Urban Fiction, who knew?

I was amazed when I saw what was being called urban fiction and hearing it described as new or novel.  Sure back in the 1970's an enterprising writer by the name of Iceberg Slim, better known as Robert Beck, broke out with his timely work, Pimp. Then in the 90's Sister Souljah did the same with her novel, The Coldest Winter Ever, which hit with a splash.

But if Urban Fiction is really a story about street level life, down where life sometimes gets dark and dirty, then Street Lit, as it is also called, has been around for a while. Brothers hating brother and selling him into slavery to steal his place in the family business; or the boss's wife trying to seduce the employee and crying rape when the barely no-longer-a-teen ran out naked leaving her wanting and wanting; if you catch my meaning. Or the drooling lust of a middle aged politician who stole one of his best assistant's wife, impregnated her and then had him killed to cover the deed...[Sounds like an outtake from the Times or Post doesn't it?  But I digress.] then we have had the makings of urban fiction dead center in the greatest source of reality.

Someone once said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, if that is true, and I propose that it is, then the greatest source of inspiration for Urban Fiction has been the greatest source of truth, the Bible. Simply said, Urban Fiction uncovered and unleashed.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Drop me a line and add your thoughts to the discussion.