It Was Written

I Gave You Power

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

189

Internal

Multi

222

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus]

How you like me now? I go, "Blaow!"

It's that shit that moves^✦ crowds, making^✦ every^✦ ghetto^✦ foul

I might've took your first child, scarred^✦ your life or crippled^✦ your style

I gave you power,^✦ I made you buck-wild^✦

How you like me now? I go, "Blaow!"

It's that shit that moves^✦ crowds, making^✦ every^✦ ghetto^✦ foul

I might've took your first child, scarred^✦ your life or crippled^✦ your style

I gave you power,^✦ I made you buck-wild^✦

[Verse 2]

Always,^✦ I'm in some shit! My abdomen is the clip

The barrel's my dick, uncircumcised^✦

Pull my skin back and cock me, I bust off when they unlock^✦ me

Results of what happens to niggas^✦ shock me

I see niggas^✦ bleeding, running^✦ from me in fear, stunningly, tears

Fall down the eyes of these so-called tough guys, for years

I've been used^✦ in robberies,^✦ giving^✦ niggas^✦ heart to follow^✦ me

Placing peoples in graves,^✦ funerals made 'cause I was sprayed

I was laid in a shelf with a grenade^✦

Met a wrecked-up TEC with numbers on his chest that say

Five-two-oh-nine-three-eight-five-and-zero

Had a serial defaced, hoping^✦ one day, police^✦ would place

Where he came from, a name or some sort of person to claim him

Tired^✦ of murdering, made him wanna be a plain gun

But, yo, I had some other^✦ plans, like the next time the beef is on

I make myself^✦ jam right in my owner's hand

[Chorus]

How you like me now? I go, "Blaow!"

It's that shit that moves^✦ crowds, making^✦ every^✦ ghetto^✦ foul

I might've took your first child, scarred^✦ your life or crippled^✦ your style

I gave you power,^✦ I made you buck-wild^✦

How you like me now? I go, "Blaow!"

It's that shit that moves^✦ crowds, making^✦ every^✦ ghetto^✦ foul

I might've took your first child, scarred^✦ your life or crippled^✦ your style

I gave you power,^✦ I made you buck-wild^✦

[Verse 3]

Yo, weeks went by and I'm surprised^✦

Still stuck in the shelf with all the things that an outlaw^✦ hides^✦

Besides me, it's bullets, two vests and then, a nine

There's^✦ a grenade^✦ in a box and that TEC that kept crying

'Cause he ain't been cleaned in a year, he's rusty,^✦ it's clear

He's 'bout to fall to pieces^✦ 'cause of his murder^✦ career^✦

Yo, I can hear somebody^✦ coming^✦ in, open^✦ the shelf, his eyes bubbling

He said it was on, I felt his palm troubled him, shaking

Somebody^✦ stomped him out, his dome was aching^✦

He placed^✦ me on his waist; the moment^✦ I've been waiting^✦

My creation was for Blacks to kill Blacks

It's gats like me that accidentally^✦ go off, making^✦ niggas^✦ memories^✦

But this time, it's done intentionally^✦

He walked^✦ me outside, saw this cat, cocked^✦ me back, said, "Remember me?"

He pulled^✦ the trigger, but I held on, it felt wrong

Knowing niggas^✦ is waiting^✦ in Hell for him (Hell for him)

He squeezed harder,^✦ I didn't budge, sick of the blood

Sick of them thugs, sick of wrath of the next man's grudge

What the other^✦ kid did was pull out, no doubt

A newer^✦ me in better^✦ shape, before^✦ he lit out. He lead the chase

My owner^✦ fell to the floor, his wig split

So fast, I didn't know he was hit, it's over^✦ wit'

Heard mad niggas^✦ screaming, niggas^✦ running,^✦ cops was coming^✦

Now, I'm happy,^✦ until I felt somebody^✦ else grab me

Damn!

Technical Breakdown

9.1

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres9.5

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 Score9.05

Production

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas achieves a masterclass in personification, successfully maintaining the perspective of a firearm to critique the cycle of urban violence through high-level anatomical and mechanical analogies.

A+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

9.5

Wordplay

Delivery

Extended personificationAnatomical metaphorsKinetic imageryNarrative perspective shifting

Rhyme Architecture: Complex internal and multisyllabic rhyme clusters integrated into a tight AABB/CCDD narrative structure that flows with rhythmic precision.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"My abdomen is the clip"

① The physical stomach area of the narrator② The mechanical component of the gun where ammunition is stored

"The barrel's my dick, uncircumcised / Pull my skin back and cock me"

① A crude, hyper-masculine anatomical comparison② The mechanical process of sliding the gun's bolt/slide (skin) back to chamber a round (cocking)

"I was laid in a shelf with a grenade"

① Physical storage of a weapon in a hidden location② The companionship of death and destruction inherent to the gun's existence

Flawless execution of an extended metaphor (gun as a sentient being)

Vivid, visceral imagery that anchors the listener in the narrative

High density of internal rhymes that drive the kinetic energy of the verse

Sophisticated use of technical terminology (serial numbers, barrel, clip) to reinforce character voice

The extreme nature of the imagery may be alienating to some audiences, though it serves the narrative purpose

Occasional density of syllables threatens to overtake the listener's ability to track the metaphor in real-time

User Scores

Notes

Nas narrates from the perspective of a gun. One of rap's most audacious and successful concept verses