Cautionary Taleby Jarold Imes
As Street Fiction authors who are on the rise and taking our rightful place as royalty, I caution that all readers, publishers, and affiliates, all of us, to take a look at ourselves. I would like to think that our literary beefs will stay between lawyers, personal emails, and the occasional diss article or message board post, however, at the rate we are going, if we aren’t careful, we could have our own 2Pac and Biggie. When I think about the time, I, and other writers, and industry insiders spent defending this genre, pointing out the substance, leadership, and potential growth and benefits this genre can contribute to the literary landscape as a whole, I did not picture publishers outright robbing authors of their royalties. Our current literary leaders letting their personal issues with an author, for a moment, rule over the professional reputation they are supposed to build and maintain. I didn’t envision publishers having to resort to hunting, negotiating, and sometimes using other tactics to make sure the thieving and the conniving honored our invoices so that we could in turn pay our authors what is due. It’s a shame that an author can’t even announce the title for their upcoming publication before another author or publisher outright steals it for his own, knowing that the author spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars promoting the title. Sleeping with another author or a publisher to get a deal was almost non-existent before, now it seems to be a trend. There used to be a time when readers could read one author’s book one day and another author’s book the next and not have to worry about the drama going on behind the scenes. There was a time when black authors could put their egos to the side, band together and contribute to a critically acclaimed and timely anthology. Times have definitely changed us, and not for the better. When I think about the authors who can lay claim to being responsible for the Urban Books and Triple Crowns of today, I often wonder what would have happened if Omar Tyree or E. Lynn Harris had parlayed their success to building successful publishing houses? What kind of literary leaders could Michael Baisden or even ZANE be molding? Many times, I dream that our whole outlook and perspective on publishing would be different. We need to take a look at ourselves before we become extinct. So many people outside of this genre would love to see us blow up and destroy ourselves; let’s not give them the satisfaction. View more articles by: Jarold Imes Jarold Imes is a contributing writer for The Urban Book Source and author of Hold on Be Strong; he is the creator of online soap opera: Hold on Be Strong (www.holdonbestrong.com), send emails to:jaroldimes@yahoo.com THE URBAN BOOK SOURCE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COMMENTS THAT ARE POSTED. IF A COMMENT IS DEFAMATORY, PLEASE CONTACT US AND APPROPRIATE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN. |
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Lately, I’ve been thinking about 2Pac and Biggie. How what started out as a friendship turned into a bitter rivalry that pitted the East Coast against the West Coast; how what started as an all-star rap war ended with a slew of dead rappers, two unsolved murders, one company in bankruptcy and the lingering feeling that rap will never be the same again. I wonder sometimes what really went wrong with those two, yet I am amazed that those two seemed to have done what many black leaders since the Civil Rights movement have yet to do; bring together people under a common cause to debate and articulate what they believe in.
I AGREE. OFTEN TIMES WHAT CATCHES THE EYE IS FAMILIARITY. I THINK IT'S GOOD TO HAVE BOTH EDUCATIONAL, INSPIRATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING READS IN A AA BOOK STORE. YOU HAVE TO CONSIDER LOCATION, SOME AREAS DON'T WANT ANY STREET LIT IN THEIR BOOK STORES. FOR SOME ITS A TURN OFF AND THEY WON'T MAKE IT PAST THE FRONT DOOR IF THEY SEE "NAKED BOOTY" ON A BOOK COVER, ON DISPLAY. HOWEVER THEY WILL LOSE THE CUSTOMER(S) WHO WALKS IN AND CAN'T FIND THAT KIND OF ENTERTAINMENT. A FINE LINE. PROMOTING LITERACY IS WHATS TRULY IMPORTANT. ONCE YOU HAVE THAT URGE TO READ, YOU THEN CAN BROADEN YOUR MIND AND CONSIDER READING SOMETHING OUT OF YOUR NORM. THERES A FINE LINE BETWEEN GETTING STUCK IN AND GLORIFYING WHAT WILL HOLD AA BACK IN THE LONG RUN. KARIBU STARTED SOMETHING GREAT BUT LIKE SOLQ- MENTIONED, THEY LOST THEIR APPEAL BY CATERING TO ONLY SOME OF THERE CUSTOMERS PREFERENCE. THE CLOSING OF KARIBU IS UNFORTUNATE IN THE SENSE THAT IT CAN BE LOOKED AT AS ANOTHER FAILURE FOR US. IN REALITY IT IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN OPENING A BOOK STORE TO LEARN THE DO'S AND DON'TS. I THINK THE CONTRADICTION YOU SPEAK OF SOME LIVING IN IS A REFLECTION OF THE SLAVE MENTALITY THAT IS STILL DORMANT WITHIN SOME MINDS.
I do overstand your post and all it implies in reference to how literature has a positive and negative affect on our minds. With that said and all you mentioned in reference to Karibu I would have to say then if they were a disservice to the black community then a whole lot of folks in this industry are. We can start with the African American distributors who are the starting point for books coming into the marketplace.
I could go on but I'm not. My company Third Eye Publishing is a representation of my beliefs. Check out "Even Numbers" by Barbara Grovner which is my first author release. The book is not just entertaining but it is also educational. Her myspace is: www.myspace.com/barbargrovner
As far as being room for bookstores now that Karibu is closed. Well, I disagree and will say that there is always room for entreprenuers to establish more AA bookstores. The problem is we need enlightened black people who are socially aware to open bookstores-we have enough negroes with the mans eurocentric views in this industry period. Our bookstores should not be just a place to buy books but they need to be educational centers and places where black people can come to share and expand upon information.
House niggers come in many forms. It's not always the middle class brother and sister with the degree. A lot of folks living in the hood as well are house niggers. If how you think and make a living is a contradiction and obstacle to black people advancing then you're a house nigger. And I'm talking about the old and young a like b/c you have an older group in this industry who are networked together b/c of being frat brothers, masons etc. And then you have young cats who are really clueless about what is a house nigger. I guess they never read Mis- Education of The Negro by Carter G. Woodson or The William Lynch Letters. Let it be known I broke down a segment of Williams Lynches theory in my novel "Love Don't Live Here" before this book came out having known about this information in the early 90's. I know I was the worst type of house nigger. The brothers and sisters who have knowledge of self and still live in contradiction are nothing less than black devils. I know cuz I been there so when I say stuff to people about their behavior its b/c I been in them shoes before.
Because that's six stores that won't be selling this mindless, ghetto-fabbed, un-creative and non-sensical street lit crap. There is nothing wrong with "street/urban lit" to keep it real - I grew up on doses of Donald Goines, smacks of George Jackson, and tastes of Iceberg Slim. But - damn ya'll - can we get a little bit more substance with it? Can we get a little bit more thoughtful analysis on exactly why various characters from the hood end up in certain situations rather than regurgitating porch step street legends? Walking into Karibu suddenly became an irritating skip into a soft-porn shop; you couldn't even take your kids in there without getting accosted by simpleton images of scantily-clad sistas with their a$$ hanging out - not that I don't like that, but - come on - what happened to the family experience Karibu once aspired to.
Simba was a straight up a$$ for killing the Karibu vibe; he was just buying up any title with a diamond, a gun and a stripper's bottom on it. Come one - what goes around comes around. Yao was absolutely livid over how Karibu was suddenly becoming a part of the problem: our continued and collective brainwashing as Black people. Frankly, there's now an opening, an opportunity to open up a real bookstore that finds the perfect balance between education and entertainment without insulting our intelligence. Karibu closing also means that those titles - fiction and non-fiction - that we really need to be reading can maybe have a chance to really shine rather than being pushed to the back and side of the store. As of late, I had found myself in Busboys and Poets, on the real. Karibu broke my heart. They deserve to close that joint down.
THAT WAS A RESPECTABLE POST AND I DEFINITELY COMMEND YOU FOR IT. HAD THIS BEEN SAID IN THE ARTICLE I'D HAVE HAD NO REASON OR DESIRE TO SAY THE THINGS I DID. I DO BELIEVE IN MOVING FORWARD ALSO. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU, IT SURELY TAKES A MAN AND DECENT HUMAN BEING TO ADMIT PAST MISTAKES AND LOOK FORWARD TO CHANGE IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.
First off, let me say thank you to the numerous supporters on this board and off. It is good that many recognize that there needs to be a change and that a lot of things are going in the wrong direction. We can't let those who do not understand or want to understand the point in moving forward keep us from doing so. We should always strive to to be better, to have better and to do better. Unlike some people, I was in this industry at a time when THIS activity was beneath us. Yes, there was favoritism, and yes, certain genres got bashed... but this is probably the worst that it has been in the last fifteen years.
There are always going to be people who continue negativity... some people make their living off of it. Yet when others, even some who may have contributed to some of the problems, recognize the need to move forward they should always be encouraged to move forward, not reminded of what they have done yesterday, last week or last year. When someone recognizes the error of their ways, they should be encouraged to change, and when they slip, be told they are loved the same. They should not be repriminded, reminded of or condemned for their past flaws. That is how people stay in the condition of they are in. I never denied that I was involved in some stuff... I didn't start everything first of all. Some issues I played into and some, I was a bystander who chose to do nothing when I had an opportunity to say something. However, I was not the only as I have had several accomplices over the years. Whether they come out of the wilderness or hide in the shadows is on them. I'm sure I won't be the only bold enough to say my name, acknowledge faults and say and work towards flipping the negative into positive. I am writing this on today is January 26, 2008... in recognition that today is another day I have to move forward. If I succeed, this is a day that goes into the positve corner. If I fail, then this is a day I have to reflect what I did wrong and what I need to do to fix it. I also realize that change is not going to happen overnight. It will take time. But as long as I am committed to it and I have at least one person encouraging me of the ultimate goal, then yes I can do it. And there is not a contradiction in that.
I'M NOT NEW TO THIS SITE OR THE LITERARY BUSINESS. ONE POSTER STATED HE DOES NOT DEAL WITH TOO MANY IN THIS INDUSTRY. I DON'T EITHER BUT THAT SURELY DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T CLEARLY SEE WHAT IS WRONG AND RIGHT ABOUT THE LIT WORLD. I'M ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN THEREFORE I'M NOT IN THE MIX OF IT SO I CAN SEE THINGS FOR EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE. IF I READ A ARTICLE WITH BLATANT CONTRADICTIONS, I'M GOING TO CALL IT. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS RELATED TO THE WRONGS OF THIS BUSINESS AND WILL EVENTUALLY TEAR THE BLACK LITERARY WORLD DOWN. "WE" SAY WE WANT SOMETHING BUT SURE AIN'T ACTING LIKE IT.
YOUR CONFUSION IS FROM MISUNDERSTANDING THAT I HAVE STATED NOT ONLY THE OBVIOUS BUT ALSO MY OPINION. I DO THIS ON MANY A SITE. AS FOR HATRED, IF MY POSTS WERE READ AND UNDERSTOOD IN THE CONTEXT THEY WERE STATED IT WOULD BE CLEAR THAT "HATRED" IS WHAT I'M SPEAKING AGAINST, NOT PROMOTING. TO REFER TO WHAT SOMEONE SAID ABOUT OTHER COLUMNS BESIDES THIS ONE THAT WERE AUTHORED BY JAROLD, THEY WERE ON OTHER TOPICS. OBVIOUSLY I'M REPLYING TO THIS ONE AND REFERRED TO 3 OTHERS THAT CONTRADICTED THE AUTHORS POINT OF THIS ONE. SO BASICALLY ONE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OTHER. IT'S JUST COMMON SENSE!
I think Jarold's article brings together some of the issues that have been discussed at length on some of the comment sections of some of the more recent UBS features ...we should do more agreeing to disagree than going back and forth about whether UBS is doing what they should do...if u are unhappy with UBS then im sure u have the option of refraining from repeatedly visiting the site