A Juvenile Performance in Benjamin Zephaniah's "Gangsta Rap"

Happy 2025!

While this may be my first post of the new year, the book I am reviewing today is actually the last one I read in 2024. 

This novel, like many others I have reviewed on this blog, was one that I randomly picked up and started reading. I don't know why, but I often find myself stumbling upon very random books and deciding to read them, despite knowing little to nothing about them. Sometimes I find these books in library or bookstore giveaways, the collections of family and friends, or even on my own bookshelf (without remembering how they got there). 

In the case of Benjamin Zephaniah's Gangsta Rap, this was a novel that I found in a box of old books at my parents house that I decided to try out because it seemed interesting enough and unlike other pieces of fiction I've read before.

(Side note, some of my reviews are written in first person, others in third. In the new year I'm trying to figure out what style I prefer, but also let me know your thoughts in the comment section below).

All that being said...

Gangsta Rap is the tale of three troubled youngsters navigating their teenage years in East London. After getting expelled from school, the boys (Ray, Prem, and Tyrone) are given a rare chance to redeem themselves, and in turn make their aspirations of becoming professional rappers a reality. Their rap group, called the Positive Negatives, quickly builds a massive fan base beyond the boy's wildest dreams. With this new-found fame however comes trouble, and soon Ray, Prem, and Tyrone land themselves in more danger than they could have ever imagined.

I genuinely thought this was a children's book when I first started reading it, due to the context and simplicity of the writing style, but quickly I learned it wasn't as some explicit language and mature themes were mentioned throughout. Despite this, I was still a little thrown off by the juvenile tone of the book. Maybe it's just Zephaniah's writing style, or because the book is following the story of three teenagers, but there were times where I felt like I was reading a book meant for an elementary or middle school audience. The rap lyrics in the book (which were disappointingly shared only a couple of times), were also very juvenile in language and tone, and didn't match what you would expect from the characters.

Beyond this stylistic oddity, the overall plot of the book was mediocre and at times even boring. The Positive Negatives' quick ascent to fame was not only unrealistic but also very much glossed over, making the characters and their redemptive arc less compelling in the process. Additionally, the central conflict of the novel was resolved too easily, and while the ending was still a bit of a surprise it didn't pack the punch that perhaps Zephaniah was hoping for.

I ultimately gave this book a 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads (you can find the link to my profile here). While it's not a terrible novel overall, I think it's better suited for a younger audience, despite the mature themes and language. 

This might not have been the best ending to my 2024 book reading, but I have hope that 2025 will be filled with many exciting new novels, some of which may or may not be found in random places.