Street lit is controversial stuff. Even though street lit is a huge hit with today's teens, one will not find the semiautobiographical novels of Vickie Stringer and Nikki Turner, the grandes dames of urban fiction, on many (if any) high school reading lists or, for that matter, on some public libraries' shelves. That's because street lit (aka urban or ghetto lit) can be uncompromising, brutal, and direct--and its stories are often loaded with references to hip-hop and gangsta rap. The most troubling thing about street lit is not necessarily its graphic descriptions of sex, violence, and drugs, or its occasional fondness for gangsta rap's explicit language, or even that it seemingly glamorizes thug life. No, what many librarians may wince at is the uneven quality of its content. Since most urban lit was originally offered by small independent presses (and sold from street carts, sidewalk tables, car trunks, and mom-and-pop shops), some of its stories read more like first drafts than polished manuscripts, and it is not uncommon for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to permeate its pages. Still, when it comes to high-octane storytelling, unforgettable characters, and sheer teen appeal, there is no denying that urban fiction is a tough ticket to beat. In this article, the author suggests that librarians embrace urban street lit, even if its stories occasionally clash with their values. (Contains 16 resources and 8 online resources.)