Ice-T:
- Los Angeles-based rapper Ice-T is commonly cited as having laid the groundwork for N.W.A's style of hardcore gangsta rap with his influential 1986 album ""Rhyme Pays."
Run-DMC:
- This influential New York-based duo's style and success served as inspiration for other rap artists across the U.S, including members of N.W.A.
Schoolly D:
- Philadelphia hardcore hip hop artist Schoolly D is acknowledged for pushing boundaries with raw and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s, which paved the way for groups like N.W.A to explore similar directions.
West Coast Culture:
- N.W.A incorporated influences from West Coast culture and lifestyle into their musical and lyrical approach. Gangsta rap emerged as a sub-genre inspired by the realities of street life in predominantly African American neighborhoods during the crack epidemic era.