Tupac Shakur’s THUG LIFE saying—which became the basis for his hip-hop group name and his famous stomach tattoo—is a major recurring symbol in the book and the source of the novel’s title as well. THUG LIFE is an acronym that stands for “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody” (17). At key points in the novel, Starr discusses the meaning behind THUG LIFE, first with Khalil and then with Mav. In her room in their new house, she prominently displays a poster of Tupac.

The idea behind Tupac’s THUG LIFE is the cyclical nature of hatred and the damage done by systems in which hatred is ingrained. Social systems are designed to favor some groups over others, often along racial lines. As a result, the privileged groups hate and fear the disenfranchised groups.

This plays out clearly in the book. The ingrained hatred that leads Officer 115 to shoot Khalil exacerbates the hatred and mistrust that the Garden Heights community feels for the police. This leads to protests and riots that the police, informed by hatred, respond to with violence. This violence begets more violence, and the cycle continues.

Starr attempts to break this cycle by speaking out and telling the side of the story that is not often told.