Imagery of the hood
This novel depicts the harsh realities of life in the ghetto. Bri's mother is subjected to horrendous drug addictions when she was in a moment of frustration and need (need caused by the historical systemic injustices around Black communities in urban areas), and Bri's aunt is literally still a successful drug dealer. Her father was a famous rapper who was gunned down by a rival gang, and Bri's life is filled with paranoia, conflicts, and she is literally attacked by violent, angry, disenfranchised people.
The "Rapper" image
Bri's father is depicted in two ways: as her father, whom she adores, who represents her own tenacity and drive, and then he is depicted in the public. The public views him as a career gangster, as a celebrator of thug life, but of course, he is the victim of thug life, clearly. Jealous gangsters end his career and his life, but in the public, his death is viewed as kind of obvious consequence for his life. The public resists the tragedy and trauma of his death, because they have already decided he is a typical gangster.
Portraits of fame
When Bri's life starts getting full with meetings and appointments with consultants and managers, she realizes that musicianship is not all she hoped it would be. She finds obstacles where her instincts tell her there should be none, and slowly she realizes what fame actually means to Black artists. It means that white men have too much say in her art for her to succeed in the way she hoped. The stage is also part of this imagery, and of course the fame that comes, but is what she wanted or is it another thing entirely?
Pictures of poverty
Of course, prose about Bri's home life involves depictions of poverty. Together, the family struggles without margin. They are constantly under the pressure of their bills, and when Bri begins to rake in some cash, the poverty continues. Poverty is shown to be more than just the lack of money—it has deeply systemic issues. Look for instance at what the characters in this novel eat and drink. Also, the frequency of liquor stores paint a systemic portrait of urban life. Then, the gangs, the dealers, the prostitutes, the gunshots, the blatant crime—they all paint a systemic portrait of poverty.
