N.W.A (abbreviation for Niggaz Wit Attitudes) was an American hip hop group from Compton, California, United States widely considered one of the seminal acts of the gangsta rap sub-genre, sometimes credited as the most important group in the history of hip hop. Active from 1986 to 1991, the rap group endured controversy due to the explicit nature of their lyrics, and was subsequently banned from many mainstream U.S. radio stations. In spite of this, the group has sold over 10 million CD units in the U.S. alone.