Resurrection

I Used to Love H.E.R.

Common

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

327

Internal

103

Multi

337

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop

Yes, yes, y'all, and you don't stop

A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

And to the beat Com Sense'll be the sure shot, come on

I met this girl when I was ten years old

And what I loved^✦ most, she had so much soul

She was old school when I was just a shorty^✦

Never^✦ knew throughout my life she would be there for me

On the regular,^✦ not a church girl, she was secular^✦

Not about^✦ the money,^✦ those studs was mic-checkin' her

But I respected her, she hit me in the heart

A few New York niggas^✦ had did her in the park

But she was there for me, and I was there for her

Pull out a chair for her, turn on the air for her

And just cool out, cool out, and listen^✦ to her

Sittin'^✦ on a bone, wishin'^✦ that I could do her

Eventually^✦ if it was meant to be, then it would be

'Cause we related, physically^✦ and mentally^✦

And she was fun then, I'd be geeked^✦ when she'd come around^✦

Slim was fresh, yo, when she was underground

Original, pure, untampered,^✦ a down sister^✦

Boy, I tell you, I miss her

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

A-Com^✦ Sense y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

UAC, yo, we gotta^✦ be the sure shot

Now periodically^✦ I would see

Ol' girl at the clubs, and at the house parties^✦

She didn't have a body,^✦ but she started gettin'^✦ thick quick

Did a couple of videos and became^✦ Afrocentric

Out goes the weave, in goes the braids, beads, medallions

She was on that tip about^✦ stoppin' the violence

About^✦ my people she was teachin'^✦ me

By not preachin'^✦ to me but speakin' to me

In a method^✦ that was leisurely, so easily^✦ I approach

She dug my rap, that's how we got close

But then she broke to the West Coast, and that was cool

'Cause around^✦ the same time, I went away^✦ to school

And I'm a man of expandin', so why should I stand in her way?

She probably get her money^✦ in LA

And she did stud, she got big pub, but what was foul

She said that the pro-black was goin' out of style

She said, "Afrocentricity^✦ was of the past"

So she got into^✦ R&B, hip-house, bass, and jazz

Now black music^✦ is black music^✦ and it's all good

I wasn't salty^✦ she was with the boys in the hood

'Cause that was good for her, she was becomin' well-rounded

I thought it was dope how she was on that freestyle shit

Just havin'^✦ fun, not worried about^✦ anyone^✦

And you could tell by how her titties^✦ hung

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

A-one, two, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

And to the beat Com gotta^✦ be the sure shot

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

If you don't check it, mm-mm, bust it, bust it

I might've failed^✦ to mention that this chick was creative

Once the man got to her, he altered^✦ her native^✦

Told her if she got an image^✦ and a gimmick

That she could make money,^✦ and she did it like a dummy^✦

Now I see her in commercials, she's universal

She used^✦ to only^✦ swing it with the inner-city^✦ circle

Now she be in the burbs, lookin'^✦ rock and dressin'^✦ hippie

And on some dumb shit when she comes^✦ to the city^✦

Talkin'^✦ 'bout poppin'^✦ Glocks, servin'^✦ rocks and hittin'^✦ switches^✦

Now she's a gangsta^✦ rollin'^✦ with gangsta^✦ bitches^✦

Always^✦ smokin'^✦ blunts and gettin'^✦ drunk

Tellin'^✦ me sad stories,^✦ now she only^✦ fucks with the funk

Stressin'^✦ how hardcore^✦ and real she is

She was really^✦ the realest, before^✦ she got into^✦ showbiz

I did her, not just to say that I did it

But I'm committed^✦ (girl, he's committed)^✦ but so many^✦ niggas^✦ hit it

That she's just not the same lettin'^✦ all these groupies^✦ do her

I see niggas^✦ slammin' her and takin'^✦ her to the sewer^✦

But I'ma^✦ take her back, hopin'^✦ that the shit stop

'Cause who I'm talkin'^✦ about,^✦ y'all, is hip-hop^✦

To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

Mainframe, yo, they gotta^✦ be the sure shot

A-yes, yes, y'all, and you don't stop

To the beat, y'all, and you don't stop

A-yes, yes y'all, and you don't stop

A-one, two, Com Sense is gonna^✦ drop, haha^✦

I used^✦ to love H.E.R.

I used^✦ to love H.E.R., went and fucked^✦ up all the shit, y'all

You ain't got your woman^✦ in check, man?

I think you're overstepping your bounds just a little bit

I can't do this anymore^✦

Technical Breakdown

8.8

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 Complexity5.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.82

Production

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Common utilizes an extended personification metaphor where 'H.E.R.' acts as an allegory for Hip-Hop itself, blending personal narrative with historical cultural commentary.

A+

8.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

Wordplay

Delivery

Extended AllegoryPersonificationInternal Rhyme ClustersConversational Flow

Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB/CC couplets with heavy usage of internal multisyllabic rhyming structures that connect the narrative flow across lines.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"I met this girl when I was ten years old"

① The narrator met a romantic interest as a child.② The narrator discovered Hip-Hop as a genre/culture in his early childhood.

"Slim was fresh, yo, when she was underground"

① A description of the girl's physical appearance and street-level lifestyle.② A description of Hip-Hop's early artistic state, characterized by 'underground' non-commercial authenticity.

Masterful use of extended metaphor

Exceptional narrative continuity

Conversational delivery that feels intimate and authentic

Historical resonance

Simpler vocabulary range compared to modern density standards

Repetitive hook structure

User Scores

Notes

The greatest extended metaphor in hip-hop history. Common personifies hip-hop as a woman and charts the genre's commercialization