book review: Gangsta Rap

author: Bejamin Zephaniah

publisher: Bloosmbury, 2004

main character: Ray, aka “X Ray X”

Our story begins with a shouting match between Ray and his dad. This scene displays the anger, tension and miscommunication that propels Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone to act irrationally and rudely. Later that morning, Ray explodes on his teacher and threatens him, I guess  carrying the anger from home. Ray is permanently excluded from school as Prem and Tyrone already have been. We don’t really get to the root of Ray’s anger. We know that his dad drinks a lot, has a temper and doesn’t understand his son. We know that his mom does everything she can to hold the family together. At a final meeting before the boys are given their walking papers, they’re given the option of attending an alternative school. It’s a very new school, the mothers are skeptical, but it is seems to be their only hope of getting a diploma for their sons.

This school will build a curriculum around students career interests and for these boys, it’s hip hop music.

At this point, it’s easy to think that the boy’s main problem is a lack of male presence. While a poor relationship with their dad is a crucial part of the story (because little is more important to young men than their relationship with their dad) there is an abundance of men supporting these boys. Marga Man, a local record shop owner is their surrogate dad and manager.  School administrators, business people and musicians all work with the boys to help them finish their education while they begin a hip hop career. Despite all that is being done to help them, the boys manage to maintain rather surly attitudes.

Almost too quickly, the boys release a successful CD. While they don’t get the glamour and bright lights that most Americans expect, they do begin to get attention and realize they have to surround themselves with people they can trust. They’ve been educated about the music business and are aware of contracts, obligations and all the work involved with maintaining success. They are also well read on hip hop, knowing its origins, messages and format. They want to be true British hip hop stars. The down sounds of the industry are presented, as the boys are dangerously used just for the money they generate. This bit of suspense is good for moving the story along.

I didn’t really like these boys, but I didn’t have to. I was glad to see them successful and did see them grow up a little bit, but they were not developed in a way for me to understand and accept them. I do think the story will give young people a lot to consider and more than that, it will give them hope of succeeding with their own dreams.