2008 Woodie Awards
Raw view of gang life
Timothy Baghurst
Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Life & Style
Following his memoir "Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member," which he wrote from his jail cell, Sanyika Shakur offers up a semi-fictional tale in "T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.." The key character in this tale is Lapeace who leads the Eight Tray Crips in south central L.A. But, for the most part, Lapeace has left his gangster life and is a successful entrepreneur.
However, when longtime rival Anyhow is arrested for armed robbery, he cites Lapeace as the main instigator in the deaths of eight innocent civilians. Suddenly, Lapeace's seemingly idyllic life is at risk with the prospect of a life behind bars more than a possibility, especially since it appears that he was involved in these deaths. With the aid of his close ally, friend and lawyer Sekou, Lapeace must negotiate both the dangers of gang life and a corrupt cop in order to avoid the sentence that looms before him.
This is a particularly stark and raw view of gang life. Drawing from his own experiences, Shakur pulls no punches with his vivid language and depiction of brutality. Many readers might be disturbed by the details of sheer violence and others might be disappointed to see the lack of justice - outside of gang justice - that is exerted by the authorities. However, those seeking an honest, inside look at gang life should look no further than "T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E."
The book will be available for purchase from the UA Bookstore after its release on August 5.
However, when longtime rival Anyhow is arrested for armed robbery, he cites Lapeace as the main instigator in the deaths of eight innocent civilians. Suddenly, Lapeace's seemingly idyllic life is at risk with the prospect of a life behind bars more than a possibility, especially since it appears that he was involved in these deaths. With the aid of his close ally, friend and lawyer Sekou, Lapeace must negotiate both the dangers of gang life and a corrupt cop in order to avoid the sentence that looms before him.
This is a particularly stark and raw view of gang life. Drawing from his own experiences, Shakur pulls no punches with his vivid language and depiction of brutality. Many readers might be disturbed by the details of sheer violence and others might be disappointed to see the lack of justice - outside of gang justice - that is exerted by the authorities. However, those seeking an honest, inside look at gang life should look no further than "T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E."
The book will be available for purchase from the UA Bookstore after its release on August 5.
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