When moviegoers line up to see Straight Outta Compton on August 15th, they will be a witness to hip-hop history. More specifically, fans and the curious will finally get the chance to see influential rap supergroup N.W.A. receive their big screen treatment after years of languishing in developmental hell. The F. Gary Gray-directed film, largely stars newcomers taking on the headlining roles of super producer Dr. Dre (Cory Hawkins), lead emcee Ice Cube (the rapper-turned-actor/movie producer's son O'Shea Jackson, Jr. portrays his pops), iconic gangsta rap provocateur Eazy-E (Jason Mitchell), two-fisted co-lyricist MC Ren (veteran actor Aldis Hodge), and jovial spinner DJ Yella (Neil Brown).

Indeed, Straight Outta Compton is a glorious, controversial, white knuckle and surprisingly emotional tale of the game-changing crew notoriously known as "The World's Most Dangerous Group," charting the act from their 'hood stamped 1987 breakthrough single "Boyz-n-the-Hood" and their incendiary landmark 1988 protest record "F--- tha Police" to the crew's bitter public breakup and individual triumph.

But the question many wondered aloud was how would former Death Row Records head Marion "Suge" Knight be immortalized on film? The infamous rap mogul, who is currently in jail for allegedly running over two men (and killing one) with his pickup truck outside a Compton, California burger stand in January, was a much talked about subject during the making of Straight Outta Compton considering the incident took place near the set of the buzz-heavy movie.

For former stuntman R. Marcos Taylor, who plays Suge, the prospect of filling the mammoth shoes of the larger-than-life controversial figure was daunting. "I wanted to make Suge as real as possible," says the surprisingly jovial Taylor, who shares the 6'3, 300 pound frame of the hulking Knight. "Not a good guy or a bad guy; just a man on a mission to do what he had to do to be successful."

Taylor continues of his pursuit of tackling Suge Knight: "I grew up during the era of Death Row Records. I watched Suge, so I was able to mimick him; just the way he moved his legs and his arms when he walked. The way his neck tilted or when he read someone; the way that his eyes looked. Even when he gets upset, Suge gets into this menacing quiet mood. But overall I wanted to show that Suge was a lot like other people we grew up. People who would do anything to make it."

As for dealing with the reality of capturing a polarizing public figure during an all too real tragedy that hit close to home for many attached to Straight Outta Compton, Taylor says it was a sobering yet fruitful experience. "I was saddened about the man that passed (55-year-old Terry Carter). And I was disheartened that my role in the film was getting publicity because of that. That's not what I was there for. Other than that, I just wanted to really do my best; to do what F. Gary Gray wanted me to do, which was to bring my idea of Suge on set. I stayed in character. This was the biggest opportunity of my entire life. I wasn't going to mess it up...at all."

However, growing up in Plainfield, New Jersey, acting was the last thing on Taylor's checklist. The athletic talent was a martial arts fanatic who enjoyed "jumping off buildings," an ironic nod to his future as a stuntman appearing on such television shows as Sons of Anarchy, Gotham, and The Following as well as the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Taylor started competing in semi and pro fighting competitions in the early '90s and even won a Muay Thai title. But when he began to get a thespian itch after breaking into the stunt game, he got cold feet. "I knew I wanted to act, but I felt like I wasn't good enough," he admits. "I think when my father passed away all the fear left."

Today, Taylor finds himself starring in one of the year's most talked about films. He is humbled by the opportunity. "I was blessed to meet Dr. Dre, Ice Cube and Ms. Tomica Wright (Eazy-E's widow), and I saw MC Ren, Yella and the DOC, which was crazy!" he glows. "I had his poster on my wall where he was wearing the Raiders shirt and the African medallion [laughs]. Straight Outta Compton has been a great experience."

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