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Straight Outta Compton's Corey Hawkins: 'Sometimes Anger Is Necessary'

Plus, the cast on their favorite rappers of today.

Word is that the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton is a worthy tribute to the group that defined gangster rap. A lot of that responsibility rests on the shoulders of the three young actors who play Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Eazy-E in the film: Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell and O'Shea Jackson Jr., respectively.
We sat down with the rising stars, who channel their on-screen counterparts not only physically, but also in spirit, to talk about why Straight Outta Compton — the film and the album — is as relevant today as it was in the 1990s.
"In the political climate that we're going through right now, [with] police brutality...the thing is, it hasn't stopped. That was around back then, and it's around now," says Hawkins. "It's just that now, there's more voice to it. People are actually starting to speak up. And I think this movie aims to kind of bolster that a little bit. To inspire people to get out there and raise your voice. You don't have to raise your gun, you don't have to raise your knife, you don't have to raise your fist. Sometimes you just need to raise your voice. And sometimes a little anger is necessary, to be honest."
We couldn't agree with him more.
Watch the actors talk about the film and name check their favorite rappers in our exclusive interview below:

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