Illmatic
One Time 4 Your Mind
Nas
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
24
End
191
Internal
80
Multi
214
Slant
7
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Intro: Nas & Grand Wizard]Nas
Yeah, it's Illmatic✦ (Yeah)
Uh, it's Illmatic✦ (Yeah)
It's Illmatic✦ (Haha,✦ haha,✦ check it, uh)
[Chorus: Grand Wizard & Nas]
One time for your mind, one time (Yeah, whatever)✦
One time for your mind, one time (Yo, whatever)✦
One time for your mind, one time
Ayo, Nas (What up, pah?) kick that fuckin'✦ rhyme
(Check it out!)
[Verse 1: Nas]Nas
When I'm chillin',✦ I grab the buddha,✦ get my crew to buy beers
And watch a flick, illin'✦ and rootin'✦ for the villain,✦ huh
Plus, every✦ morning, I go out and love it sort of chilly✦
Then I send a shorty✦ from my block to the store for Phillies
After✦ bein' blessed by the herb's essence
I'm back to my rest, ten minutes, some odd seconds
That's where I got the honey✦ at, spends the night for sexin'✦
Keep lubrication,✦ lifestyle protection✦
Pickin'✦ up my stereo's remote✦ control✦ quickly
Ron G's in the cassette deck — rockin'✦ the shit, G
I try to stay mellow,✦ rock, well, acappella✦ rhymes'll
Make me richer✦ than a slipper made Cinderella,✦ fella✦
Go get your crew, hops, I'm prepared to bomb troops
Y'all niggas✦ was born, I shot my way out my mom dukes✦
When I was ten, I was a hip-hoppin' shorty✦ wop
Known for rockin'✦ microphones and twistin' off a 40 top, yeah
[Chorus: Grand Wizard & Nas]
One time for your mind, one time (Yeah, whatever)✦
One time for your mind, one time (It sound clever)✦
Ayo, Nas, fuck that, man, that shit was phat
But kick that for them gangstas, man, fuck all that! (Right, right)
[Verse 2: Nas]Nas
What up, niggas?✦ How y'all? It's Nasty,✦ the villain✦
I'm still writin'✦ rhymes,✦ but besides that, I'm chillin'✦
I'm tryna✦ get this money,✦ God — you know the hard times,✦ kid
Shit, cold, be starvin' make you wanna✦ do crimes,✦ kid
But I'ma✦ lamp 'cause a crime couldn't beat a rhyme
Niggas✦ catchin' three-to-nines, Muslims yellin',✦ "Free the mind!"
And I'm from Queensbridge, been to many✦ places✦
As a kid, when I would say that outta✦ town, niggas✦ chased✦ us
But now I know the time, got a older✦ mind, plus control✦ a 9
Fine, see, now I represent✦ mine
I'm new on the rap scene, brothers never✦ heard of me
Yet I'm a menace,✦ yo, police✦ wanna✦ murder✦ me
Heini Dark drinker,✦ represent✦ the thinker✦
My pen rides✦ the paper,✦ it even✦ has blinkers
Think I'll dim the lights then inhale,✦ it stimulates
Floatin' like I'm on the North 95 Interstate
Never✦ plan to stop, when I write, my hand is hot
And expand✦ the lot from the Wiz to Camelot
The parlayer, I'll make your heads bop, pah
I shine a light on perpetrators like a cop's car
From day to night, I play the mic and you'll thank God
I wreck shit so much, the microphone'll need a paint job
My brain is incarcerated
Live at any✦ jam, I couldn't count all the parks I've raided✦
I hold a MAC-11 and attack✦ a reverend
I contact eleven✦ L's and max in Heaven✦
[Chorus: Grand Wizard & Nas]
One time for your mind, one time (It sounds clever)✦
One time for your mind, one time (Yeah, whatever)✦
One time for your mind, one time
Yo, from '92 to '99
[Outro: Grand Wizard]
Yeah, that shit was crazy✦ phat, pah, know what I’m sayin'?
But check it, you got another verse for me
I want you to kick it, you know what I'm sayin'?
Kick that shit for the projects, know what I'm sayin'?
Technical Breakdown
8.2
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm9.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.19
Production
— Large ProfessorBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Nas demonstrates a conversational, laid-back flow that contrasts with the technical density of the Illmatic era, utilizing internal multi-syllabic chaining to maintain momentum without sacrificing rhythmic pockets.
A
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
9
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Internal multi-syllabic rhyme chainsConversational cadenceInternal rhythm syncopationEnjambment-based flow expansion
Rhyme Architecture: A fluid AABB-adjacent structure that relies heavily on internal vowel matches (chillin/buddha/crew/beers) and complex multisyllabic end-rhymes (chilly/Phillies, essence/seconds/sexin/protection).
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"illin' and rootin' for the villain"
① The literal act of enjoying a movie by supporting the antagonist② A reflection of his 'Illmatic' persona, identifying with the anti-hero archetype of the ghetto
"richer than a slipper made Cinderella"
① A reference to the fairy tale where the glass slipper leads to wealth and royalty② A playful linguistic bridge using the 'Cinderella' sound to rhyme with 'acappella', showcasing his effortless rhyme construction
Exceptional rhythmic pocket maintenance
Authentic, vivid imagery of daily life
Cohesive narrative thread
Sophisticated use of multi-syllabic internal rhyme
Punchline density is lower than his higher-intensity verses
Occasional filler phrasing typical of 'freestyle' narrative styles