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@ Writer Girl I do agree that early Street Lit is like early Rap The only difference is that rap music had evolved for the better Lyricism and beat making are more advanced today than it was during the advent of rap music I honestly don’t see an evolution of Street Lit from Donald Goines til now…if anything, it regressed in my opinion And it kills me when people say, “as long as they’re reading” when it comes to teenagers reading That comment subconsciously gives off the dummy vibe as if regardless of what, as long as they’re reading, even if what they’re reading has no nutritional literary value @ Troy The DJ was just as important as the MC on albums created in the late 80s NWA had Yella…KRS One had Scott La Rock…Fresh Prince had Jazzy Jeff…Kool G Rap had Polo…Rakim had Eric B…LL had Cut Creator…and so forth NWA is only one group...to use one group and say that there was an influx of Gangster Rap is rewriting history When I think of influx, I think of taking the country by storm…not just one region like the West Coast The influx of Gangster rap in the early 90s was birth from the combination of movies like Boyz N the Hood, Colors, Menace II Society and South Central coupled with NWA, Ice T and Above The Law The LA Riots of ’92 also helped the intrigue of gangsta rap Gangster Rap completely phased out Conscious Rap once The Chronic dropped “No medallions, dread locks or Black fist…it’s just that gangsta glare…that gangsta rap…that gangsta shit…make a gang of snaps” – Dr Dre from Let Me Ride I agree with you in part about money…however, I think we have two different arguments in different eras Back then everyone was broke…so you didn’t need money to spend excessively for sampling and producer fees like you do now because you had in-house producers I’m saying you don’t need a lot of money to make a classic album unless you’re sampling like crazy One of the reasons why albums back then were so good was because of the lack of funding You had no choice but to put your best foot forward considering the lack of money you had as an artists for studio time You didn’t have time to screw around in the studio KRS One once said he recorded The Bridge is Over and South Bronx in one take because him and Scott La Rock didn’t have enough dough for studio time Nowadays you can bullshit around because it’s more affordable to buy a home studio and bang out as many songs without effort With the advent of YouTube and social media, you can create your own buzz if you play your cards right Also, I don’t think it’s fair to base perception on age when it come history I know some youth who are wiser than their elders in that regard…some of the elders can’t see the forest from the trees

Here’s another take on this many-faceted subject. First of all, getting the younger generation to become readers is not a problem that is limited to black parents. We know that young people in general are not that into books because they prefer the instant gratification provided by electronic devices that include games and twitter and texting and any other pass time for which an app exists. Obviously reading books is not a priority of those who are visually-oriented and prefer to watch a screen rather than peruse a page. Bona fide book lovers are a special breed because not only are they able to connect with the printed word, but their minds are wired to comprehend and critique what they read. Like you say, Troy, it’s not about how educated you are or how refined you are. Like you contend, “writergirl”, there are certain individuals who upon discovering reading through street lit, no matter how riveting these books are, will eventually evolve and decide they want to branch out into other types of books and I'm beginning to think that discriminating readers are people from all walks of life and are, arguably, born, not made. Which is to say that cultural and parental sources may wield some influence, but their input is secondary to the core personality of someone who naturally developes into a well-rounded reader possessing an imagination that stimulates their curiosity about different genres, while others just won’t venture outside the comfort zone of what they are familiar with. Hummm. Hip-hop was always explained to me as being a lifestyle whose mantra was “keeping it real”. I didn’t know it ever disappeared. I just thought it was an ongoing vibe that was an alternative to anything that was bougie/preppy. BTW, writergirl, the name of the book you asked about, is “And It Goes Like This” by G. Andi Rhos. Also, I read your book “What You Don’t Know”. You’re a good writer, although your cautionary tale was a tad depressing.

I loved that run-down. And why wouldn't I? I'm almost a conglomeration of all the types mentioned.

What occurred to me while watching this video was the repetitive messages excusing the gravitation of young black people to street lit as being a case of them wanting to read about what they can relate to because of its familiarity. But why should this be the case? Why should readers who prefer books that reinforce the negativity in their lives be humored? Why not remind them that books should be doorways to enlightenment wherein you learn about what you DON'T know. Reading should first and foremost be about acquiring knowledge and broadening your mind. Entertainment? What's more entertaining than being introduced to something different and new? Street lit does have its place in the annals of black lit and it should be there for people who don't know about the hood and want reading a book about this life to be a learning experience rather than an inititation into a cult of sordidness. Fans of thuggish books can be compared to addicts and they cannot be defended with rationales about what's "real" and "true" and what "sells". These type of books should be just an option in the specturm of black books. Getting hooked on them can repress curiosity about other genres, and adults who don't emphasize the importance of diversity are enablers to those stuck in the gritty rut of street lit. All that aside, good reading habits have to be established at an early age. Unfortunately, that's wishful thinking. Preaching to people about what they should read is an exercise in futility and may even be a presumptuous gesture. Bottom line: there's a reason the masses are referred to as the "common people". it's because they like common things. And so it goes...