THIS LIFE

The first novel by KunQuest, an artist and inmate at the Louisiana State Prison in Angola since 1996.

Nineteen-year-old Lil’ Chris walks into Angola ready to serve his life sentence on his own terms. He’s not interested in friends or advice from the older “victs” and is ready to defend himself against whatever violence comes his way. Rise has been in Angola for more than 10 years after being transferred from a juvenile facility and is also serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The two men quickly develop a respect for each other based on their ability to freestyle rap, and Rise is determined to help Lil’ Chris become a leader and role model for the other inmates. For Rise, surviving in prison isn’t about physical strength. The key to survival is philosophical, historical, and legal education, and he’s earned the respect of his peers by mentoring dozens of prisoners over the years. As Lil’ Chris’ freestyles draw him more attention, another group of inmates with a darker, more bitter worldview tries to recruit him to their ranks. The narrative roams among the characters in a close third-person point of view that creates a widescreen vision of the claustrophobic life behind bars. Readers will learn about the history of Angola, the daily grind of life in the different cell blocks (each with their own levels of freedom), and the difficulty of picking vegetables on the prison’s farm, and they will be treated to pages and pages of blistering rap lyrics. The lyrics aren’t about showing off; the rapping is necessary for these characters to hold on to their souls. “Somehow [Lil’ Chris] is conscious that these conditions are meant to kill something inside of him. He knows this because he feels whatever it is struggling to live.” KunQuest never veers into exploitation. The characters may be suffering from the mental, physical, and psychological violence of long-term imprisonment, but they find solace and complex relationships in community and art.

An effective philosophical novel that uses hip-hop to tell a story of prison life and how rhyme can lead to redemption.