Illmatic

Halftime

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

260

Internal

Multi

266

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

Check me out y'all

Nasty^✦ Nas in your area^✦

About^✦ to cause mass hysteria

Before^✦ a blunt, I take out my fronts

Then I start to front, matter^✦ of fact, I be on a manhunt

You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer^✦

That's like Malcolm X catching the Jungle Fever^✦

King poetic,^✦ too much flavor,^✦ I'm major^✦

Atlanta ain't Brave-r,^✦ I pull a number^✦ like a pager^✦

'Cause I'm a ace when I face the bass

40 side is the place that is giving^✦ me grace

Now wait, another dose and you might be dead

And I'm a Nike head, I wear chains that excite^✦ the feds

And ain't a damn thing gonna^✦ change

I'm a performer, strange, so the mic wonder^✦ warmer^✦ was born to gain

Nas, why did you do it?

You know you got the mad fat fluid when you rhyme, it's halftime^✦

It's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) Ayo, it's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) It's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) Yeah, it's about^✦ halftime^✦

This is how it feel, check it out, how it feel

It's like that, you know it's like that

I got it hemmed,^✦ now you never^✦ get the mic back

When I attack,^✦ there ain't an army^✦ that could strike back

So I react, never^✦ calmly^✦ on a hype track

I set it off with my own rhyme

'Cause I'm as ill as a convict who kills for phone time

I'm max like cassettes, I flex like sex

In your stereo^✦ sets, Nas'll catch wreck

I used^✦ to hustle, now all I do is relax^✦ and strive

When I was young, I was a fan of the Jackson 5

I drop jewels,^✦ wear jewels^✦ to never^✦ run it

With more kicks than a baby^✦ in a mother's stomach

Nasty^✦ Nas has to rise 'cause I'm wise

This is exercise 'til the microphone dies

Back in '83, I was an MC sparking

But I was too scared^✦ to grab the mic's in the park and

Kick my little raps 'cause I thought niggas^✦ wouldn't understand^✦

And now in every^✦ jam, I'm the fucking man

I rap in front of more niggas^✦ than in the slave ships

I used^✦ to watch CHiPs, now I load Glock clips

I got to have it, I miss Mr. Magic^✦

Versatile, my style switches^✦ like a faggot^✦

But not a bisexual,^✦ I'm an intellectual^✦

Of rap, I'm a professional and that's no question, yo

These are the lyrics^✦ of the man, you can't near it, understand?^✦

'Cause in the streets, I'm well known like the number^✦ man

Am I in place with the bass and format?^✦

Explore rap and tell me Nas ain't all that

And next time I rhyme, I be foul whenever I freestyle

I see trial, niggas^✦ say I'm wild

I hate a rhyme biter's^✦ rhyme

Stay tuned,^✦ Nas soon, the real rap comes^✦ at halftime^✦

It's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) Exhale,^✦ check it, it's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) It's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) It's real in the field

Real life, check it

I got it going on, even^✦ flip a morning song

Every^✦ afternoon, I kick half the tune

And in the darkness, I'm heartless like when the narcs hit

Word to Marcus Garvey,^✦ I hardly^✦ sparked it

'Cause when I blast the herb, that's my word

I be slaying 'em fast, doing this, that in the third

But chill, pass the Andre and let's slay

I bag bitches^✦ up at John Jay and hit a matinee

Putting hits on 5-0

'Cause when it's my time to go, I wait for God wit the fo-fo^✦

And biters^✦ can't come near

And yo, go to hell to the foul cop who shot Garcia^✦

I won't plant seeds, don't need an extra^✦ mouth I can't feed

That's extra^✦ Phillie change, more cash for damp weed

This goes out to Manhattan, the Island of Staten^✦

Brooklyn and Queens is living^✦ fat and

The Boogie Down, enough^✦ props, enough^✦ clout

Ill will, rest in peace, yo, I'm out

It's still halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) To the Queensbridge^✦ crew

To the Queensbridge^✦ crew, you know it's haldftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) '92, it's halftime^✦

(Right, right, right, right) Yo, police,^✦ police,^✦ man, yo, let's get ghost

Halftime^✦

Technical Breakdown

8.9

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.0

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.0

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres9.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm9.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.90

Production

— Large Professor

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas effectively combines complex lyrical structures with vivid imagery, scoring high on multisyllabic and internal rhymes. His commanding delivery and strong cadence enhance the bars, showcasing his prowess as a storyteller within the hip-hop landscape of the early 90s.

A+

Multisyllabic

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

Wordplay

Delivery

internal rhymesmultisyllabic rhymes

Rhyme Architecture: The rhyme scheme exhibits a mix of internal and end rhymes, with complex layering that enhances the flow and rhythmic quality of the narrative.

complex lyricism

strong delivery

occasional lack of direct coherence in multi-verse flow

User Scores

Notes

A high-energy track showcasing Nas's lyrical prowess during crucial moments.