What is it about?
Straight out of Compton came out last year and took the world by storm. Everyone and their friends was talking, tweeting and writing about it. Whilst it depicted the NWA era and their misadventures, a key character was left out, cue Michell'e. Not only was her contribution to their success left out, but the abuse she suffered at the hands of Dr DRE. Surviving Compton was born. She talks about how she was discovered, how she fell in love with Dre and how the fairy-tale romance quickly turned sour. Theharrowing scene details how he came home drunk one day and rained a series of full body punches on her before collapsing into a heap and crying.
She talks of Suge Knight coming to her rescue and even refers to him as her angel, only for him to treat her just as bad as Dre did, if not worse. It took a child by both of these men to finally wake her up and help her decide to get out of the toxic relationships she had endured.
The Reaction
Whilst many applauded Michell'e's bravery in speaking out and telling her truth, others label her a 'slut', 'attention seeker' and someone who was just upset that she did not feature in and consequently make any money from Straight out of Compton. What many don't realise is that Michell'e has always claimed long before Straight out of Compton that she was abused by Dre, and Dre has admitted to previouslyabusing women and even released a statement in the early 2000s stating 'sorry to the women I've hurt'.
Prior to its release, Dre through his lawyers threatened to sue if the movie depicted him negatively or as a woman beater. Considering the movie contained scenes of him shooting at her with their child in the next room, choking her up in the studio filled with people and punching her in the stomach, the movie must be pretty accurate for them to proceed with it despite the threat.
Without giving too much of the movie away, as I think it's a movie that everyone should watch (It's only 1:20h), I will briefly discuss some interesting lessons highlighted in the movie.
You can't change people
Dre had 5 kids by 4 different women before he got serious with Michell'e, not to say that is a prerequisite for a bad man, but two of the kids were born after he was with Michell'e within a few weeks of each other.
When she went to rehab, he got engaged a week after, having previously asking her to marry him. He married the other woman a few days after she got out. And a quote he said throughout was 'We are who we are right?' When someone shows you who they are, believe them!
You project what you're thought
Her female family members taught her whilst growing up that you shouldn't do anything to make a man want to hit you and if he does, you better fix yourself quick. They also told her that it was in a man's nature to hurt those he loves. And even though her mother later realized that she had been wrong to teach her that, the damage was done. Michell'e stayed so long with Dre because it had been instilled in her that it's okay for a man to hit you.
If you get a chance, check out Surviving Compton. It's a sad tale but one that had a light at the end of the tunnel, it's imperative to remember that many women who go through what Michell'e has gone through, don't always make it out.
Let me know your thoughts down below.
#DRDRE
#Domestic Abuse
#Film
