The Recording Academy will honour N.W.A. members for their outstanding contributions to the music industry and artistic significance.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, N.W.A. played a pivotal role in shaping culture. Founded by Eazy-E, the collective featured influential figures such as Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and Arabian Prince, propelling the city of Compton, California, into the mainstream entertainment landscape.
While N.W.A. as a unit never received Grammy Awards, their impact has garnered significant recognition over the past decade. The group has been honoured by prestigious institutions such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, The Library of Congress, and The Grammy Hall of Fame. This acclaim continues in 2024, as N.W.A. is set to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy.
Despite Dr. Dre securing seven Grammy wins individually, Eazy, Cube, Ren, and Yella have never been recipients of this prestigious accolade from the Academy.
The award ceremony is scheduled for February 3 at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles, California, just a few miles from the birthplace of N.W.A. in Compton.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon “performers who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording”, according to the Academy’s criteria. The recipients for 2024 also include Donna Summer, Gladys Knight, Tammy Wynette, Laurie Anderson, and The Clark Sisters, as determined by the votes of the Recording Academy’s National Trustees.
