Author: Tiffany
Research and Audience
Tiffany Muse 12/5/19
The conversation regarding sexual assault has been in effect for years but has recently been more seriously as a result of the #METOO movement. Justice has been served but only to a certain extent that would not make any survivor or someone close with a survivor feel any safer with the hopes of a resolution and/ or closure. When people are convicted of sexual assault majority of the time the punishment is of the bare minimum. I feel that men that are rightfully convicted of sexual assault should face harsher and more serious consequences. This is an issue that affects women who are survivors, people that fear they may be next, and the legislatures that are in power of determining what a more proper consequence should be for these crimes.
The New York Times
The Lack in Punishment Regarding Sexual Assault
By Tiffany Muse
Dec. 5, 2019 at 4:00 p.m. EDT
Over the course of the past couple of years multiple women have gathered up the courage to come forth and speak out on their experiences with sexual assault in the hopes of getting justice and a sense of relief for the hardships they had to face.
Both women and men are not likely to report to the police when they have been a survivor of sexual assault. According to the Criminal Justice System Statistics “out of 1,000 sexual assaults only 230 will be reported and that 3 out 4 will go unreported.”
Women are at a higher risk of sexual assault and often are not quick to report it when it does occur. The reasoning behind this varies from not wanting to be embarrassed to feeling terrified. However, something that is often shown and discussed that has an impact on whether a survivor would want to come forward or not is how the justice system treats and handles assault cases.
There have been multiple examples of convicted rapists that have gotten little to no punishment or just a slap on the wrist. From Brock Turner, David Becker, Nicholas Fifield, John P. Enochs, Austin James Wilkerson as mentioned by Shugerman, Emily. “5 Men who were accused of sexual assault and got little to no jail time.” Revelist, 2016. These men committed assault crimes and were able to walk away as if they have not done anything wrong.
Something that these cases tend to have in common are the fact that a majority of these men are either fresh out of high school or already in college. The main argument that is made is that they are still young and are often first time offenders which should not be justified when it comes to how an incident of this caliber can ruin someone. This excuse is what sets a precedent for how other sexual assault crimes are handled when the perpetrator is older. An example of this is mentioned by Dastagir E., Alia. “A bus driver rapes, a man keeps girl captive and neither are going to prison.” USA Today, 2019. In these cases a New York bus driver Shane Piche admitted to raping a 14 year old girl that rode the bus and another man, Michael Wysolovski admitted to keeping a teenage girl in captivity for over a year. In both of these cases adult men who admitted to these vile acts were not being sent to prison.
When people who have committed these heinous acts have not received the necessary punishments or consequences the wrong type of message is sent to not only other possible offenders that now think they can commit these acts and get off scotch free but to the survivors and their families. As a survivor or someone that knows a survivor it is important to take a stand for something that is so clear to be unjust. No one is able to feel, relate to, or even imagine what is was like to have to go through the process of the attack to your ongoing recovery. That is the power and ammunition that you have to speak out not just for justice against your attacker but to put an end to more potential attackers once they see that they can no longer get off easy for doing this to another human being. You are powerful and have something that no else has to speak on this matter, to ensure that justice is properly served for the harm and distress caused to you.
December 5, 2019
Law Legislatures
Congress
First St SE, Washington, DC 20004
Dear Law Legislatures,
A change needs to be made in the sentencing and overall punishment of those convicted of sexual assault. It is well known by the majority that most offenders of sexual assault tend to get off scotch free and never face any serious consequences for the horrid acts they have committed.
It is shown by Dam Van, Andrew, “Less than 1% of rapes lead to felony convictions but at least 89% of victims face emotional and physical consequences.” Washington Post, 2018. Very few sexual assault cases result in a serious felony conviction which may seem good to the offenders, the attorneys assigned to them, as well as other members of the justice system that can easily get through these types of cases. The way these cases are dealt with are for convenience of everyone involved with no regards to the victims of these crimes. As stated in the very same article by Dam, “…at least 89% of victims report some level of distress, including high rates of physical injury, PTSD, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.” These acts have a major impact on the victims and the law does not seem to be aware of that or seem to care. The sentencing and the process for how sexual assault crimes are dealt with start with the respect of the victim and end with the respect of the offender.
It takes a lot for a victim to come forward and they often get scrutinized and told they are lying. For them to be able to get to a point of accepting what happened and the need for justice to make a report and then have to go through the trial process to find out their offender is only facing about six months, which may most likely result in less time served than the original sentence given along with probation. This shows how the justice system does not show its true support for the victim and that needs to change.
These are heinous crimes that show no respect to a person or their own body which hurt and damage them for years and possibly the rest of their lives, however they are not taken as seriously as they should be when it comes to the consequences. When the war on drugs started in 1971 punishments became harsher for those found to be in possession. To this day the minimum sentence for possession convicted of an offense is 94 months and those not convicted of an offense have a minimum sentence of 42 months on a federal level as stated by the Mandatory Minimum Penalties for Drug Offenses in the Federal Criminal Justice System (p10).
Those that are caught and convicted of possession face harsher consequences and longer sentencing than someone convicted of sexual assault. That is the problem and that needs to change. As law legislatures you need to change the precedent that has been set by the past sexual assault cases ended with the offender getting a few months jail time with no serious repercussions. The point of the law and the justice system is to serve justice by a due diligence and ensure a safer atmosphere and country. This is done through the making of laws and proper sentencing for certain crimes as a way of punishment to remove criminals from the streets and make it so that no one would want to commit these crimes because of the possible punishment they may face. If you continue to allow such a short sentence for sexual assault it will translate to people believing they would not face any serious time allowing them to feel free to commit these acts without fear of a serious sentence or conviction.
Take this into consideration and focus on what is truly important and necessary terrible crimes should be treated as such through the use of proper and understandable punishment with the thought of the victims and those who could be next in mind.
Sincerely,
Tiffany Muse
Work Cited
“5 Men Who Were Accused of Sexual Assault and Got Little or No Jail Time.” Revelist.com, https://www.revelist.com/feminism/brock-turner-accused-rapists-no/4577.
Dam, Andrew Van. “Analysis | Less than 1% of Rapes Lead to Felony Convictions. At Least 89% of Victims Face Emotional and Physical Consequences.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 6 Oct. 2018, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/10/06/less-than-percent-rapes-lead-felony-convictions-least-percent-victims-face-emotional-physical-consequences/.
Dastagir, Alia E. “A Bus Driver Rapes, a Man Keeps Girl Captive and Neither Are Going to Prison.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 6 May 2019, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/05/03/bus-driver-shane-pinche-wont-go-prison-rape-hes-not-alone/3653181002/.
“Drug Possession Penalties and Sentencing.” Findlaw, https://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/drug-possession-penalties-and-sentencing.html#.
“Mandatory Minimum Penalties for Drug Offenses in the Federal Criminal Justice System.” Ussc.gov, https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/research-publications/2017/20171025_Drug-Mand-Min.pdf.
“The Criminal Justice System: Statistics.” RAINN, https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system.
Annotated Bibliography Reflection
Tiffany Muse 11/17/19
After writing my annotated bibliography I learned a lot about the genre of hip hop music and the commonalities among the songs that are apart of that genre. Some of these commonalities include the overall tone of the song/ lyrics, the particular audience the artists were targeting, as well as the overall message and outcome the artist was trying to convey in each song. Most of the songs in the genre of hip hop music tend to have a very direct, colloquial, and cautionary tone. Most of the music in this genre are relaying a message and often times refer to telling the story of living a harsh and dangerous life and that living a life like that is real and should be avoided, which results in the directness of all the horrors that are faced and experienced. They do this while also providing a warning to those that have not experienced the same to know how the other side lives and to avoid it to better yourselves. Artists in this genre are able to relay this message through their colloquial tone which allows people to easily understand what they are trying to say while also not feeling like anyone is above or below the other, it provides the feeling of a conversation to either learn and understand something that you are not used to, or feel a sense of familiarity so that it is easier to relate to if you can. This also goes towards reaching out to their audience of people who have experienced something similar to people who are unaware and in the dark of this harsh reality. Artists in this genre tend to focus on the emotion to allow people to relate and have a better understanding of where they came from the struggles they went through. Hip Hop music is used by many artists to have an outlet to discuss and bring light to the various problems that are faced in impoverished communities, and through this tactics they are able to achieve the goal of being a representative for uncommon problems for some but very common problems for others. By doing this they are able to start a conversation about the harsh reality so many people are so blind of and to help improve the lives of those that are struggling and are forced to resort to other means of getting by. The genre of hip hop music taught me a lot, however I would still like to more about the actual process of making a hip hop song that is able to reach so many people as compared to the ones that do not garner as large of a traction.
As a result of this assignment I was able to learn a lot about myself as a writer. I was able to learn how easily I was able to analyze different songs to the point of having my own interpretation and claim of each song while also being able to support it using evidence from the song. I found that I was able to use simple seemingly straightforward lyrics and break them down and analyze them to be something more. This was shown when I used “Where Ya At” by Future and Drake. They constantly used the line “where ya a** was at?” and from that line alone I was able to gather the emphasis that came from this line and it’s repetition to convey the message of being used and wondering where certain people were before they made in the industry and became successful which reveals how people are not always loyal and may be with you for an alternative motive. Although I found this to be a strength of mine I would like to grow as a writer in the sense of brainstorming and being more imaginative in the early stages. This is something that I often struggle with and in order to improve I would need to not be too focused on the overall assignment and allow myself to let go and be more open to free thinking so that there are less limitations on myself and what I can write about to convey a certain message or share a particular belief.
Hip Hop Music (Lyrics)
Tiffany Muse
Cole, Jermaine, “No Role Modelz,” recorded 2014, track 9 on 2014 Forest Hills Drive, Dreamville, Roc Nation, Columbia Vinyl Crown.
In J. Cole’s “No Role Modelz,” the topic of the common struggles people face in their lives and provides an outlook on what truly happens to some people while allowing those people to be able to relate. Cole focuses on his own personal experiences and problems he faced and how he dealt with and overcame them and changed. Cole starts off the song by saying, “first things first rest in peace Uncle Phil, for real, you the only father that I ever knew,” indicating his lack of a father figure that caused him to stray away from making better decisions causing his need to change in the song. It goes back to the title of the song of not having a role model to show you the way resulting in the need to experience mistakes on your without warning. Cole emphasizes this when he explains, “no role models and I’m here right now, no role models to speak of.” Cole was alone to learn for himself but he is still here showing how he was able to overcome that. The tone of this song is colloquial and direct. Cole uses phrases a vast majority would understand and relate to using while also sticking straight to the story and the process that he went through. This song focuses on the emotion one feels and the logic one must use when it comes to making an important change in your life and growing as a person. In the middle of the song Cole mentions, “I want a real love… that Jada and Will love, that leave your toothbrush at your crib love, and you ain’t gotta wonder whether that’s your kid love.” He adds, “…I don’t want no b***h from reality shows, out of touch with reality hoes, out in Hollywood bringin’ back 5 or 6 h*es.” This is a turning point for Cole in the song, he is changing and realizing the frivolous life is not what it seems and he would rather find something real, that it’s time to settle down. Most people when they are young want to live their life and are not quick to settle down. This shows the process of how this changes overtime as you mature. He then follows this by repeating the line and phrase, “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, can’t put the blame on you.” This is adds to his knowledge of taking control over a situation by making new and smarter decisions.
Coolio and L.V., “Gangsta’s Paradise,” recorded 1995, track 3 on Gangsta’s Paradise, Tommy Boy
Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” discusses the life of a gangster and someone that comes from the hood. This was a widely talked about topic in 90’s hip hop and Coolio got involved in that discussion and representation with this song. The life of someone from the hood or an impoverished community is often known to be violent and this song goes in depth in the constant crime and murder that is seen and experienced by someone that lives in these conditions. Coolio begins the song saying, “…But I ain’t never crossed a man that didn’t deserve it, me be treated like a punk, you know that’s unheard of, you better watch how you talkin’ and where you walkin’ or you and your homies might be lined in chalk.” The starting line indicates that killing is justified and that everything he has ever come across had a reason for happening. He follows that with reassurance that he has made a name for himself in his community to the point of respect with no worries of becoming a target or victim. He then goes on to share some advice on how one would protect themselves from certain situations that often occur in these neighborhoods. In the second verse Coolio explains, “Look at the situation they got me facin’ I can’t live a normal life, I was raised by the street so I gotta be down with the hood team… Got my ten in my hand and a gleam in my eye, I’m a loc’d out gangsta, set trippin’ banger.” Coolio is emphasizing what is expected of him as a result of him growing up and living in this dangerous lifestyle. He was always exposed to this life which was all he knew, he discusses being “a loc’d out gangsta, set trippin’ banger,” which means that he is a member of the crip gang and he represents it fully to the point of violence. He also knows to always be there for his gang since that a gang is often seen as family because it is a lifestyle that is embedded into someone starting from a young age. The audience for this song are people that have grown up in a similar situation that involved being exposed to a lot of violence and crime. Those that grew up in these situations are able to relate and have a sense of relief that they are not alone and they have someone that is the voice of their struggles. This song can also be aimed towards the people that are unaware of how violent gang life can be. It can be used for the people that want to join a gang for fun or to look cool to see the truth behind it all and fear that ensues of not knowing if you or a friend would make it to your next birthday. This message is emphasized through the use of a candid and cautionary tone. It is straightforward and honest about how gang life is, from the dangers, violence, and fear. As a result of this, it can be used to warn people to be smart about the decisions they make if they are able to have a choice on whether they join this type of life or go in a different and safer direction. This appeals to the audience through Coolio’s credibility to speak on this topic since he has experienced these actions and is well known for being gang affiliated. He also appeals to the emotions of those who have witnessed the loss of a loved one to this type of life and how it can have a negative impact both on the person involved directly and indirectly.
Future and Drake, “Where Ya At,” recorded 2015, track 3 on DS2, Epic Records, Sony Music Entertainment.
The song “Where Ya At,” by Future and Drake explains the problems of not being able to fully trust people or be aware of someone’s true intentions. In the song repetition of the title “Where Ya At” is used to emphasize the purpose behind the song. The repetition of the title is followed by different scenarios that show the artist change and struggle overtime. This is explained when Future says, “Where ya a** was at, dog, when n***as wouldn’t feed me? Where ya a** was at, dog, when n***as didn’t need me? Where ya a** was at when I was trapping in the store? Had to struggle to get where I’m at and had to sell dope.” This reveals how the people in your life may not be there for you when you are in trouble struggling or need help but will be there once you become successful and they can benefit from you. This song is aimed towards people that have experienced a come up and gained success from having nothing and realized how people change when you have a large improvement in your life. It is meant for those people who are able to relate while also sharing to those not in that position to have good intentions when it comes to coming into and staying in someone’s life for the right reasons rather than showing up or being present when it’s most convenient. This message is portrayed using a direct and somewhat indignant tone. The artists are conveying their annoyance to the way people tend to act in these situations and how it is important to be aware of it. Drake states “where ya a** was at when we first got the news? Now your a** back because we’re paying back dues, where were you? When all the dogs needed help… where your a** was at? I take attendance like a classroom.” Drake is revealing how people show up at the right time and that you have to pay attention. By Drake saying “I take attendance like a classroom,” he is expressing the importance and need to keep track of who you associate with both before and after your success, that way you know who is true to you or not. This appeals to people’s emotions learning how to avoid people that cannot be trusted. This is something that anyone can relate to because you always want people in your life that you can trust and count on to be there for you no matter your situation or their potential gain as a result of helping you.
Lamar, Kendrick, “Swimming Pools (Drank),” recorded 2012, track 9 on good kid, m.A.A.d city, Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records
“Swimming Pools (Drank)” by Kendrick Lamar explains the battle a large amount of people tend to go through with alcohol in their lives and the many reasons why people may start and continue to use this substance to the point of abuse. Kendrick starts the first verse by telling his history and knowledge of its use when he says, “Now I done grew up ‘round some people livin’ their life in bottles, granddaddy had the golden flask…Some people like the way it feels, some people wanna kill their sorrows, some people wanna fit in with the popular, that was my problem.” Kendrick is explaining how was constantly exposed to alcohol and its use. From seeing it in his neighborhood, friends, peers, and family it began to influence him. He makes note of the many reasons why someone would begin using whether it was a coping mechanism or just to fit which he mentions was the reason for him to start. This song is for people that are able to relate if they are either going through this now, went through it in the past or knows someone who did. It provides a sense of understanding and allows people to relate and not feel alone when it comes to experiencing a really important and damaging lifestyle. The song is able to express this using a very cautionary tone to warn people how bad things could get overtime while also being dignified and direct when discussing such an issue. This appeals to the emotion of someone that has experienced this problem before while also shining light on what could seem like just having fun but end up becoming a life threatening situation. This is brought up more depth in the second verse stating, “Okay, now open your mind up and listen me, Kendrick, I am your conscience, if you do not hear me then you will be history, Kendrick, I know that your nauseous right now and I’m hopin’ to lead you to victory, Kendrick if I take another one down I’ma drown in some poison abusing my limit.” At this point, Kendrick is aware of how alcohol is negatively affecting him and he needs to slow it down before it kills him. Throughout the song, “pour up (drank), head shot (drank), sit down (drank), stand up (drank), pass out (drank), wake up (drank), faded (drank), faded (drank)” is repeated. This is emphasizing the idea and behavior he knew around him that no matter what your have to drink and that it is the answer to everything.
Shakur, Tupac, “Keep Ya Head Up,” recorded 1992, track 11 on Strictly 4 My N.*.*.*.A.Z…, Interscope Records
Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up” talks about the mistreatment of women in society along with the overall struggle faced in minority and impoverished communities. Although he was aware of these problems and how hard life can be, he provided a positive message to “keep ya head up,” stand tall, and have confidence in yourself and the possibility for change to happen. Tupac starts off the song immediately focusing on women and those struggling by saying, “I give a holla to my sisters on welfare, 2Pac cares if don’t nobody else care, and I know they like to beat you down a lot… but please don’t cry, dry your eyes, never let up forgive, but don’t forget, girl, keep ya head up.” He is explaining to the women struggling to stay strong because they are worth more and deserve more. He notes how horrible women are treated when he says, “And since we all come from a woman… I wonder why we take from our women, why we rape our women – do we hate our women? I think it’s time to kill for our women, time to heal our women, be real to our women.” Tupac is bringing awareness to how horribly women are treated and how it has to change given how important and vital women are. In the second verse of the song Tupac shifts topics and discusses minorities and the life they live. He shares, “I try to find my friends, but they’re blowin’ in the wind, last night my buddy lost his whole family, it’s gonna take the man in me to conquer this insanity, it seems the rain’ll never let up, I try to keep my head up, you know, it’s funny…, they got money for wars but can’t feed the poor.” He is exposing the harsh life of those in smaller and impoverished communities and how those people never know when will be the last time they will see a loved one. He also explains that despite everyone being against them and the horrors they face they have to stand tall. He also focuses on how the government doesn’t care or use their resources for the people but instead, uses them for the military. This song is for both men and women and anyone that is ignorant or oblivious to the truth and the struggles people face on the other side. Tupac is trying to convey a message that there is a need for change and people need to take the initiative for it. Women that are hurt can feel support, men that are unaware of the pain being caused can make a change, and the people that can learn more about how others aren’t given better help. This message is disclosed using a benevolent tone towards the women targeted for the song while also being cautionary to raise awareness for the problems being faced. Tupac relies on emotion and his credibility for this song. He uses his experience with loss and other struggles faced by minorities while also explaining the hurt women go through and the need for this change to occur.
Von, King, “Crazy Story”, recorded 2018, track 3 on Grandson, Vol 1, Only The Family Entertainment, Empire
King Von’s “Crazy Story” is the depiction of a normal day in the hood that Involves the acts of gang activity. King Von explains the process of having an enemy from an opposing gang and wanting to get revenge and the steps that place in order to be successful in the act. He starts off the song saying, “Got a drop on this flexin’ n***a he from Tennessee, I had a th*t, she be with the s**t, she told me where he be.” This shows the first step in the process of getting the job done and seeking revenge on a rival. Von uses the targets girlfriend that he knows to easily set him up and get him to be in the area that he wants. Later on in the song Von explains his plan more when he states, “I grab my glock, it been through a lot, but it still shoot like new, we at the top yeah we lost a lot, but that just how it go.” Von is revealing the acts that are taking place with normalized gang violence and crime. Stating that his gun “has been through a lot,” expresses how often he had used it as a weapon either for self defense for the dangerous area that lives in or for personal vendettas against rival gangs in his home of Chicago, which is known for being a very dangerous city with very high crime rates. He also mentions how he lost a lot but continues to reveal how it is normal for where he lives and life that he has being in a gang and in Chicago. He ends the song revealing how he gets the job done when he explains, “Now I sneak up, crouching like a tiger… Block on fire, so I take precaution, mask on, Micheal Myers… I was born to shoot, I got aim… So I rise, hit one in his arm, hit one in his thigh, this no lie, b***h it’s do or die…” Von makes multiple references throughout the song, such as the movie Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, and Micheal Myers from Halloween. He refers to these to show his strategies for completing his task. He crouches like a tiger to stay hidden and be stealthy and uses a mask like Micheal Myers does in Halloween so that he is not identified by anyone as a possible suspect for the crime. Von then emphasizes his ability to shoot and handle a gun showing his experience. Von ends the song with where he aimed and how he shot the person he was after explaining that it was necessary because it was either he did it and aimed at him or he would be the one to get shot at. This song’s audience are those that are familiar with gang life and participate in the lifestyle on a daily basis. From the violence and need to take a life in order to save themselves and constantly being put in that situation. This can also be helpful to those that are unaware of what happens when gang rivalry get’s dangerous and serious, as well as all of the planning that goes into completing these violent acts that are often discussed and brought up in the news. This message is described using a candid colloquial tone in order to relate to the audience and help them easily understand what is being said. It also allowed Von to be honest and straightforward about this particular lifestyle and everything that goes down from the plotting to the final execution. This appeals to the audience through Von’s credibility by showing his experience and knowledge of how this world works in this aspect of gang activity and living in a dangerous city. He also appeals to the audience’s emotions of experiencing this first hand or knowing someone that did.
Hip Hop Music
Tiffany Muse
Eng 1101
Artists partnered with CCG Network Radio, in the article, “What Makes a Hip Hop Song Hit Worthy” discusses the process of making a hip hop song and what important parts and elements are incorporated in order to make a popular charting hip hop record. The purpose for this article was for hip hop artists on the rise that make music at home and want to make a popular well known song. They adopt an ardent and candid tone so as to stay on track and get straight to the point in order to appeal to the targeted audience of artists that are here for a straightforward formula and answers to their questions and possible struggles.
CCG Network Radio begins the article by setting up a foundation and breakdown on what makes a popular hip hop song. It focuses on what attracts people to a song from what is most important, which in this case is the flow of the artist and how the words and music go hand in hand. The author starts out with how to better appeal to a general and more broad audience which is the result of a song being a hit. This is followed by the author using metaphor to emphasize its importance by stating “words fit with music like a glove” (CCG Radio 2). This shows how they go together to become one and how its all about presence and the confidence of how the artist would recite the lyrics rather than the actual words you are saying. This is the key component because it gives listeners a reason to listen to the song and keep them listening to the point of wanting to repeat and follow along to match the artists rhythm and flow. The next important part of creating a hit hip hop record is the beat that goes behind it all. The beat is often the first thing that catches people’s attention along with the song’s hook and the author makes note of that by expressing that “the beat is the foundation that will be the first attention grabber” (CCG Radio 5). By stating that the author gives insight to the reader and allows them to think and reflect on when they listen to hip hop/ rap songs and begin to realize that everything being pointed out is true and can relate to why they like certain songs. Another important element in making a hip hop/ rap song is the ability to have a song that can relate to the general public. The author makes sure to highlight the importance of this by providing examples of ways some songs may only be relatable to a specific group which would prevent popularity in a song among a larger group of people. The article ends off with a tip from the author on a type of revision. The author suggests the artist to listen to their song from a different perspective to see if they truly see the song being good enough, by stating to “listen to the song with objective ears” (CCG Radio 6). This is important because it allows the artist to fight against their potential bias against their own music. This is a good tactic because it provides the artist the chance to take the art more seriously of trying to make a hit worthy song. This article provided piece by piece the necessary components that need to be taken into accountability in order to make a potentially popular and top charting song in hip hop/ rap. This genre follows a very particular formula and this article by CCG Network Radio breaks down that formula for others to learn, know, and garner success as a hip hop/rap artist.
Work Cited
“What Makes a Hip Hop Song Hit Worthy?” CCG Network Radio, 13 July 2017, https://ccgnetworkradio.com/makes-hip-hop-song-hit-worthy/.
The Gavel that Struck a Struggle
Tiffany Muse Eng 1101
Throughout all of my years in school from elementary to high school English/ Language Arts has always been my best subject. It was always my highest grade and I was always on a higher reading level for my age. It naturally came easy to me up until my junior year when I joined my mock trial team. When I joined the team I was introduced to a new and different side of language, being legal terminology, and how it is and needed to be used. I knew that I wanted to be apart of the team and compete and was even confident enough in myself to try out to be one of the main attorneys instead of an alternate or a witness. It was well known and believed that having the part of an attorney was more challenging and required more work and preparation than having the part of a witness. Mock Trial was a way of acting and playing a part. Whether the part was as an attorney or a witness, you had to be believable and convincing and prepared in order to win. I tried out and got the part of the attorney, like I originally wanted. I was on the team the year before, but I was not only a witness I was an alternate. This basically meant that I did absolutely nothing the whole competition season and had no need to prepare or learn any of the jargon used. I would spend every single practice of that season doing homework for my classes since it was after school. At this time I lost all confidence in what I thought I could do and felt useless. The following year I wanted to make sure I proved myself before I graduated. I tried again and became an alternate… again, but this time for an attorney. At first I started to have ptsd of the previous year and was about to quit thinking I would not get to do anything for a second year in a row. Luckily enough for me the person I was alternating for neglected his responsibilities and got kicked off the team. I was consistently showing up to practice and was trying to prepare in a way. It was getting close to the first competition and I was thrown into this thing pretty late into the game. I had to write a cross and a direct examination which I have never done before and also had to learn different objections and other legal terminology to sound remotely like I knew what I was doing during competition. Standing in front of a courtroom with an immense amount of eyes watching my every move and ears listening to any possible mistakes that may be made. Standing in front of a judge, who was actually just a practicing attorney, the power they still possessed over me and the validation they owned I needed and wanted in return. This was my thought process in preparation for a competition that I had very little time to prepare for. I was asked to write my own direct and cross examination for the case we were competing as well as an opening statement, which what is used to introduce your side of the case. Needing to be aware of the proper legal terminology to sound legit required me to learn these words and phrases that were being used that I was not aware of which made me feel unfit and in over my head about being able to succeed in this competition and overall field. As a result I would go on quiz let and review certain terms that were frequently used such as the different types of objections and certain wording that was more proper to use when determining what was needed in the case whether it was civil or criminal. I would go over the terms constantly until I remembered what they meant and how they are supposed to be used. During practice I would have to focus on many different aspects of the language I used having to emphasis every point. Not being aware of these terms put me at a disadvantage since it was my first year actually competing and everyone else on the team had experience from the previous year. This discouraged me at first because of my struggle to learn these phrases for the first time when it was just a refresher for everyone else. Nonetheless I was determined and continued to work hard on learning, practicing, and perfecting what I needed to in order to compete. I focused and prepared and my team won our round in the competition. I received praise from the judge as well as the attorneys and coaches that worked with my team. This made me feel that all the hard work I put in was worth it and I was able to achieve my goal of proving myself and my abilities being on the team.
Personal Experience
Tiffany Muse Eng 1101
Standing in front of a courtroom with an immense amount of eyes watching my every move and ears listening to any possible mistakes that may be made. Standing in front of a judge, who was actually just a practicing attorney, the power they still possessed over me and the validation they owned I needed and wanted in return. This was my thought process during my mock trial competition my first year. During practice I needed to write my own direct and cross examination for the case we were competing as well as an opening. Needing to be aware of the proper legal terminology to use to sound like I knew what I was talking about required me to learn. Words and phrases that were being used that I was not aware of which made me feel unfit and in over my head to be able to succeed in this competition and overall field. I would go on quiz-let and review certain terms that were frequently used such as the different types of objections and certain wording that was more proper to use when determining what was needed in the case whether it was civil or criminal. I would go over the terms constantly until I remembered what they meant and how they are supposed to be used. During practice I would have to focus on many different aspects of the language I used having to emphasis every point. Not being aware of these terms put me at a disadvantage since it was my first year competing and everyone else on the team had experience from the previous year. This discouraged me at first because of my struggle to learn these phrases for the first time when it was just a refresher for everyone else.
