Gangsta Rap   by Benjamin Zephaniah Bloomsbury, 2004, 333 pages, ISBN 0747565651

How easy was it to get stuck into this book?
Gangsta Rap follows three young people, Ray, Prem and Tyrone, who won't fit into their lives at all, and whose only aim is to form a rap band in the future. It charts their rise to fame and how they deal with all sorts of problems, such as threatening rival bands and stubborn parents, and is actually quite engaging and interesting to read.

Who are the main characters?
The main characters are the three young drop-outs, Ray, Prem and Tyrone, who have a very bleak future ahead of them if their lives continue as they are now. However, they are installed in a special centre designed to help them with the help of the school headmaster, Mr Lang, and their dream begins to come true. Other important characters are Marga Man (a nickname) who runs the music shop where the boys spend most of their time, the families of the boys and the Western Alliance, another rap band which is constantly challenging the boys' band, often with violence.

What's the storyline?
Following their introduction into the centre, the dream soon starts to take place, and the band, which they call Positive Negatives, is born. However their rise to fame attracts all sorts of unwelcome attention, and another band, the Western Alliance is openly scornful and abusive towards them. This in turn launches a gang war between the fans of the different bands, and the prospects for the band seem rather bleak.

How's it written?
Many of the characters in the book speak differently, but this doesn't really make any difference to the book's readability.

Other books by the same author that Tim knows about?
Refugee Boy and Face

The overall verdict is
Really good stuff

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