The outgrowth and being of mainstream hip-hop has led to a immense cultural displacement in the African American community. One new development which is widely popularized is known as “ urban fiction ” or “ urban literature. ” Critics and publishing houses did non acknowledge this genre as profitable or marketable. They did non believe anyone would take an involvement in the interior metropolis experience. Bookshops and libraries were non carrying this genre of literature. If person wanted to read a book about the urban experience that was written by an African American writer they would hold to order these books online. Web sites were generated to provide to the audience of urban fiction. Will surging book gross revenues convince mainstream publishing houses, critics, media, and bookstores that this genre is marketable and profitable?
The writers of urban literature take readers on a journey through the interior metropolis experience. Some narratives are set in the fictional universe of streetwalkers, procurers, hoods, and rappers showing a street esthesia by utilizing the linguistic communication of mundane people in the goon. These narratives by and large revolve around the frequently tragic picks and journeys of immature work forces and adult females that are drawn by the enticement of easy money into life style that is filled with drugs, harlotry, and condemnable activity ( Wright ) . Others tell the narrative of their ain personal experiences. Some of the experiences landed them in topographic points and in state of affairss they did non happen appealing. These state of affairss were oculus openers that made them desire to state the readers about the effects one can confront if they make the errors they had one time made. Whether they are existent or fictional, many readers can associate to the characters that are portrayed in these narratives. This is merely one of the many grounds there is a high demand for urban literature in the African American community.
In the 1970s, urban literature was marketed as “ books from the black experience. ” In recent old ages they have been called ghetto fiction, hip-hop novels, street life novels, “ blaxploitation ” novels, and urban mush fiction ( Patrick ) . However they are labeled, these novels are popular among the hip-hop civilization. Bing able to associate to and understand these narratives has sparked a rush in writers that want to state their urban narrative.
Urban literature ‘s rise from street sellers to library shelves and six figure book trades can be accredited to Donald Goines and Robert Beck ( Rosen and Barnard ) . Donald Goines, labeled the godfather of the street fresh, may be the bestselling urban literature writer to day of the month. His books have sold over 10 million transcripts. In 1967 Robert Beck, who writes under the anonym Iceberg Slim, wrote his first book Pimp: The Story of my Life. This novel depicted the life of the average streets of Chicago in the 40s and 50s. Stating his narrative catapulted Beck to obtaining international celebrity. Recognizing the popularity of his first novel, Beck went on to compose several more books. These writers paved the manner for the future authors of urban literature. Even with Goines and Beck ‘s popularity with the mainstream publishers the future writers of urban literature still found themselves holding to get the better of many obstructions to derive acknowledgment in the literary community.
Today there are many more urban literature writers that are deriving success in the literary community. Due to the success of her books, best-selling writer Nikki Turner ( A Hustler ‘s Wife ) , has been named the “ princess of urban fiction ( . ” Several of her books have landed on the Essence magazine ‘s best-sellers list. Nikki still publishes her ain novels every bit good as a list of other writers. Another literary great in the urban literature community is Vickie Stringer. While functioning clip in a federal prison for drug racketeering, Stringer penned her first novel. Once released from prison she submitted her completed manuscript to many publishing houses. Within hebdomads Stringer had a aggregation of rejection letters. Filled with defeat she decided to self-publish her novel. Let That be the Reason launched the start of Triple Crown Publications. Under her leading, Triple Crown Publications has published 14 rubrics and sold over 300,000 trade paper-back books ( Rosen ) . Armed with the success of her books and the rubric of publishing house, Stringer decided to make out to the writers of urban literature. Under her representation many of the writers that were published through Triple Crown Publications have gained much success.
Largely neglected by mainstream media, urban literature has evolved into its ain alternate web for reappraisals, treatments, and selling ( Wright ) . Founded in 1991 and established as a non-profit-making corporation in 1995, Go on Girl! Book chief focal point is to convert book publishing houses of African American consumers purchasing power. Started as an online community, the African American Literary Book Club was used as a manner to advance urban literature ( Reid ) . Fueled by the affordability of self-publishing and the Web ‘s supercharged word-of-mouth, this genre has emerged from resistance as a practical confederacy ( Brown ) .
Although readers of urban literature scope across the societal and economic spectrum, bibliothecs have been slow to buy urban literature ( Wright ) . Unfamiliarity or uncomfortableness with the genre and the absence of dependable reappraisals are some of the grounds bibliothecs are non taking involvement in these novels ( Wright ) . Geting the urban literature onto the shelves of most libraries can be a challenge, even with the increasing promotion it has received. Libraries wishing to stay relevant to frequenters that are devoted to urban literature may necessitate to take an aggressive, about serials-based attack to carrying it ( Wright ) . Some of the bookshop proprietors have concerns about the message these books are directing to the young person. The high demand for these novels has caused some shop proprietors to alter their position of urban literature and cater to the demands of the consumers.
In 1999, African Americans spent over $ 307 million on books, harmonizing to Target Market News, a Chicago-based market research house ( Brown ) . Mainstream publishing houses noticed the addition in gross revenues and the high demand for urban literature in the African American community. With this cognition, publishing houses are get downing to make out to the authors of this genre. Printing companies are offering six-figure book trades to the author of the best urban narrative ( Venable, McQuillar, and Mingo ) . Writers that one time released their rubrics through self-publishing are now reprinting their books under the pretense of mainstream publishing houses. Writers that one time tried shopping their manuscripts to the large house publication companies are happening themselves in contract dialogues with those same publication companies.
For many old ages urban literature authors were non recognized as writers that had the ability to compose interesting reading stuff. They were shunned because publishing houses did non believe urban literature would be profitable or marketable. Both the literary community and publishing houses has realized there are readers that take involvement in narratives of the interior metropolis experience. Urban literature writers are basking the success of their books being recognized as best Sellerss. Some writers are even mentioned in book reappraisals of mainstream media. Even with the newfound success of urban literature the cyberspace is still its biggest seller. Finding an urban literature novel is merely every bit easy as walking into the nearest public library, Barnes & A ; Noble, Walden, or Boundary lines bookstore and heading to the urban literature subdivision.
