Setting in " On the Come Up"

 The novel is set in the USA in recent time. The character use mobile phones, and watch You Tube. 

The main character is a "hood-kid", and lives in a black neighbourhood called the Garden. 15 minutes away is another black neighbourhood called Maple Grove which is much more dangerous with drugs and shootings.

She used to live with her grandparents, but now she lives with her mother. Her mother has just lost her job, and they are in a difficult financial situation  

She goes to a school where they have to go through a metal detector in order to enter the school, and there are many security guards who monitor the pupils.

Bri is also in a rap environment where she gets attention and is a star.