Gangsta Rap [Paperback]

Fifteen-year old Ray is living in a life of turmoil. He's constantly fighting with his parents --- especially his father --- in their East London flat. At school, it's even worse. His best friends, Tyrone and Prem, have been kicked out. Then Ray threatens a staff member, and he too is "permanently excluded." The only happiness the boys have is listening to music and spending time at the local music shop. The store is run by an older Jamaican, who they affectionately call "Marga Man."

Once the boys are no longer in school, they get into even more trouble on the streets. The reality of their situation hits hard when they are thrown in jail for fighting in a public park, which only angers their parents further. When the school board contacts their families, it seems as if there is only one solution. The boys have been invited to join an alternative education program targeted towards what interests them most: music. All of their studies will be focused on music and the music industry. As part of this experience, they are to work in an actual recording studio. Although some of their parents are hesitant at first, the boys give it a shot.

With Marga Man as their manager, the boys create a rap group called the Positive Negatives. They are swept up into the music industry and become superstars practically overnight. They record an album, perform on television, and are selling out live concerts. At this point, the plot seems to go off track, like a train running out of control. In the first part of the book, the reader is drawn in slowly by the characters of Ray, Tyrone and Prem. As the music takes over their lives, the plot speeds up on overdrive, and the subtleties of each teen are lost.

And then, in an odd and almost confusing twist of events, the issue of gang warfare comes into the story. The Positive Negatives are first being harassed and then attacked by unknown gang members. Now, they struggle to deal with both their fame and the world of the cruel streets.

Author Benjamin Zephaniah is a poet and performing artist in England. His poetry is displayed in the rap lyrics that are scattered throughout this work. If you want to learn more about the world of the rap music industry, then GANGSTA RAP is the book for you.

--- Reviewed by Kristi Olson (zooey24@yahoo.com)

This book definately sets the tone as a great comparison to 8 Mile. Parents should know that this book has strong language but provides an excellent storyline of three boys entering the wonderful and at points violent world. A grreat novel!

Gangsta Rap is not only a book that amazed everyone, it amazed me as well and I think that books should start having this kind of description because it not only makes me me want to read more, it changes a lifestyle of wanting to read. Man-O-Man, if you buy or rent this book, guaranteed you'll love it. I read the book at least twice and let me tell ya, it's kind of life changing. There's something about this book that gave me this magnetic pull.

In the Gangsta Rap book, you'll realize that in the beginning, the book points more towards Ray's life and doesn't talk much about Ray's friends but the book is definitely engaging. Less like most books, this one has a little bit of profanity but in my opinion, that makes the book just a little better than the book could have been with a less realistic author. This book is mostly about a young man named Ray with two close friends named Tyrone and Prem.Tyrone and Prem are not exactly the best influences to Ray because they've already gotten kicked out of school. Ray is not exactly a character that is perfect either. He has this mean relationship with his parents and makes it really hard to understand in the beginning of the book but again, it was more realistic and there are always technicalities and problems in every family but this is really a different kind of style of a regular novel.

Tyrone, Prem and Ray all have the same hobby and dream, to be the best rap group has ever been alive. Being that this book has a setting in London, the language seems a little harder to follow. Ray is not exactly the best kid to rely on when it comes to getting good grades in school and respecting his teachers. It's almost like his ego takes him over and he not only gets himself in trouble, he begins making bad decisions and his relationship with his parents. One day, Ray gets in trouble at school because he cursed at his teacher and is excluded from school for the rest of the year. He doesn't tell his parents but he goes over to his favorite place to go everyday with his boys. The Music Store. The Music is owned a man named Margo Man, a old Jamaican guy that is not only inspirational but brings a different kind of father like substance to Gangsta Rap. Later on in the book, Ray, Tyrone and Prem get into a brutal fight in a local park and are thrown in jail. The school contacts their families and then the school suggest that the only way they would be able to better themselves, is to join a music program that boosts music careers but also provides education. The boys were iffy about it but they chose to agree. They would rather not stay in jail. Sooner or later, the boys get into really good circumstances with their rap careers. They begin to blow up in the rap business and brings life into London. Being that Ray and his boys always find trouble, they get beat by this unknown gang that leads into another story.

I give this book a solid 5/5 stars. This is fabulous book that tells a story that is happening even today and this book proves too many points. This book is also mind boggling. If you ever decide to read this book, be expecting some explicit language because this isn't one of those regular kindergarten grammar books. The most important reason why I like this book so much, is that its so realistic and and kind of makes me want to start shooting for my dreams and to never judge someone's life because everyone has their own trials and tribulations. If you ever decide to read this book, just remember that reading this book may change your life for the better, or worse, I guess.

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