Welcome to Urban Street Lit Media

Overview

Urban Street Lit Media is principally focused on adapting African American novels to film, television and on-line, capitalizing on unique and niche branding opportunities internationally. We not only target audiences already familiar with the author’s work, but as well, expand the brand’s market penetration by developing “360 Degree” business models that reach across multiple platforms of media. Urban Street Lit Media has acquired the rights to multiple titles currently in development, with plans to release projects via various distribution channels world-wide.

"Tyler Perry better be on the look-out. From the looks and sounds of this, 'Every Dog' may be the show to see this year." - AOL's Black Voices

Why Urban Street Literature?

“Hustle And Grow- Big publishers discover that entrepreneurial street lit authors have written the book on reaching an untapped market.” - Time Magazine, October 16, 2006

In the late 1990s and early 2000, three books: Teri Woods' True to the Game, Omar Tyree's Flyy Girl, and Sister Souljah's Coldest Winter Ever, which alone sold over 475,000 copies on the street, together kicked off a whole new, and self contained genre of literature called "Urban Street Literature,” and what is now commonly known as “Urban Street Lit.”

Urban Street Lit is a 300-million dollar a year business. From the street lined vendors in Harlem, New York, to the swap meets in Compton, California, the urban book industry is rapidly becoming the equivalent to what Hip Hop music was in the 1980s.

In the late 70’s and early 1980’s, Sugar Hill Records, Enjoy Records, and Def Jam Records were just a few of the pioneer labels that embarked on the genre of “Rap Music”. With King Tim III being recognized as the first rap single to be heard across the airwaves, it didn’t take long for a copycat to follow. And follow it did, in the form of The Sugar Hill Gang with their smash hit “Rappers Delight.” And the rest as they say…is history!

Film and television production companies have always looked for ways to lessen the risk associated with these mediums. Adapting successful books into screenplays has consistently served as just that. For example, Terry McMillan’s accomplishment in being a highly successful author translated very well for her novels at the box office, with breakout blockbusters like Waiting To Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

With a business approach dedicated to expanding successful content from original literary works, Urban Street Lit Media will compose its media productions with a clear and viable vision that will target and expand the authors' markets.

We are proud to announce our Co-Ventures with Omar Tyree and Darrell A Cador, to adapt their incredible stories to the silver screen!!

Omar Tyree, the New York Times bestselling author and 2001 NAACP Image Award recipient for Outstanding Literature in Fiction, has been read by over 8 million people world wide. Tyree has been recognized as one of the most renowned contemporary writers in the African-American community. In the early 90’s, Tyree was one of the most dominant literary self-promoters and in 1995, he signed a lucrative arrangement with publishing powerhouse Simon & Schuster and has since written 16 novels. www.OmarTyree.com

Darrell A Cador's "When Seasons Change" tells the story of Lorena Daniels, a senior officer for a Chicago-based credit union that has just broken up with her live-in boyfriend of four years. Days Later and after several chance encounters with the same man (Randall James), Lorena embarks on a whirlwind relationship that parallels the changes in the seasons.