Sanyika Shakur

Sanyika Shakur (1963-2001), aka “Monster” Kody Scott, is seemingly best remembered for being a former member of the Crips and more specifically authoring Monster: The Autobiography of a L.A. Gang Member (1993), which is perhaps the most-famous autobiography ever written about the Los Angeles gangbanging lifestyle.

Stevie Wonder is mentioned twice in Monster.  The first time is in the sixth chapter, “The Juvenile Tank”, in which Shakur recalls his mother picking him up from the hospital (after he spent some time there due to being shot) on 2 July 1981 and noting that at the time “the radio blasted with Stevie Wonder’s new hit, Hotter Than July“.

The second is upon him referencing “Stevie Wonder’s radio station, KJLH“, which is in fact located in Compton, in the eighth chapter, “Tamu”.  The reason Shakur mentions it is because it was near the scene of a memorable dinner he had with his baby momma (who would later become his wife) after he endured a stint in prison.

TRIVIA

  • According to his biography, Shakur, back in his “Monster” Kody days, had personally pulled the trigger on somewhere within the range of 10-15 murders (of rival gang members) before reaching the age of 19.
  • Scott was under the impression that his true biological father was Dick Bass (1937-2006), an NFL player who made the Pro Bowl a few times during the 1960s.  Apparently, his mother had an affair with Bass while being married to another man, i.e. the father of Kody’s other siblings.  Shakur contended that his father, i.e. the man his mother was married to, mistreated him for this reason, as in not believing that he was his son.  And honestly, it does appear that Shakur had some physical resemblances to Bass.
  • Kody Brown changed his name to Sanyika Shakur, while incarcerated during the 1980s, upon joining a movement known as the Republic of New Afrika.

SOURCES

Shanyika Shakur.  Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member.  New York : Atlantic Monthly Press (1993).

“Shankyika Shakur”.  Wikipedia.  Lsst edited on 24 December 2023.

“KJLH”.  Wikipedia.  Lsst edited on 3 August 2023.