As many of you are aware, I’ve spent a significant portion of my five years as an attorney handling primarily bankruptcy cases. A lot of emotions can be evoked upon the utterance of the term “bankruptcy”–from anxiety, to shame, and so on. When asked about the process by a potential client, one of my go-to responses is that it’s merely a tool provided by the U.S. Government to allow those drowning in debt ample space to breathe. Hence the title! Video and lyrics below:

“Breathe (A Bankruptcy Rap

(Verse 1)

In hypermasculine tones, I’ve crafted this poem,
to ram something home to all the bankruptcy prone,
And curious!
To dispel the spurious assertions, for sure and ease nervousness
Of each person lurking, let’s raise the curtain, man, and get working,
You gon’ learn on this!
This is for the person hurting now in an earning pinch!
Earning minimal while steady incurring more expenses
Than they can handle!
Or maybe facing big litigation, chaffing with lenders on their necks,
Making threats to displace ‘em! Maybe some tech just replaced ‘em!
Each breath is a struggle, and they need help! Well…here’s ventilation!
Now cheers! We’re getting space in bankruptcy to breathe!

(Chorus)(2x)

Breathe! (Gasp)
Breathe! (Gasp)
Breathe! (Gasp)
We’ll give you room to breathe! (Gasp)
Breathe! (Gasp)
Breathe! (Gasp)

(Interlude)

“Good work, baby! Keep bringing that heat to em! I can feel that air flowing already, baby! But yo,
You think these people really know what bankruptcy is?! Give em a little definition! Let em know what it is, Mister”!

(Verse 2)

In a phrase it’s a fresh start when it gets hard!
Use it as a means to keep debts far
Far away When you need space!
The Automatic stay’s what grants you grace
In a BK (i.e. bankruptcy)! Now buddy, trust me!
When you file a petition, bankruptcy obstructs ya creditors
From collection stuff, and from disrupting you when it’s active!
And ain’t just collection calls and letters — that’s ain’t enough!
Any lawsuit filed against you will start collecting dust!
Whether it’s slip and fall or mortgage for
-Closure, a hold goes on it til a BK judge says it’s over, y’all!
While we analyze liabilities, and assets,
Til we see, who can get paid, and who’s the ass bet!
So we can BREATHE!

(Chorus 2x)

(Verse 3)

Chapter, 9 is for cities, chapter 12 is for farmers!
Eleven is corporate, and 15 is foreigners
Holding US debt! But for consumers whose funds are lean,
They’re just two for us…a 7 and a 13!
A 7 I guess is the stereotypical case, a liquidation
For the debtor who, just couldn’t make it! Facing
A wall of debt and drowning, you know, really hit hard!
The goal for him’s to take his debt and get it discharged.
But if he has assets, he can’t protect in seven,
Or if he gets mad bread, too much to make the limit,
Then it’s 13 for him: A 3-to-5 year payment plan,
To reorganize all his debt, and pay it down!
If you’re in foreclosure, or you’re facing repo, sir,
A Chapter 13’s for you, just keep your composure,
Cuz, the automatic stay’ll keep your things safe,
Long as the bankruptcy plan you repay, hey, then you’ll have room to BREATHE! have room to BREATHE!

© 2021 Panther’s Way Productions