The Hughes Brothers' debut was a benchmark for hip-hop movies thanks to its unforgiving, utterly gritty portrait of street-gangster life. Its soundtrack exuded similar authenticity, opening and closing with Spice 1’s 'Ni--a Gots No Heart,” and sandwiching tracks from Too $hort ('Only The Strong Survive'), Da Lench Mob ('Guerillas Ain’t Gangstas') and Pete Rock & CL Smooth ('Death Becomes You') in between. And even though Boogie Down Productions’ classic 'P Is Still Free' leaves a smoking crater in the middle of the soundtrack with its chugging intensity, the track that lingers the longest after listening is MC Eiht’s 'Streiht Up Menace,' which utilizes the rapper’s syrupy drawl to paint a vivid portrait of ghetto life.

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