The summer blockbusters are already starting to clean up at the box office, but the coming-of-age comedy-drama “Dope” might turn out to be this season’s underground hit. The Rick Famuyiwa-directed movie centers around a group of nerdy teens in Inglewood, Calif., with a passion for old-school hip-hop — right down to the flattop haircut sported by Malcolm (Shameik Moore).
The Pharrell Williams-curated soundtrack reflects that sentiment — and it’s a hugely enjoyable look back at rap’s early years (and much more besides). Here are five tracks not to miss on the “Dope” soundtrack, out Tuesday.
Public Enemy, ‘Rebel Without a Pause’ (1987)
A blitzkrieg of beats, samples, exhilaratingly atonal noise and the one-two punch of Chuck D and Flavor Flav, “Rebel Without a Pause” was undoubtedly the sound of Public Enemy at their visceral best. At the time of release, hip-hop was still in its infancy, and no one had heard anything like the Long Island crew before.
A Tribe Called Quest, ‘Scenario’ (featuring Leaders of the New School ) (1992)
Q-Tip and his Queens compatriots scored a hit with this rowdy track, but also had their thunder stolen by some remarkable guest appearances by Long Island’s lesser-known Leaders of the New School. Dinco D’s lines are still astonishing (“Ship-shape crushed grapes apes that play tapes/ Papes make drakes baked for the wakes . . .”), while the rasps and growls provided by a young Busta Rhymes ensured that he would eventually become a star in his own right.
Digital Underground, ‘The Humpty Dance’ (1989)
It had more than a hint of novelty to it (especially compared to the long and stylistically varied career they had), but with “The Humpty Dance,” Oakland’s Digital Underground came up with one of hip-hop’s undisputed party anthems. Legend has it that a young Tupac Shakur (who was once a dancer for the group) can be seen in the video busting some pre-fame moves.
Gil Scott-Heron, ‘Home Is Where the Hatred Is’ (1971)
The upbeat feel of “Dope” gets turned down for a brief moment with the late Gil Scott-Heron and his soulful but somber tale of addiction and alienation. “Home is where the needle marks/ Try to heal my broken heart,” he sang — and it was something he came to know about all too well during his troubled, drug-afflicted career.
Awreeoh, ‘Don’t Get Deleted’ (2015)
Pharrell Williams also writes the songs performed by the character Malcolm’s punk rock band Awreeoh (pronounced “oreo”), and he certainly leaves his imprint. The raucous track “Don’t Get Deleted,” in particular, has heavy shades of Williams’ old group N.E.R.D.