Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

With that major spoiler out of the way, the book turns to his sister Jasmine and his two best friends, Jarrell and Quadir, as they reckon with his loss and attempt to secure his legacy as one of the best to put on for Brooklyn. The story takes place on the heels of the Notorious BIG’s murder, and opens with the funeral of Steph, a 16-year-old aspiring rapper. But it really feels like a long-overdue homage to the New York hip-hop scene at one of its most pivotal periods. On its surface, it’s a touching story of a group of friends refusing to let their friend become another anonymous victim of street violence. If there was ever a book written that speaks directly to the soul of 14-year-old me, it is Let Me Hear a Rhyme. The characters all felt relatable and the bond between them believable. The story skillfully unfolded a layer at a time until the truth of the killing was laid bare.

The book was incredibly well crafted with flashbacks that allowed us to get to know and care for Steph. As a further gut punch, his sister and his two best friends are individually living with the fearful secret that they may have been responsible for his death. He had incredible potential and because of a violent crime he was robbed of the opportunity to follow his passion, and in turn, the world was robbed of the opportunity to hear his gift. The message in the book was incredibly poignant. Using some of the music he recorded before his death they pretend he is alive in order to secure a record deal. Steph was shot and killed in his own neighbourhood. … ( more)Ī brilliant book about three teenagers commitment to realising the unfulfilled music career of Steph, their friend and brother.

And with everything riding on Steph's fame, they need to decide what they stand for or lose all that they've worked so hard to hold on to-including each other. As the pressure of keeping their secret grows, Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine are forced to confront the truth about what happened to Steph. When his demo catches the attention of a hotheaded music label rep, the trio must prove Steph's talent from beyond the grave. With the help of Steph's younger sister Jasmine, they come up with a plan to promote Steph's music under a new rap name: the Architect. But that doesn't mean that Quadir and Jarrell are cool letting their best friend Steph's music lie forgotten under his bed after he's murdered-not when his rhymes could turn any Bed Stuy corner into a party. Biggie Smalls was right: Things done changed. Jackson tells the story of three Brooklyn teens who plot to turn their murdered friend into a major rap star by pretending he's still alive.

In this striking new novel by the critically acclaimed author of Allegedly and Monday's Not Coming, Tiffany D.

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson