It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back

Louder Than a Bomb

Public Enemy

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

201

Internal

102

Multi

261

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Intro: Flavor Flav]

They claim we're products from the bottom^✦ of hell

'Cause the black is back, and it's bound to sell

Picture us cooling out on the Fourth of July^✦

And if you heard we were celebrating, that's a worldwide lie

Yo, Chuck, the fat generals, man, trying to pull a 226 on you, G! Yo, man, show 'em what you got!

[Verse 1: Chuck D]

This style seems wild

Wait before^✦ you treat me like a stepchild

Let me tell you why they got me on file

'Cause I give you what you lack, come right and exact

Our status^✦ is the saddest, so I care where you at, black

And at home I got a call from Tony^✦ Rome

The FBI was tappin'^✦ my telephone

I never^✦ live alone,^✦ I never^✦ walk alone^✦

My posse's^✦ always^✦ ready,^✦ and they're waitin'^✦ in my zone

Although^✦ I live the life that of a resident^✦

But I be knowin'^✦ the scheme that of the president^✦

Tappin'^✦ my phone whose crews abused^✦

I stand accused of doing harm, 'cause I'm louder^✦ than a bomb

[Chorus]

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦

[Verse 2]

I am a rock-hard trooper to the bone, the bone, the bone

Full grown, consider me - stone

Once again^✦ and I say it for you to know

The troop is always^✦ ready,^✦ I yell, "Geronimo!"

Your CIA, you see, I ain't kiddin'^✦

Both King and X, they got rid of both

A story^✦ untold,^✦ true but unknown

Professor Griff knows, "Yo, I ain't milquetoast!"

And not the braggin' or boastin' and plus it ain't no secret^✦

Why they're tappin'^✦ my phone, although^✦ I can't keep it a secret^✦

So I decided to kick it, yo

And, yes, it weighs a ton, I say it once again^✦

I'm called^✦ the enemy,^✦ I'll never^✦ be a friend

Of those with closed^✦ minds, don't know I'm rapid^✦

The way that I rap it is makin'^✦ 'em tap it, yeah

Never^✦ servin'^✦ 'em well, cause I'm an un-Tom^✦

It's no secret^✦ at all 'cause I'm louder^✦ than a bomb

[Chorus]

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦ (Yeah!)

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦

(It's yours!)

[Verse 3]

Cold holdin'^✦ the load, the burden^✦ breakin'^✦ the mold

I ain't lyin', denyin',^✦ because^✦ they're checkin' my code

Am I buggin'^✦ 'cause they're buggin'^✦ my phone - for information?

No tellin'^✦ who's sellin'^✦ out - power^✦ buildin' the nation^✦ so

Joinin'^✦ the set, the point-blank target^✦

Every^✦ brothers inside,^✦ so least, not you forget,^✦ no

Takin'^✦ the blame is not a waste, here taste

A bit of the song so you can never^✦ be wrong

Just a bit of advice,^✦ 'cause we be payin' the price

'Cause every^✦ brother^✦ man's life is like swingin' the dice, right?

Here it is, once again^✦ this is the brother^✦ to brother^✦

The Terminator, the cutter^✦

Goin' on an' on - leave alone^✦ the grown

Get it straight in '88, an' I'll troop it to demonstrate

The posse always^✦ ready^✦ - 98 at 98

My posse come quick, because^✦ my posse got velocity

Tappin'^✦ my phone, never^✦ leave me alone^✦

I'm even^✦ lethal when I'm unarmed^✦

'Cause I'm louder^✦ than a bomb

[Chorus]

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦ (Yeah!)

Come on, come on (Louder!)^✦

(Right)

[Verse 4]

'Cause the D is for dangerous, you can come and get some of this

I teach and speak, so when it's spoke, it's no joke

The voice of choice, the place shakes^✦ with bass

(Called^✦ one for the treble) The rhythm is the rebel

Here's^✦ a funky^✦ rhyme that they're tappin'^✦ on

Just thinkin' I'm breakin'^✦ the beats I'm rappin'^✦ on

CIA, FBI, all they tell us is lies

And when I say it, they get alarmed^✦

'Cause I'm louder^✦ than a bomb

Technical Breakdown

9.2

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.5

Performance and control

Computed Score9.20

Production

— The Bomb Squad

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

The verse achieves structural dominance through a relentless percussive delivery that weaponizes simple rhyme schemes to project institutional paranoia and political urgency.

A+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

7.5

Wordplay

9.5

Delivery

monorhyme clustersrhythmic syncopationauthoritative projectionthematic anchoring

Rhyme Architecture: A dense application of AAAA rhyme schemes sustained across line segments, utilizing long-vowel A-sounds (wild/child/file/exact/black/back) to lock the listener into a repetitive, high-tension cadence.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"louder than a bomb"

① Physical decibel output of the performance and media presence② The explosive sociopolitical impact of the group's message and the threat they pose to the status quo

"got me on file"

① The literal documentation of Chuck D by federal authorities② The commodification of the Black persona as a 'product' to be tracked and sold by the industry

Commanding vocal presence that mirrors the 'loudness' of the lyrical theme

Exceptional use of rhythm to dictate the sense of urgency

Effective juxtaposition of personal paranoia with systemic political critique

Limited lexical variation outside of the central rhyme targets

The narrative structure is occasionally sacrificed for the sake of rhyme density

Louder Than a Bomb

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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