NWA

What Does NWA Mean in a Text?

Definition of NWA

NWA (officially "N.W.A.") means "Niggaz Wit Attitudes." It's the name of an American hip-hop group from Compton, California, that was active from 1987 to 1991.

Niggaz Wit Attitudes

image for NWA, showing the letters N.W.A

N.W.A. was a highly influential and controversial American hip-hop group from Compton, California, formed in the late 1980s. They are often credited with pioneering the gangsta rap genre. Key Members of the band were Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, MC Ren, and DJ Yella. Their music was known for its raw, unfiltered lyrics about street life, police brutality, and social issues. They sparked national debates about free speech, censorship, and life in inner-city America.

The band's name is officially written with periods (N.W.A.), but not always:

Just rewatched Straight Outta Compton. NWA changed the game forever 💪🏿💪🏿
This playlist deffo gives the 90s. It's got Tupac, Biggie, N.W.A., Snoop... and Celine Dion 🤣🤣

Pioneers of Gangsta Rap

Niggaz Wit Attitudes.

Summary of Key Points

NWA
Definition:	Niggaz Wit Attitudes
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

An Academic Look at NWA

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

NWA is classified as an initialism, because it’s pronounced letter by letter — "N.W.A." It's not an acronym, as they form pronounceable words. (Abbreviations like GOAT, NASA, NATO.) In short: if you can say it like a word, it's an acronym. If you have to spell it out, it's an initialism.