Monster, The Autobiography Of An L. A. Gang Member By Shakur

Monster, The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang member by Shakur Sanyika aka Kody Scott narrates his autobiography and he gives us insight as to what it was like to join and leave the Crips after getting inducted at the young age of 11, and later matured to be one of the most formidable Crip combat soldiers. He earned the name ‘Monster’ at the age of 13 after stomping an older black man until he was completely disfigured. The autobiography offers an educational anti-gang stance as well as insight on how to prevent gang violence amongst youth. Kody was part of an L.A. gang called the eight Tray Gansters, partaking in various acts of violence including shootouts, drive-bys, killing, kidnappings, and robbery as we well as drug crimes. Ultimately, Shakur exited the gang as he

Shakur provides many reasons as to why youths partake in delinquent acts, the pressures, the accessibility, and the lack of positive role models in these young lives. Race and religion play huge factors as well as to why Shakur’s life steered the way it did, transitioning to Muslim once incarcerated helped Kody become Shakur and turn his life around. The ultimate advantage this autobiography has is that it’s written by Kody Scott himself providing a primary credible source giving direct experiences within his life, whereas most books are written from a second or third source and third point of view. Consuming the first few chapters was racial oppression and poverty, and they are focuses of why Kody made the decisions he did, and Shakur gave the impression that violence was a major method of combating racial oppression. As mentioned in the readings by Stretesky and Polegrin on gangs and gun violence, power contributes to a profound amount of crime, where power, respect, reputation, and wealth are the ultimate factors to