“Straight Outta Compton” is the lead single from N.W.A‘s debut full length album of the same name. It was released in 1988 and also appears on N.W.A’s Greatest Hits with an extended mix and The Best of N.W.A. It was voted number 19 on About.com‘s Top 100 Rap Songs,and is ranked number 6 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. The opening verse is rapped by Ice Cube. MC Ren delivers the second, and Eazy-E the third verse (taken from Wikipedia).
As I leave, believe I’m stomping.
But when I come back boy, I’m coming straight outta Compton.
Pronunciation: Outta
I’m coming straight outta Compton
Outta is a reduction of the words out of, and it is common in informal speech. Outta is pronounced /ËaÊtÉ/. Be careful not to say oughta, which is a reduction of the word ought to. This word is pronounced /ËÉËt tÉ/ or /ËÉËt tu/.
Outta (out of) has several meanings, depending on the context:
- We’re straight outta Compton! = We come from Compton!
- This party sucks. Let’s get outta here. = Let’s leave.
- Let’s order a pizza. We’re outta food. = There’s no food.
- I’m not in shape anymore. I’m outta breath! = It’s difficult to breath after exercise.
Phrases with ‘Out Of’
There are many collocations and phrases with out of. Here is a list of some of them:
- out of breath – to have difficulty breathing after exercising or strenuous activity. I used to be healthy and exercise all the time, but now I get out of breath walking up stairs.
- run out of something – to use up or finish the supply of something. Can you help me please?! We’ve run out of toilet paper!
- be out of your mind – to become crazy. Are you out of your mind or just plain stupid? It’s not a good idea to run across the busy street.
- go out of town – to travel away from home to a different place, for vacation or business. My roommate will be out of town all next week, so I’ll get to enjoy some peace and quiet for once.
- out of date – old fashioned; no longer valid. All of my clothes are really out of date, so I’m gonna donate them to charity and buy new clothes.
- pay out of pocket – to pay with your own money. Teachers in the US have to pay for a lot of school supplies out of their own pockets.
- get out of … – to leave a place. Let’s get out of here.
- be out of your price range – something so expensive that you can’t afford to buy it. I really love this car, but it’s out of my price range.
- be out of the question – something that is forbidden or impossible and not worth discussing. You cannot borrow any money from me. It’s out of the question because you already owe me $2,000!
- Out of sight, out of mind – a saying used for somebody that you will easily forget because they are longer with you.
Writing Task
- Do you know more phrases or idioms with out of?
- Use a search engine and search for out of. What are some of the websites?