Get Hip Libraries and Gangsta Lit

Libraries

and Gangsta Lit

Gangsta Lit Urban Fiction Hip Hop Lit African American Fiction Street Lit Ghetto Fiction

Gangsta Lit

What is Urban Lit? Many names. Many manifestations. One general aesthetic. Inner-City Life Populated Predominately by Minorities. Lower Income Communities Gritty Realism Heavy Use of Urban Vernacular

Many names. Many manifestations. One general aesthetic.

Inner-City Life

Populated Predominately by Minorities.

Lower Income Communities

Gritty Realism

Heavy Use of Urban Vernacular

What’s the Appeal?

Urban History Lesson [T]he Negro is a sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, -- a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. The Souls of Black Folks, W.E.B. DuBois -1903

The 1970s Iceberg Slim’s Pimp Novels Pimp: The Story of My Life Airtight Willie and Me: The Story of Six Incredible Players Trick Baby: The Story of a White Negro

Iceberg Slim’s Pimp Novels

Pimp: The Story of My Life

Airtight Willie and Me: The Story of Six Incredible Players

Trick Baby: The Story of a White Negro

Black Power

Blaxploitation Films

The 1980s Light on new literature, but heavy on Hip hop. Djing Rapping Graffiti Bboying Beatboxing

Light on new literature, but heavy on Hip hop.

Djing

Rapping

Graffiti

Bboying

Beatboxing

The 1990s and 21 st Century Reemergence of Urban Lit Unexpected Trend: Making money without the backing of the major publishing houses.

Reemergence of Urban Lit

Unexpected Trend: Making money without the backing of the major publishing houses.

1994

1999

Re¢ipe for $u¢¢ess

1 part Self Publication 99,000,000,000,000 parts Guerilla Marketing

1 part Self Publication

99,000,000,000,000 parts Guerilla Marketing

Follow the Money The Story Now? Success has forced major publishing houses to start their own Urban imprints.

The Story Now?

Success has forced major publishing houses to start their own Urban imprints.

Why Librarians Should Care History of under-representation Remember: Not just point-of-view. Also intended audience. Plus recent changes in market. Suddenly, there is an underserved demographic that can benefit from services a library offers.

History of under-representation

Remember: Not just point-of-view. Also intended audience.

Plus recent changes in market.

Suddenly, there is an underserved demographic that can benefit from services a library offers.

Criticism Criticism from African American authors and activists. Criticism from educators. “ Why aren’t we giving people better examples of literature?”

Criticism from African American authors and activists.

Criticism from educators.

“ Why aren’t we giving people better examples of literature?”

Responses to Criticism But it usually has a moral. (People really do get shot and go to jail.)‏

But it usually has a moral. (People really do get shot and go to jail.)‏

Responses to Criticism Comparison to other genres now considered tame: pulp fiction, bodice rippers.

Comparison to other genres now considered tame: pulp fiction, bodice rippers.

More important Both the criticisms and the defenses are irrelevant. Reading is a democratic process. People choose to read what speaks to them. Our job is to provide access to materials that this previously unreached/unreachable demographic wants.

Both the criticisms and the defenses are irrelevant. Reading is a democratic process. People choose to read what speaks to them.

Our job is to provide access to materials that this previously unreached/unreachable demographic wants.

To Order or Not To Order? Patrons Currently Served Their tastes in literature Look for those in the community that are underserved by the library Compare initial cost of materials to potential circulation rates Bringing books to someone who would never before use the library

Patrons Currently Served

Their tastes in literature

Look for those in the community that are underserved by the library

Compare initial cost of materials to potential circulation rates

Bringing books to someone who would never before use the library

When ordering… Don’t order anything you’re not comfortable putting on the shelf Look at the publisher Look at the author Is demand worth risk of poor quality?

Don’t order anything you’re not comfortable putting on the shelf

Look at the publisher

Look at the author

Is demand worth risk of poor quality?

When ordering… Balanced Collection Initially try a large variety of titles Read Reviews! Again if not comfortable with it don’t buy it.

Balanced Collection

Initially try a large variety of titles

Read Reviews!

Again if not comfortable with it don’t buy it.

Informative Sites http://www.urban-reviews.com/aa-upcoming.html http://www.theurbanbooksource.com/main.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_fiction http://books.aalbc.com/urbanstreet.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_American_writers http://www.streetfiction.org

http://www.urban-reviews.com/aa-upcoming.html

http://www.theurbanbooksource.com/main.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_fiction

http://books.aalbc.com/urbanstreet.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_African_American_writers

http://www.streetfiction.org

Major Publishers Triple Crown Publications Strebor Books Kimani Press (imprint of HQN)‏ Urban Books (Urban Soul, Q-Boro, Urban Christian)‏ Walk Worthy Press Kensington Books (Urban Soul and Dafina)‏ Most Major Publishers

Triple Crown Publications

Strebor Books

Kimani Press (imprint of HQN)‏

Urban Books (Urban Soul, Q-Boro, Urban Christian)‏

Walk Worthy Press

Kensington Books (Urban Soul and Dafina)‏

Most Major Publishers

Classic Authors Iceberg Slim Donald Goines Ishmael Reed Chester Himes Sister Souljah

Iceberg Slim

Donald Goines

Ishmael Reed

Chester Himes

Sister Souljah

Key Authors Sister Souljah Donald Goines Iceberg Slim Zane K’Wan Teri Woods

Sister Souljah

Donald Goines

Iceberg Slim

Zane

K’Wan

Teri Woods

YA Series Drama High (series offered by Kensington)‏ Perry Skky Jr Series (by Stephanie Perry Moore)‏ Kimani Tru Series (by HQN)‏ Bluford High Series Denim Diaries (by Darrien Lee)‏

Drama High (series offered by Kensington)‏

Perry Skky Jr Series (by Stephanie Perry Moore)‏

Kimani Tru Series (by HQN)‏

Bluford High Series

Denim Diaries (by Darrien Lee)‏

Christian Authors ReShonda Tate Billingsley Victoria Christopher Murray Michele Andrea Bowen Pat G’Orge Walker T.D. Jakes Jacquelin Thomas Vanessa Davis Griggs Vanessa Miller

ReShonda Tate Billingsley

Victoria Christopher Murray

Michele Andrea Bowen

Pat G’Orge Walker

T.D. Jakes

Jacquelin Thomas

Vanessa Davis Griggs

Vanessa Miller

Safe Read Authors E. Lynn Harris Kimberla Lawson Roby Virginia DeBerry Walter Mosley Connie Briscoe J.J. Murray Pearl Cleage Terry McMillan

E. Lynn Harris

Kimberla Lawson Roby

Virginia DeBerry

Walter Mosley

Connie Briscoe

J.J. Murray

Pearl Cleage

Terry McMillan

Mildly Explicit Authors Nikki Turner 50 Cent Wahida Clark Keisha Ervin K'Wan Teri Woods Deja King Miasha Relentless Aaron Eric Jerome Dickey Omar Tyree Carl Weber Mary Monroe Treasure Hernandez Mark Anthony Treasure Blue

Nikki Turner

50 Cent

Wahida Clark

Keisha Ervin

K'Wan

Teri Woods

Deja King

Miasha

Relentless Aaron

Eric Jerome Dickey

Omar Tyree

Carl Weber

Mary Monroe

Treasure Hernandez

Mark Anthony

Treasure Blue

Explicit authors Zane Noire Chunichi Kiki Swanson Vickie Stringer Allison Hobbs

Zane

Noire

Chunichi

Kiki Swanson

Vickie Stringer

Allison Hobbs

Paperback Authors Brenda Jackson Rochelle Alers Beverly Jenkins Donna Hill

Brenda Jackson

Rochelle Alers

Beverly Jenkins

Donna Hill

roanokepl.wetpaint.com

QUESTIONS?