Ray has trouble at home and trouble at school. When Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone are permanently suspended from school, their headmaster decides to give them a second chance, a chance to live their dream of forming a rap group... School, what school? My name is X-Ray-X So be careful how you flex I used to freestyle in my bedroom But my daddy got me vex The teacher kicked me out of the classroom Now I'm rapping in The Rex.
Ray has trouble at home and trouble at school. When Ray and his friends Prem and Tyrone are permanently suspended from school, their headmaster decides to give them a second chance, a chance to live their dream of forming a rap group. Through a specialized social program, the boys are taught about the business and the music industry, what it takes to record an album, and how to lay down a track. Within weeks they have become the Positive Negatives and within a few months they have signed a record deal and are on their way to the top. But their dream soon turns into a nightmare as violence escalates around them. Suddenly, not only their careers but their very lives are at stake. But Ray and the Positive Negatives are determined to prove that you don't need to be a gangster to be a great rapper.
Reviews
"Zephaniah paints a vivid picture of the hip-hop music scene and related gang warfare in London." --Publishers Weekly
"A fairy tale 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
"Swift-moving and engaging . . . it's hard not to cheer Ray on." The Horn Book
About the author
Benjamin Zephaniah is a performance poet who travels on literary world tours for the British Council. He is the author of Refugee Boy and Face. He lives in London.