On The Come Up is a YA Ode to Hip Hop and Following Your Dreams
“Nothing’s ever been the same since Nas told me the world was mine-I’m somebody’s hope and I’m somebody’s mirror.”
That quote is the foundation of On The Come Up, a love letter to hip hop, black girls and the importance of standing up for what you believe in-even if it comes at a cost.
Angie Thomas, bestselling author who burst on the YA radar in 2017 with her critically-acclaimed novel The Hate U Give which was later turned into a film, has written another smash story set in the same neighborhood of Garden Heights, but this time with a spunkier heroine who is bold, talented and Black to her core.
16 year old Brianna (aka Bri for short) is an aspiring rapper who dreams of making it out of the hood and poverty to become a legendary female rapper like some of her famous idols. Her late father, Lawless, was a big urban underground rapper who was shot and killed by a local gang before he could reach true stardom, so Bri is walking on the shoulder of a giant literally and figuratively. Bri finally gets a big break after she uploads a fiery SoundCloud track regarding a racially charged event at school,and she blows up and gets tons of new attention and opportunities. But when she gets the chance to step into the spotlight, Bri faces incrimination from the world who looks at her as a thug and criminal, and Bri has to decide whether “selling out” is worth her finally reaching stardom or fighting the systems designed to oppress her.
The story has a very authentic teenage girl voice, and the cast of supporting characters each have their own storylines that don’t overwhelm the story but add color to it-Trey, Bri’s older brother has a college degree but faces the real and candid struggle of being unable to find work in his field and working minimum wage at a pizza shop, Jay, Bri’s mom who is 8 years clean of narcotics and works for low wages as well while trying to mend her relationship with Bri, Aunt Pooh who is a masculine lesbian woman who sells drugs, Sonny and Malik, Bri’s two best friends and a host of others.
This story tackles a host of topics without it feeling like a mixed bag or stuffed: LGBTQ characters, poverty, feminism/misogyny in hip hop, systemic racism, drug use/effects on Black families, hip hop and oppression. Also, the freestyles that Bri performs are BANANAS, partly because Thomas herself used to be a teen rapper- readers get an inside look at how Bri constructs lyrics in her head for her opponent, musical influences and rhyme/reason, all of which give us a killer inner monologue into the inner thoughts of Bri.
Thomas is a master at her craft when it comes to authenticity, vibrant writing and worldbuilding of the hood and complex, rich and cultured Black characters. Thomas is also very skilled at making struggle and tragedy sound vibrant and interesting.
On the Come Up is one of the most sincerest love letters to Black teens girls like Bri I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It will make you cry, laugh, think and bust out your favorite rappers playlist (fun fact: there is an On the Come Up playlist on Spotify)! Angie Thomas is a gem in creating stories that inspire social change in teens and adults alike, and we’re so lucky to have her.