| "Express Yourself" | |||||||||||
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| Single by N.W.A | |||||||||||
| from the album Straight Outta Compton | |||||||||||
| Released | 1989 | ||||||||||
| Format | 12" single | ||||||||||
| Recorded | 1988 | ||||||||||
| Genre | Hip hop | ||||||||||
| Length | 4:26 | ||||||||||
| Label | Priority/Ruthless | ||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Eric "Eazy-E" Wright, O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson | ||||||||||
| Producer | DJ Yella Dr. Dre |
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| N.W.A singles chronology | |||||||||||
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"Express Yourself" is a song recorded by American hip hop group N.W.A. The song, off their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, samples Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band's song of the same name. Unlike most songs on the album and by N.W.A, the song is almost devoid of profanity and violent content. "Express Yourself" was released in 1989 as the album's last single.
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The song's vocals are primarily handled by Dr. Dre though an extended version features interludes from Ice Cube and MC Ren.
The song's lyrics center around ideas of free expression and the constraints placed on rappers by radio censorship. They also express the opinion that other rappers are afraid to express themselves for fear of what other people might think and that they try to be like everyone else. Dr. Dre also speaks out against the recreational use of marijuana in the song, although he would reference it in a positive light frequently in his later career.
This song is featured in the video games Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4, and EA's Skate.
The track listing for this single was added to the 2002 re-release of N.W.A.'s debut album Straight Outta Compton as the last 4 songs. The single's last song "A Bitch Iz a Bitch" appeared on the 1989 reissue of N.W.A. and the Posse as its fourth track.
In 1989, the Australian government youth radio station Triple J played the song on continuous loop for 24 hours (360 times in a row) whilst the station went on a protest strike against censorship.[1] After playing NWA's "Fuck tha Police" for six months, government action had forced the station to stop playing the song. At that time Triple J had been the only station in the world playing the controversial song. Continuously playing the band's other popular song during this strike was deemed an appropriate response to show solidarity with the band and dissatisfaction with the decision.
Silkk the Shocker recorded a version of the song on the N.W.A tribute album, Straight Outta Compton: N.W.A 10th Anniversary Tribute that also was released as a single and had a promotional music video.
Between the Rancid releases of ...And Out Come the Wolves and Life Won't Wait from 1995 to 1998, Tim Armstrong recorded a version of "Express Yourself" with the band The Silencers on the Life Won't Wait Demos. The first half of the demo consists of Rancid demos and the second half consists of The Silencers demos. Stretch Arm Strong also recorded a version of "Express Yourself" for "Engage."
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