Don't look now, but a Filipino-American contributed to the enormous critical and commercial success of Universal Pictures' “Straight Outta Compton,” which traces the rise of influential (and notorious) rap group N.W.A. The film's Director of Photography is none other than Oscar-nominated Fil-Am cinematographer Matthew Libatique, himself a life-long fan of hip-hop music.
Libatique describes to ICG (International Cinematographers Guild) Magazine, how he got involved with the film. “I was watching TV in a New York hotel room when I saw Ice Cube on Queen Latifah [the talk show], and she asked what he was doing next. When Cube said a film called `Straight Outta Compton,' I literally jumped up and grabbed the phone. For the first time in my career, I called my agent and said I really want that project.”
