Play Book Tag discussion

Sixteen-year-old Bri Jackson has a life goal: become the best rap artist possible. She definitely has talent and the drive; she just needs to get noticed. Invited to participate in "The Ring", a rap battle against other up and comers, Bri blows the competition away. Her Aunt Pooh arranges for Bri to record a rap and Bri pours her heart and soul into "On the Come Up". She alludes to an incident at her school where she was thrown to the ground by a security officer. Her pent up anger at her treatment at their hands, as well as her frustration at the treatment of all the black and Hispanic students, come out in her lyrics. Unfortunately some people feel the lyrics are threatening, talking about guns and killing cops. Even though that was never her intent, she is now perceived to be a hoodlum.

Bri's home life has become quite difficult with unpaid bills and possible eviction. Her father, a locally famous rap star himself, was murdered when Bri was only 4. The killing drove Bri's mother Jay into drug addiction leaving Bri and her older brother Trey to be placed in their grandparents care. Now clean for several years, Jay has been laid off and the only income is from Trey's work at a local pizza parlor. Bri wants to make a splash in the recording industry in order to help out her family and give them a better life. Her rap lyrics have angered some of the wrong people and she may just have started a gang war.

This is an interesting look into the life of a young aspiring artist. Bri is her own worst enemy though as she cannot control her emotions, anger or mouth. Her frustration with her treatment at school is understandable and I love that other students react by challenging authority with logic and examples of prejudicial rancor. Well done.

Truly loved this book. It will be in my top 10 this year. Was very powerful.