From Today's Boston Herald



Gangsta makes kids' reading list
By Jennifer Rosinski
Thursday, May 13, 2004

Poetry penned by dead gangsta rapper Tupac Shakur in his teens has made it onto the Worcester public schools summer reading list, but not without questions from some school committee members who've requested a review ``to test its literary value.''

    ``It's not a book I would have put on there . . . but those who make the list are trying to appeal to a wide variety of kids,'' said school committee member Mary Mullaney. ``I wonder sometimes if we're putting the Good Housekeeping seal of approval on Tupac if we put this on the list.''

    Racy rhymes glorifying violence and drugs and belittling authority and women made the Bronx, N.Y., native, the son of a Black Panther leader, famous and caused a firestorm of criticism.

    Arrested eight times by the age of 20, Shakur was sentenced to eight months in jail on sexual abuse charges. He was also the subject of several wrongful death lawsuits, including one brought by the family of a 6-year-old boy killed in the crossfire of a gang war between Shakur's group and one of its rivals. In New York City two years before his death, thieves stole $40,000 worth of Shakur's jewelry and shot him five times.

    ``The Rose That Grew From Concrete,'' published after Shakur's shooting death in Las Vegas at the age of 25 eight years ago, is one of several books recommended for seventh- and eighth-graders under the World Music genre, including ``A Night Without Armor'' by pop singer Jewel.

    Shakur's poetry, which talks of finding a place in the world and the struggle to fit in, is currently on the approved reading list sent to the printer, but will undergo a literary review by the English department at the request of the School Committee.

The word "Gangstah" is a New England word.  If it were below the Mason Dixon Line, it'd be "Gangstarrrr"

Life aint nothing but bitches and money.

Quoted: Life aint nothing but bitches and money.

and "bitches ain't shit but hoes n' tricks" - Snoop Doggy Dogg

Quoted: The word "Gangstah" is a New England word.  If it were below the Mason Dixon Line, it'd be "Gangstarrrr"

Actually, down here it's more like "Gank-stur."