In the literary world, there are some discrepancies about what Street Lit actually is. Urban fiction and street lit are often used as interchangeable terms. Even if you look up the definition of street lit, urban fiction pops up. From my knowledge they are not exactly the same. Now in my opinion every piece of street lit is urban fiction, but not every Urban Fiction book can be categorized as Street Lit. Street Lit can be defined as a story where the source of the main characters’ conflict comes from the streets and the things that go on in them. This conflict can refer to beef in the streets, getting revenge, surviving abuse, navigating relationships, committing crime, and concocting plans to get a bag. The characters are trying to conquer the conflict, survive, and basically get it out the mud by any means. These stories are about the trench babies. They are a vivid depiction of hood life (of course with extra shit added to make it interesting). Most of the time it is not going to be sweet and soft, instead it’s typically more gritty and raw. Whereas Urban Fiction is more of an umbrella term that includes any fictional work that is set in an urban area. I hope that makes sense to y’all. Now that we have the definitions and technical stuff out of the way, let me put y’all on!
The Animal Series (2012) by Kwan
Let me just preface this by saying that this is a series and the first book in the series is technically Animal, however the timeline of Animal's (the character) story does not start with Animal (the book). Now technically you don’t have to read the books that come before the series (at first I read what was published in the Animal series without reading the previous books and then I went back to fill in the blanks), but it is SERIOUSLY RECOMMENDED. There will be some things that you won’t fully understand unless you go back in time to get context. With how interesting this series is, you are going to want to go back and get the context, so you might as well just start there. The beginning starts with Ghetto Bastards, but I am going to post K’wan’s recommended reading order below.
This story has a lot going on, so it’s hard to explain it briefly. There are so many different connecting parts. This specific series is centered around Animal. He has been through a lot in his life and I’d say he is broken (he definitely lives up to his name), but he is also super talented, loving, hardbody, strategic, and street smart. From where Animal Book One starts out, Animal is out for blood and is seeking revenge in the streets of Harlem. This story has street wars, violence, crime, mystery, and a touch of Black Love. It’s a must read, but you have to have the time for it because it’s a lot that goes on. If you ask anybody that knows about street lit, they would recommend this to you. I know that this series is going to go down as a classic, period!
🚨Trigger Warning🚨
Honestly there is so much going on that I can’t name all of the possible triggers in these books. If needed just be careful!
Harlem Girl Lost (2006) by Treasure E. Blue
This is one of my favorites! I’d say this is a coming of age story centered around Silver Jones, who is an intelligent and ambitious young woman. Although her mother was suffering from addiction, she did her best to raise Silver to be kind, smart, and independent. Silver has been going through it all her life and she does what she can to survive the streets of Harlem. Throughout the story readers get to see Silver, her family, and friends attempt to conquer the problems they face on the streets and navigate their personal relationships. If I had to describe this book in one word I’d say “traumatic”. A lot of crazy situations occur and all of the characters encounter a lot of trauma. Love, friendship, family, crime organizations, drug addiction, prostitution, sexual assult, molestation, bullying, child endangerment, alcoholism, and child abuse are some of the topics that are present throughout these pages. I love this story because it is raw, filled with wisdom, and it has a message. I can’t say much more without giving spoilers, but I promise you’ll enjoy this read.
🚨Trigger Warning🚨
Drug Abuse
Child Abuse
Sexual Assault
Violence
Violent Death
A Street Girl Named Desire (2007) by Treasure E. Blue
This is another on that I love by Mr. Blue! Literally from her birth, Desire has been living a life of suffering. Due to her mother’s crack addiction, Desire is juggled through the foster care system for the majority of her youth. As she grows, Desire is able to use her gifts to gain fame, but it also comes with a lot of temptation. Throughout the book you will watch Desire navigate love, heartbreak, poverty, family, friendship, fame, and failure. If I could sum this up I’d say it’s about falling down, but getting back up and conquering your demons. It’s about revival after being broken. I personally thoroughly enjoy Treasure E. Blue’s writing. A Street Girl Named Desire is an emotional read that translates an important message! Definitely check this one out!
🚨Trigger Warning🚨
Sexual Assault
Prostitution
STDs
Violence
Drug Abuse
Child Abuse
Foster Care
Tasha’s Got a Baby (2019) by S. Yvonne
BABYYYY, S. Yvonne did her thing with this one! This story (obviously from the title) focuses on Tasha’s journey throughout her teenage years. Although she is living in extreme poverty, Tasha has a strong street mentality and she takes care of herself by any means. Living the life that she lives, troubles are always bound to arise. As the story unfolds, her problems reach new heights, and secrets are revealed, readers are left with the question: Will she make it? Tasha’s Got a Baby is a story that will really stick with you. When I read this I truly loved it! I was turning the pages all fucking night! Beware because this right here is a tear jerker, so be prepared! (This is one of the more recent titles on this list, but I would definitely categorize this as Street Lit.)
🚨Trigger Warning🚨
Sexual Assault
STDs
Suicide
Drug Abuse
Domestic Violence
Death
The Schemin Series (2012) (Rereleased as Torn Between a Goon and a Gangsta (2016)) by Jade Jones
This is the first book in a series about three friends, Nikki, Hassan, and Dre. They are a band of thieves, pulling off small capers around their city to survive. Not only are they wanted by the police, but they also have drama within their friend group that is causing them to unravel. I don’t want to say too much, but babyyyyyyy the drama and betrayal in this is real. There are so many twists that’ll have you like “WTF?!” Jade killed this series! The characters in this series make mistakes and they aren’t always likable, so if you need to like every character then this may not be for you. Other than that, I would definitely recommend this to y’all!
🚨Trigger Warning🚨
Kidnapping
Death
Sexual Assault
Prostitution
Violence
⚠️A lot happens in all of these books, so this may not be all of the triggers!⚠️
These books are actually some of my favs and I am happy to be recommending them to y’all! I promise you won’t be disappointed! Also, I want to give a shout out to K'wan Foye, who has been, and still is, holding this genre down. He’s definitely the king of this, so if this taste of street lit isn’t enough, then go check out the rest of his catalog. Okay, that’s all for now. Get into these books and read along as the characters navigate life in the hoods that raised them! Don’t forget to let me know what you think. Happy Readinggg!
Ciao 💋
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