Express Yourself

Recorded at Audio Achievements in Torrance, California, with DJ Yella handling the production and Dr. Dre performing the lead vocal. The track was cut during the Straight Outta Compton sessions and built around a sample of Charles Wright’s earlier “Express Yourself.” The song stood out for its call for free expression and its pointed response to radio censorship, making it one of the clearest statements of N.W.A’s anti-censorship stance. It also gave Dr. Dre a rare full lead role within the group. “Express Yourself” remained one of N.W.A’s best-known songs, later resurfacing through covers, tributes, and media attention, including a 2014 Triple J stunt that looped the record and versions by Australian artists. Its title and message kept it a durable reference point for rap’s free-speech debates.