A genre of fiction that usually centers on the dark side of urban life. Largely written by and for the African-American community, Urban Fiction novels commonly include frequent profanity, violence, graphic sex and crime.

While often criticized for portraying the “hood” or urban “lifestyle” as glamorous,

many of the novels end on a positive note – often with a plot that involves a moral or

ethical dilemma not unlike less graphic novels considered to be “mainstream.”

Iceberg SlimIceberg SlimAka Robert Beck Aka Robert Beck

August 4, 1918 – April 28, 1992

PimpPimpTrick BabyTrick BabyLong White ConLong White ConThe Naked Soul Of Iceberg SlimThe Naked Soul Of Iceberg SlimMama Black WidowMama Black WidowAirtight Willie and MeAirtight Willie and MeDeathwishDeathwishDoom FoxDoom Fox

Donald GoinesDonald Goines

December 15, 1936 – October 21, 1974

Aka Al C. ClarkAka Al C. Clark

DopefiendDopefiendWhoresonWhoresonBlack GangsterBlack GangsterStreet PlayersStreet PlayersWhite Man's Justice,White Man's Justice, Black Man's GriefBlack Man's GriefBlack Girl LostBlack Girl LostEldorado RedEldorado RedSwamp ManSwamp ManNever Die AloneNever Die Alone

Crime PartnersCrime PartnersDeath ListDeath ListCry RevengeCry RevengeKenyatta's EscapeKenyatta's EscapeDaddy CoolDaddy CoolKenyatta's Last HitKenyatta's Last HitInner City HoodlumInner City Hoodlum

Ice-T releases his debut album Rhyme Pays in 1987, containing (arguably) the first “gangsta rap” song – “6 n the mornin.”

“Once you open an Iceberg Slim book, you’re instantly taken into a world of hustlers, pimps, con-artists, and bad, fast women. The stuff I loved! My friends and I felt like we were part of this cult-like underground, ‘cause they let us in on something real – Iceberg’s words. These words had a profound effect on my career and life.” – Ice-T, introduction to Doom Fox

N.W.AN.W.A

Boogie Boogie Down Down

ProductiProductionsons

PubliPublic c

EneEnemymy

Too ShortToo Short

TupacTupac

Dr. DreDr. Dre SnooSnoop p

DoggDogg

OnyxOnyx

NotoriouNotorious B.I.Gs B.I.G

RaekwonRaekwon

MobMobb b

DeepDeep

“If Black people kill Black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?” - Sister Souljah, 1992.

Those words are "filled with the kind of hatred that you do not honor today.“ – Bill Clinton, in response to Sister Souljah’s comments regarding the 1992 Riots in Los Angeles.

Sister SouljahSister Souljah

The Coldest Winter Ever and True to the Game, both

published in 1999, are widely considered responsible for the renewed popularity in

Urban Fiction today.

19991999

An Overview of Modern Urban Fiction•Often referred to as street lit, hip-hop books, black pulp fiction, ghetto lit/ghetto books, gangsta lit•The average protagonist is an African-American female between the ages of 15 and 25•Common subjects featured in urban fiction: abortion, crime, premarital sex, incarceration, violence, murder, rape, abuse, pregnancy, drugs•Written in first person, non-standard English, prominently featuring the use of slang and frequent profanity. •Money and sex are most often the means used by the female protagonist in order to gain power and dominate others. • Most of the more popular titles are actually “cautionary tales,” as the protagonist learns from his/her experiences or mistakes and offers words of advice for readers.

Readers of Urban Fiction

•The average reader is female, African-American, between the ages of 15 and 30.•Readers come from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds – the audience is not limited to poor/working class communities (which most of the stories focus on. )•The novels seem to satisfy a natural curiosity for taboo subjects – drug use, sex, sensuality, and abuse. •The subject matter can also inform readers on issues such as love, relationships and escape from traditional gender roles. •May provide the reader a more “honest” depiction of the African-American female, as opposed to stereotypical roles in traditional media.

Popular authors

T.N. Baker Tracy Brown Chunichi Wahida Clark Eric Jerome Dickey Keisha Ervin Nina Foxx Shannon Holmes La Jill Hunt Brenda Jackson Jihad Solomon Jones Dwayne S. Joseph K'wan

Thomas Long Victor L. Martin Noire Gary Phillips Daaimah S. Poole Sister Souljah Vicki Stringer Nikki Turner Omar Tyree Carl Weber Tu-Shonda Whitaker KaShamba Williams Teri Woods Zane

Publishers

Triple Crown PublicationsMacavelli PressQ-Boro BooksGhetto Heat

Kensington Books Dafina Simon and Schuster’s Strebor line

Melodrama PublishingSt. Martin’s Griffin Imprint

Urban Books PressCartel Publications

Gorilla Convict Publications Wahida Clark Publishing

A “starter-Kit” Collection of titles

Brown, Tracy (2003). Black: A street tale. Brown, Tracy (2007). White lines. Goines, Donald. (anything by) Holmes, Shannon (2003). B-more carefulHolmes, Shannon (2007). Dirty Game. Jones, Solomon (2001). Pipe dreamKing, Deja (2005). Bitch K'wan (2003). Gangsta: An urban tragedy. (and anything else by K'wan)Slim, Iceberg. (anything by)Souljah, Sister. (anything by)Stringer, Vickie (2006). Dirty redStringer, Vickie (2002). Let that be the reason.

Stringer, Vickie (2008). Still dirty. Styles, T. (2007). Black and UglySwinson, Kiki (2005). I'm still Wifey.

Swinson, Kiki (2007). Life after Wifey. Swinson, Kiki (2008). Still Wifey material. Swinson, Kiki (2004). Wifey: A novel. Teague, Kwame. (anything by)Tyree, Omar (2005). Boss Lady. Tyree, Omar (1996). Flyy girl. Tyree, Omar (2000). For the love of money. Williams, KaShamba (2003) Blinded.

Woods, Teri (1994). True to the game: Woods, Teri (2007). True to the game II. Woods, Teri (2008). True to the game III.

A “starter-Kit” Collection of “safe” YA titles

 Booth, Coe. Tyrell. Curtis, Christopher Paul.  Bucking the SargeFlake, Sharon .   The Skin I’m InFrost, Helen .    Keesha’s HouseGrimes, Nikki .   Bronx MasqueradeJames, Brian.    Tomorrow MaybeJohnson, Angela .   The First Last PartLangan, Paul .  Blood is Thicker         Lipsyte, Robert.   The BraveMyers, Walter Dean .   MonsterMyers, Walter Dean. DopesickOrtiz Cofer, Judith .  An Island Like You:  Stories of the Barrio

Pearsall, Shelley .  All of the AboveSchraff, Anne .     A Matter of Trust      Sitomer, Alan. HomeboyzSoto, Gary.     Buried OnionsStrasser, Todd. Can’t Get There From HereStrasser, Todd. If I Grow UpVan Diepen, Allison. SnitchVan Diepen, Allison. Street PharmWolff, Virginia Euwer .   True BelieverWoodson, Jaqueline .    Autobiography of a Family PhotoWright, Bil .    When the Black Girl Sings