The Urban Fiction Plague aka Mix Tape for Women

sheeks84 · Number of posts: 96 Localisation: Philly Registration date: 2008-02-25

Ok, so the subject line may be a little harsh, but I have a gripe, and when I'm griping I could use harsher words than plague...
I've come to the conclusion that urban fiction is the mix tape of Black women right now.
Many of you have noticed how the appreciation and respect for hip-hop has declined to record-breaking lows over the past decade or so, as has a general respect and interest in many artforms and education... In the meantime, we have a mass populus of young African-American men hoping, wishing and believing they will become the next rap star. The bar on stardom has been lowered to the newest one-club-hit wonder/ jam of the week. So no longer is true talent and lyricism necessary to produce a quality album, let alone a quality track. Well, let me not forget, just because artistic blasphemy is the norm right now (shout outs to Lil Wayne) true talent in hip hop is still available. It's not balanced against the overwhelming availability of rap-crapola, but it is available. But in the meantime, in between time, these young men are producing what can only be described as slightly incoherent, violent, misogynist ABC's. And while so many of them are putting out carbon copy raps of each other, most of them don't support local talent outside of their small circle of friends. Giving each other props that they don't deserve.
Now, has anyone noticed the striking resemblance of mix tapes to urban fiction novels? How there are so many young women putting out these books, barely written above a 5th grade reading or writing level, lacking all kinds of imagery, plot building, soul grasping, and just plain ol' story-telling ability. And I can imagine a lot of these writers haven't read too many other books that didn't read a lot like their own tales. Everybody and they mama or cousin is an author now (ok, not everybody, but a lot.)
The same way I would recommend a young aspiring rapper to check his musical history and listen to the artists of the 90's, 80's, 70's and 60's, rappers, poets, singers, comedians, and actors, I would recommend some of these women urban fiction writers to pick up a Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, James Baldwin, Sista Souljah, and possibly some self-help, educational, spiritual and other non-fiction books as well.
Often times I've read these UFN's and it sounded like the girl down the street telling me a story about some young n dumb hustlin' ass boy who happens to be able to hold on to enough money from his re-up so that he can pay for the apartment you live in that he frequents in between "work" so that he can bang your back out!
I've said it in my poems and I'll say it again "You can look outside your window if you wanna know how an urban fiction book will end..."
Ok. I'm done.

alyson · Number of posts: 1143 Registration date: 2007-01-04

good analogy...novels are the new hustle...

i hate those damn books...i won't even waste my time by picking one up off of a shelf...

_________________
alyson...

"yesterday was practice."
~ jg

jus words · Number of posts: 125 Registration date: 2008-05-21

THE DUMBING OF AMAERICAN CULTURE HAS INVADED EVERY ART FORM.THAT MIXTAPE ANALOGY IS ON POINT AS INDUSTRY CD SALES DECLINE I WATCH BROTHERS BY SIX MIXTAPES AT A TIME; JUST AS WHEN I GO TO MY BOOKS STORE TO GRAB ONE MAYBE TWO IF I GOT EXTRA CASH BOOKS,MY SISTERS ARE COPPING UP THREE AND FOUR AT A TIME. ART/ENTERTAINMENT TODAY IS ABOUT ESCAPISM NOT ENLIGHTMENT FOR ALOT OF OUR PEOPLE.GREAT STORYTELLING ,CHARACTER BUILDING NOT HIGH ON THE LIST OF SOME OF TODAY READERS AS IS TRUE RAP ARTIST ARE SUFFERING IN TODAY'S SOUNDSCAN GAME. ALSO REMEBER THAT WHOLE SPIKE LEE THING FIGHTING WITH HOLLYWOOD TO PROVE WE WOULD SUPPORT OUR OWN IAMGES ON THE MOVIE SCREEN AS OPPPOSE TO STREOTYPES.EVEN TODAY ROSEWOOD,GET ON THE BUS STRUGGLED AT THE BOX OFFICE.FOR MY YOUNG BROTHER MOST OF THEM HAS SEEN SCARFACE THAN MALCOM X MOVIE THE SPIKE VERSION. WILL SMITH LOWEST SELLING BOX OFFICE INTAKE; ALI

sam I am · Number of posts: 476 Registration date: 2007-01-08

sheeks- i agree with everything you said in your post. its a shame but there seeems to be very little space for "real" authors on those ghetto azz racks in front of the subway and on the stands on the avenue.
ive read a few of these "novels" ( Laughing

) and the grammar is retarded. i wonder how many of those readers think that this is proper english? same thing with the proof reading affraid

!
the first novel i started writting is an urban tale. i put alot of myself into it. one passage could take days, character building was a must for me, story-inside-a-story, the whole nine yards.
but due to my procrastinating, evil twin Twisted Evil

a thousand books came out with synonymous story lines. now, i believe the book to be GREAT! not all urban fiction is crap (My personal favorite is Sista Souljah's Coldest Winter Ever) im reluctant to publish it because i dont want it to be lost in the mountains of bullish from the block. dig me?
my plan is to debut with "GitchaMindRight" and then put out "Cookieman" hoping that the skills presented will make some readers not so apprehensive to read a tale from the street side of a good writer.
shouldnt have to be that tough to do yourself. the crap makes many good writers have to do a damn dance to prove everything isnt the same because its from a black author.

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"Ize married now!"- Mrs. Kisha Gaymon - original version by Suge Avery