Quality

Get By

Talib Kweli

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

178

Internal

Multi

176

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus]

Now this morning,^✦ I woke up

Feelin'^✦ brand new, I jumped^✦ up

Feelin'^✦ my highs and my lows and my soul

And my goal's just to stop smokin'^✦ and stop drinkin'^✦

And I've been thinkin',^✦ I've got my reasons^✦

Just to get by, just to get by

[Post-Chorus]

By, by-by-by-by,^✦ by-by-by-by^✦

By-by-by-by,^✦ by-by-by-by^✦

Just to get by, just to get by

By, by-by-by-by,^✦ by-by-by-by^✦

By-by-by-by,^✦ by-by-by-by^✦

Just to get by, just to get by

Just to get by, hey, hey

[Verse 2]

We keep it gangsta, say "fo' shizzle", "fo' sheezy"^✦ and stay crunk

It's easy^✦ to pull a breezy,^✦ smoke trees and we stay drunk

Yo, our activism attackin' the system, the Blacks and Latins in prison^✦

Numbers have risen,^✦ they victims lackin'^✦ the vision^✦

Shit, and all they got is rappin'^✦ to listen^✦ to

I let 'em know we missin'^✦ you, the love is unconditional

Even^✦ when the condition^✦ is critical, when the livin'^✦ is miserable

Your position^✦ is pivotal, I ain't bullshittin' you

Now, why would I lie? Just to get by?

Just to get by, we get fly

The TV got us reachin' for stars

Not the ones^✦ between Venus and Mars

The ones^✦ that be readin'^✦ for parts

Some people get breast enhancements and penis enlargers

Saturday sinners, Sunday^✦ morning^✦ at the feet of the Father

They need somethin' to rely^✦ on, we get high on all types^✦ of drug

When all you really^✦ need is love

To get by, just to get by

Just to get by, just to get by

Our parents sing like John Lennon,^✦ imagine all the people watch

We rock like Paul McCartney, from now until^✦ the last Beatle drop, what?

[Chorus]

This morning,^✦ I woke up

Feelin'^✦ brand new, I jumped^✦ up

Feelin'^✦ my highs and my lows and my soul

And my goal's just to stop smokin'^✦ and stop drinkin'^✦

And I've been thinkin',^✦ I've got my reasons^✦

Just to get by, just to get by

[Outro]

Yo-yo-yo, yo, yo

Some people cry and some people try

Just to get by, for a piece of the pie

We love to eat and get high, we deceive^✦ and we lie

And we keepin'^✦ it fly, y-y-y-yo, yo

When the people decide^✦ to keep a disguise^✦

Can't see they eyes, see the evil^✦ inside^✦

But there's^✦ people you find, strong or feeble in mind

I stay readin'^✦ the signs, y-y-y-yo, yo, yo

Some people cry and some people try

Just to get by, for a piece of the pie

We love to eat and get high, we deceive^✦ and we lie

And we keepin'^✦ it fly, y-y-y-yo, yo

When the people decide^✦ to keep a disguise^✦

Can't see they eyes, see the evil^✦ inside^✦

But there's^✦ people you find, strong or feeble in mind

I stay readin'^✦ the signs, y-y-y-yo, yo

As long as somebody's feelin'^✦ it, that's what's up

Technical Breakdown

7.8

Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm7.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity6.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score7.85

Production

— Kanye West

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Kweli demonstrates high-level socio-political commentary by layering multisyllabic rhyme schemes over a rhythmic, activist-oriented flow, bridging the gap between mainstream 'crunk' lexicon and systemic critique.

B+

8.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

7.5

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

Wordplay

8.5

Delivery

Internal Rhyme SaturationSocio-political JuxtapositionMultisyllabic enjambmentAnaphora

Rhyme Architecture: Dense internal rhyming focusing on the 'i-u' assonance (activism/attackin'/system/prison/risen/victims/listen), creating a percussive, high-velocity delivery that reinforces the urgency of the message.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"activism attackin' the system"

① The literal act of engaging in political protest and social resistance.② A linguistic mirror where the 'activism' acts as a tool to dismantle the structural inequalities of the prison-industrial complex.

"lackin' the vision / Shit, and all they got is rappin' to listen to"

① A critique of marginalized communities being denied educational and systemic opportunities (lack of vision).② A meta-commentary on the narrow scope of media available to these communities, implying rap music is currently their primary source of truth or outlet.

Commanding vocal presence that fluctuates between observational and accusatory

Exceptional rhythmic integration of heavy socio-political vocabulary

Seamless transition from pop-culture vernacular to systemic critique

Occasional reliance on standard rap tropes ('smoke trees') to set up the contrast

Some phrasing feels slightly congested due to the intensity of the multisyllabic density

User Scores

Notes

Nina Simone's 'Sinnerman' flip and Kweli's motivational verse created one of hip-hop's most uplifting anthems