd feel the same away about them. Still, it doesn't take away from the record.

There are some amazing beats, samples and rhymes. It's a head-spinning good record. A great record in fact. It's really hard to take it out of your CD or shuffle rotation. Amazing record.