Urban Literature: Wish It Would Disappear

I read novels because they are an escape from reality, so to read "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by the talented Zora Neale Hurston was truly a privilege. I had the chance to analyze this beautiful and delicate language that made this novel a true classic. Unfortunately, I could not say the same for my colleague who told my English teacher she would much rather read "Chocolate Flava II" by Zane.

When my colleague said that, my world turned upside down. Why would you want to read a Zane novel instead of a true classic? This so-called urban literature promotes negative images of African-American people has become significantly popular over the last few years and I disliked it. However, as long as major bookstores or kiosks kept what I called "sex in books" out of my sight, I was sane.

Unfortunately, when I walked into a Karibu Bookstore and saw a whole section of these so called books, I lost a piece of my mind. These urban literature books remind me of the slime mold in my mother's garden. No matter how hard or how many times you try to get rid of it, it keeps coming back. Recently published urban literature introduces the reader to the world of hustlers, pimps, thugs, blinged-out rappers, and "baby mama drama." Make sure you keep those books with an erotica label away from your impressionable 13 year old because they might learn too much about the "birds and the bees."

Books were the last thing that the African-American people had that didn't promote negative stereotypes; but like a virulent virus, urban literature came and destroyed the true essence of books. The media promotes images that the African-American community is promiscuous, materialistic, irresponsible and uneducated. Every time I turn on BET or MTV I see these images and it upsets me, I cannot turn on the television without a stereotype jumping off the screen. I think it is even safe to say these authors are dumbing down Black literature. If they are capable of writing trashy novels then they could write a novel uplifting the human spirit. Instead it gives another reason for the older generation to point their finger and say "your generation is all about sex."

As much as I love my generation (and as much as I like to prove the older generation wrong), I have to agree with them. It seems all our generation wants to read or hear about is sex, as if that is the only thing they could possibly relate to. "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston and "Beloved" by Toni Morrison are examples of novels that introduced sex but they are deemed as classics. The difference is Morrison and Hurston introduce sex using poetic imagery while urban literature introduces sex in an explicit manner that many would find offensive.

Some teens do not like reading literature written by Mark Twain or Nathaniel Hawthorne because they cannot relate to the story. If that is the case, then how can you relate to a thug that is in love with an exotic dancer for solely physical pleasure? How can you relate to a young woman who has sex with any and every man just because she "feels like it?"

According to Walter Mosley, a famous African-American author, "It's not about the book--it's the idea that reading becomes an important part of your life." I ask you, Mr. Mosley, at what cost?