--- description: Former rap group N.W.A scored its first Billboard Hot 100 single, over a quarter-century after its release, Billboard announced Tuesday title: N.W.A Scores First Billboard Hot 100 Single image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # N.W.A Song Makes the Billboard Hot 100 27 Years After Release  by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 25, 2015 9:32 PM CUT  by [Jack Linshi](/author/jack-linshi/)  ## Jack Linshi Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 25, 2015 9:32 PM CUT N.W.A scored its first Billboard Hot 100 single over a quarter-century after its release, Billboard announced Tuesday, owing to the success of the former rap group’s [acclaimed yet controversial biopic.](http://time.com/3995777/straight-outta-compton-review/ "undefined") “Straight Outta Compton,” the lead single of N.W.A’s 1988 album of the same name, debuted at No .38 on the [Hot 100 singles chart](http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100 "undefined") dated Sept. 5, according to Billboard. Although the H0t 100 is usually dominated by newly released songs, older tracks are eligible to chart if they rank in the top 50 and show notable gains in sales, streaming or airplay, Billboard said. According to Nielsen Music, which tracks data for Billboard charts, “Straight Outta Compton” saw 35,000 downloads and 5.7 million domestic streams during the week ending Aug. 20 — just six days after the N.W.A biopic, also titled _Straight Outta Compton_, debuted in theaters and topped the box office. Former N.W.A member Ice Cube also landed his third Hot 100 hit, with his 1987 solo debut “Boyz-N-The-Hood” charting at No. 50. **Read next:** [_Review:_ ](http://time.com/3995777/straight-outta-compton-review/ "undefined")[Straight Outta Compton ](http://time.com/3995777/straight-outta-compton-review/ "undefined")[_Is a Biopic With a Sanitized Attitude_](http://time.com/3995777/straight-outta-compton-review/ "undefined") \[[Billboard](http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6677553/nwa-first-top-40-hit-hot-100 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/"},"headline":"N.W.A Song Makes the Billboard Hot 100 27 Years After Release","datePublished":"2015-08-25T21:32:05.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T10:26:05.012Z","description":"The track \"Straight Outta Compton\" charted after the rap group's biopic of the same name","url":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/","keywords":["Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jack Linshi","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/jack-linshi/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/entertainment/","name":"Entertainment"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/","name":"N.W.A Song Makes the Billboard Hot 100 27 Years After Release"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Straight Outta Compton - Official Global Trailer (Universal Pictures) HD","description":"Watch the new trailer for upcoming biopic of legendary rap group N.W.A., 'Straight Outta Compton.'","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/745CIFtj/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-04-02T03:39:55.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/745CIFtj.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/","duration":"PT2M26S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4010602/nwa-billboard-hot-100/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```