Straight Outta Compton: A Dive into Living Large, a Work Where Characters Trip, Talk Out the Side of Their Neck and Cuss Like It Was Nothing - Softcover

Ricardo Cortez Cruz (author)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0932511619 ISBN 13: 9780932511614

Publisher: Northwestern University Press, 1992

Synopsis

Samples from all aspects of black life in its search to have its characters find what rapper Heavy D. would call a "Peaceful Journey"

Straight Outta Compton is about living large, living in the fast lane. It raps to its readers about being black, being born and raised in the L.A. ghetto, being so-called "Niggaz 4-Life," being sweet on black life (for those in it, the beat goes on). It focuses on the lives of two black men, Rooster and Clive-nem, who grow up together in Compton. He and Rooster split up, fall into rival gangs-the Bloods and the Crips-and being to hate each other. Clive has other problems besides Rooster-namely, Compton. He thinks that he's made a girl pregnant. He's involved with gangs.

Straight Outta Compton samples from all aspects of black life in its search to have its characters find what rapper Heavy D. would call a, "Peaceful Journey." It wasn't just written; it was mixed by a DJ, and the result is hyped!

About this title

About the Author

Ricardo Cortez Cruz was born in Decatur, Illinois. During high school and college he worked as a sports intern and newsroom clerk for the Decatur Herald and Review and as a sports clerk/writer for the Bloomington Pantagraph. He holds a master's degree in writing from Illinois State University, where he was awarded the 1987-1988 Robert Brome Creative Writing Award, and is currently completing his doctorate there. His fiction has been published in Black Ice magazine, and a story is forthcoming in Fiction International. His hobbies include stereo mixing and basketball. He is currently living large in Bloomington, Illinois

From the Back Cover

Straight Outta Compton is about living large, living in the fast lane. It raps to its readers about being black, being born and raised in the L.A. ghetto, being so-called "Niggaz 4-Life", being sweet on black life (for those in it, the beat goes on). It focuses on the lives of two black men, Rooster and Clive-nem, who grow up together in Compton. Clive starts out like a big brother to Rooster, but Rooster changes. After Clive's daddy dies of a drug overdose, the story shifts. Rooster, the main character living large, becomes obsessed with women. Meanwhile, Clive wants to break from Compton. He and Rooster split up, fall into rival gangs - the Bloods and the Crips - and begin to hate each other. Clive has other problems besides Rooster - namely, Compton. He thinks that he's made a girl pregnant. He's involved with gangs. Straight Outta Compton samples from all aspects of black life in its search to have its characters find what rapper Heavy D. would call a "Peaceful Journey". It wasn't just written; it was mixed by a DJ, and the result is hyped!

Edition details

• Publisher: Northwestern University Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0932511619
• ISBN 13: 9780932511614
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 193