57 pages 1 hour read

Tiffany D. Jackson

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2019

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Character Analysis

Steph

Let Me Hear A Rhyme centers around Steph, a 16-year-old who aspires to become a rapper within the music industry. He was murdered before the narrative begins, and his loved ones frequently flash back to memories of him, demonstrating his continuing influence upon their lives. Steph lived in Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy), Brooklyn, in housing projects called Brevoort, with his mom, sister Jasmine, little brother Carl. Steph’s father was murdered due to his role as a police informant. Steph was conscientious, smart, creative, and responsible. He’d often encourage his friends to improve themselves and would do anything to help his community. In life, Steph demonstrates The Limits of Both Legal and Extralegal Justice. He was murdered due to his role as a police informant and because of his attempts to name a murderer in one of his songs. This attempt to take justice into his own hands placed him in harm’s way, as his impatience to depend on unreliable law enforcement inspired him to turn to his music to speak the truth. Steph’s murder demonstrates the limits of justice and extralegal justice, as the recent murders are not solved until law enforcement and the community come together to share information with one another.