Sanyika Shakur

Sanyika Shakur (born Kody Scott), also known by his former street moniker Monster, was a former member of the Los Angeles gang the Eight-Tray Gangster Crips. He got his nickname as a 13-year-old gang member when he beat and stomped a robbery victim into a coma. Shakur claimed to have reformed in prison, joined the Republic of New Afrika movement, and wrote an acclaimed autobiography called Monster: The Autobiography of an L.A. Gang Member, which was first published in 1993.

Shakur spent 36 months at San Quentin State Prison and five years at Pelican Bay State Prison, most of which was spent in solitary confinement, where he converted to Islam, but it is not known if the form he practices is traditional Islam or Faradian Islam.

In May 2008 Shakur pleaded no contest to carjacking and robbery charges, and was sentenced to six years in state prison. Also in 2008, Shakur made his fiction debut with the publication of T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E. (Grove Atlantic Books) In the book, Shakur claims his mother told him his father was former NFL running back Dick Bass.

On July 10, 2017, Shakur was sent back to prison for an assault conviction out of San Diego County. He was incarcerated at Centinela State Prison in Imperial, California and was later released on parole.

On June 6, 2021, Shakur was found deceased in a tent in a homeless encampment in Oceanside, California.