Some theaters chose not to show "Straight Outta Compton"
N.W.A is one of the most controversial rap groups of all time.
They caused a firestorm back in the '80s. The group's lyrics chronicled their lives in Compton, California, where gang life was celebrated and police were the enemy.
Now the film about that group, "Straight Outta Compton," is creating controversy of its own.
Two Tampa Bay theaters aren't showing it. They are the Royal 20 in Bradenton and the Sundial 19 in St. Pete, that city's only multi-screen theater. Both are owned by Carmike Cinemas.
"You got a few bad apples that ruin it for everybody else," said City Councilman Wengay Newton, Sr.
Newton says back when Sundial was known as Baywalk, there was a history of flare-ups among large groups of kids. He says Carmike wanted to avoid a repeat.
"I've been assured this is merely a safety and liability thing, not a racial thing," he said.
He says Carmike also pulled it from more than 25 theaters across the country.
Universal Pictures is also taking safety steps, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The company is offering to reimburse theaters that choose to increase security due to the film's volatile story lines and the real-world racial tensions across the country.
Even still, the film is expected to top $40 million in its opening weekend, dominating the box office.