Stillmatic
Got Ur Self A...
Nas
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
49
End
287
Internal
80
Multi
271
Slant
25
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
Woke up this mornin'✦ (yeah)
You got yo'self✦ a gun (yeah, yeah, yeah)
Got yo'self✦ a gun
Yo, I'm livin'✦ in this time behind enemy✦ lines✦
So
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
And when I see you I'ma✦ take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
My, first album had no famous guest appearances
The outcome, I'm crowned the best lyricist
Many✦ years on this professional level✦
Why would you question✦ who's better?✦ The world is still mine
Tattoos real with "God's Son" across✦ the belly✦
The boss of rap, you saw me in "Belly"✦ with thoughts like that
To take it back to Africa,✦ I did it with Biggie
Me and Tupac were soldiers of the same struggle
You lames✦ should huddle, your team's shook
Y'all feel the wrath of a killer,✦ 'cause this is my football field
Throwin' passes✦ from a barrel,✦ shoulder pads apparel
But the Q.B. don't stand for no quarterback
Every✦ word is like a sawed-off blast, 'cause y'all all soft
And I'm the black hearse that came to haul y'all ass in
It's for the hood by the corner✦ store
Many✦ try, many✦ die, come at Nas if you want a war, get it bloody,✦ uh
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
And when I see you I'ma✦ take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
Yo, I'm the N the A to the S-I-R
And If I wasn't, I must've been Escobar
You know the kid got his chipped tooth fixed✦
Hair parted✦ with a barber's preciseness, Bravehearted for life
It's the return✦ of the Golden✦ Child, son of a blue's player
So who are you playa? Y'all awaited the true savior
Puffin'✦ that tropical, cups of that Vodka✦ too
Papi chu', tore up, wake up in a hospital
Throw up? Never,✦ 'member✦ I do this through righteous steps
You Judists thought I was gone, so in light of my death
Y'all been all happy-go-lucky, bunch of sambos✦
Call me "God's Son", with my pants low
I don't die slow, put them rags up like Petey✦ Pablo✦
This is Nasdaq dough, in my Nascar✦ with this Nas flow
Flip the beat back, now it's all reppin'✦
Hit the record✦ sto', never✦ let me go, get my whole collection,✦ yo
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
And when I see you I'ma✦ take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
It's, the, return✦ of the Prince, the boss
This is real hardcore, Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit's soft
Sip Cris', get chips, wrist gliss, I floss
Stick shift, look sick up in that Boxter✦ Porsche
With the top cut off, rich kids go and cop The Source
They don't know about✦ the blocks I'm on
And everybody want to know where the kid go? Where he rest at?
Where he shop at and dress at?
Know he got dough, where does he live? Is he still in the bridge?
Does he really✦ know how ill that he is?
Got all of y'all watchin' my moves,✦ my watch and my jewels✦
Hop in my coupe, dodge interviews like that
It's not only✦ my jewels,✦ ice anything, plenty✦ chains
Look at my tennis✦ shoes, I iced✦ that
Who am I? The back-twister, lingerie-ripper
Automatic leg-spreader, quicker brain-getter
Keepin'✦ it gangsta wit' ya, uh
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
And when I see you I'ma✦ take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You ain't real, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
I got mine, I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You from the hood I hope you (got yo'self✦ a gun)
You want beef? I hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
And when I see you I'ma✦ take what I want
So, you tried to front, hope ya (got yo'self✦ a gun)
Technical Breakdown
8.9
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.93
Production
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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Nas leverages a menacing, staccato delivery to bridge the gap between street-level posturing and meta-commentary on his own career trajectory, utilizing internal slant rhymes to maintain rhythmic tension.
A+
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
9
Delivery
Aggressive syncopationMeta-lyrical self-referencingMultisyllabic internal rhyme chainsSemantic shifts within homophones
Rhyme Architecture: The verse utilizes a complex AABB-adjacent structure punctuated by the 'Got yourself a gun' refrain, which acts as a rhythmic anchor. The technical density increases significantly during the self-referential 'best lyricist' bridge, employing dense slant rhymes.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"The Q.B. don't stand for no quarterback"
① Q.B. as an abbreviation for Queensbridge (Nas's home turf).② Rejection of the 'quarterback' label; Nas is not playing a game but engaging in lethal street conflict.
"Throwin' passes from a barrel"
① The literal act of a quarterback throwing a pass.② The metaphorical act of firing a projectile from a gun barrel (using the football/war analogy).
"The world is still mine"
① A reference to his debut album track 'The World Is Yours'.② A declaration of current dominance and continued ownership of the rap game.
Exceptional command of rhythmic pocket and pocket-shifting
Effective use of meta-narrative regarding his career stature
High-impact, concise punchline delivery
Vocabulary breadth is limited by the repetitive nature of the hook-driven structure
Some metaphors (e.g., football field) are secondary to the aggressive tone rather than being multi-layered