‘Moby Dick’: The most gangsta book ever written

“Keepin’ it gangsta” might mean different things to different people. But to me, it means you livin’ life in spite of da way “da system” want you to live. But to Captain Ahab, da top-dawg of da whaling ship in Moby Dick, jus’ bucking society is fo’ little b–s. A REAL gangsta takes it next-level and fights existence.

See, Herman Melville’s multi-platinum novel ain’t just bout a bunch playas flowin’ through da Ocean tryna’ merc a pasty whale named Moby Dick – it’s about going toe-to-toe with an unjust world.

Sometimes, Moby Dick symbolizing all the evil in the world, which is why in chapter 41, da narrator say peeps seen Moby Dick in multiple places at da same time.

Other times, Mo-Deezy representin’ da big man upstairs, which is why in Chapter 132, Ahab losing his shit over the fact that if there is a God, then all mankind ain’t nuthin but puppets on strings. But Ahab don’t take s– from nobody — even God.

Think about it like this- when we’re born, God basically toss yo ass in to a world full of pain, war, hatred, poverty, hunger – and you ain’t got NO SAY in whether any this s– gonna happen to you or not. Like a card game – the dealer deals you a hand, and whether it be a s–y hand or a ballin’ hand, it’s outta yo’ control and neither God nor the dealer got any accountability! Ahab don’t wanna play the hand he was dealt in life, he wanna spit in da face of the Dealer, cuz ain’t nobody gonna impose rules on Ahab without a fight.

Other times, tho, Moby Dick reppin’ an empty, Godless universe. Whereas most homies gonna do do whatever it takes to forget all dat depressing mess, Ahab don’t play like that. Whether it be evil, God or a universe dat don’t give two s– bout yo pain, Ahab gonna step up and buck it.

Sho. Pickin’ a fight with the way the world works is a fight that nobody can win, but thats what makes Moby Dick da most gangsta book of all time, cuz Ahab gonna take all his anger, pin it on Moby Dick, and spend da rest of his days fighting the impossible fight until it kills him.

And if that’s not the realest gangster s– you’ve ever heard, then you ain’t been paying attention, homeboy.

About Sparky Sweet: I’m Sparky Sweets, PhD., host of Thug Notes. I drop some of da illest classical literature summary and analysis that yo a– ever heard.