An electrifying novel from hugely popular performance poet and novelist Benjamin Zephaniah, exploring the rap music scene, inequality and three boys caught up in it.
Just what do you do with talent from the wrong side of town? Benjamin Zephaniah draws on his own experiences with school and the music business to create a novel that speaks with passion and immediacy about the rap scene.
Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school – until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine.
The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up ...
Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah's novels for young adult readers:
'A fairytale of hip-hop success ... teens will enjoy the thrilling music fantasy, while many will identify with the smart, talented boys who grow up quickly and rescue themselves' Booklist
Author
About Benjamin Zephaniah
Dr Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal ZephaniahBenjamin Zephaniah was born in Birmingham and then spent some of his early years in Jamaica. He came to London when he was 22 and his first book of poetry for adults was published soon after. He appeared regularly on radio and TV including a Desert Island Discs appearance, literary festivals, and has also taken part in plays and films. He was most well-known for his performance poetry with a political edge for both children and adults and gritty teenage fiction. His collections Talking Turkey, Wicked World and Funky Chickens broke new ground in children's poetry. He is the only Rastafarian poet to be short-listed for the Chairs of Poetry for both Oxford and Cambridge University and has been listed in The Times' list of 50 greatest postwar writers.
He has sixteen honorary doctorates and the Eailing Hospital in west London has named a wing after him in recognition of his work.
Benjamin was passionate about issues that were both global and local, and his work focused on themes such as human rights and protecting the environment. He was widely considered to be among the first poets to address the climate crisis.
Benjamin died on December 7th 2023 at the age of 65.
Just what do you do with talent from the wrong side of town? Benjamin Zephaniah draws on his own experiences with school and the music business to create a novel that speaks with passion and immediacy about the rap scene.
Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school – until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine.
The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up ...
Brilliantly written and with a real ear for dialogue, fans of Angie Thomas and Malorie Blackman will love Benjamin Zephaniah's novels for young adult readers:
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Gangsta Rap and determined it is suitable for children aged 15-18 years old
Gangsta Rap features in the following genres: Gritty Reads, Recommendations, Music, Children’s / Teenage: General interest, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Recommended Children's eBooks, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Thrillers, Adventure Stories, Featured Books for Young Adults
Gangsta Rap is available in Hardback, Paperback
Gangsta Rap was written by Benjamin Zephaniah and published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Gangsta Rap has 326 pages
£7.19
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