The first weekend of Coachella 2016 teased audience members with a nearly-full N.W.A reunion, but ultimately it fell short. Weekend two did not disappoint. During Ice Cube’s 9:05 PM set, MC Ren, DJ Yella, and finally, Dr. Dre performed together on songs like “Still Dre” (though Snoop Dogg was absent for his role in the track) and “California Love,” among others.
Ice Cube’s first guest appearance came from Southland native The Game, who performed his career-making 2003 hit and debut single, “Westside Story.” Hailing from Compton, it only made sense that he would appear with one of the rappers that pioneered the Southern California gangsta-rap sound.
Next up came DJ Yella and MC Ren, an appearance that felt expected considering their performance during the first weekend of Coachella. They performed “Boyz in the Hood,” a solo track from deceased N.W.A. member Eazy-E alongside his son Lil Eazy-E (aka Eric Wright Jr.). When Eazy’s son left the stage, DJ Yella, MC Ren, Ice Cube remained to perform “Fuck the Police.” Then, the moment everyone had waited for came: Dr. Dre made his way on stage and for the first time since 1989, the remaining living members of pioneering hip-hop group N.W.A . performed on a stage together.
It actually shouldn’t come as a huge shock that this reunion would finally occur at Coachella in 2016. As Ice Cube said earlier this year, he wants to “Give everybody a little history lesson on Ice Cube and N.W.A., West Side Connection…”
As if that was not enough for hip-hop fan’s hearts to handle, Ice Cube had more tricks up his sleeve. After the N.W.A. members left the stage, the heir-apparent to the Los Angeles rap throne performed a pair of tracks with Ice Cube. The second song the pair performed was “Alright,” the fourth single from his landmark, critically-acclaimed third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly.
UDPATE (4/24/2016): Check out footage of Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella together on stage at Coachella 2016.
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