Supreme Clientele
Malcolm
Ghostface Killah
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
27
End
251
Internal
128
Multi
312
Slant
5
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Malcolm X sample (Ghostface Killah):]
"So, they try and project the image✦ to the public."
(Uh)
"That this—this is being done by thieves✦ and thieves✦ alone!"✦
(Speak, brother✦ Malcolm.✦ Speak)
"And they ignore✦ the fact that—no.✦ This is not thievery alone."✦
(True indeed)✦
"It's a—it's a corrupt, vicious, hypocritical, system✦ that has castrated✦ the black man
And the only✦ way the black man can get back at it is to strike it in the only✦ way he knows how."
[Ghostface Killah:]
A-yo
I'm like Malcolm,✦ out the window✦ with the joint
Hoodied✦ up, blood in my eye, I let two fly like fuck it!
Look how these niggas✦ duck shit
One kid hollerin', "What!" lookin'✦ up, he the big wig
Fake ass cat, low life, sodomized mind
Beatin'✦ niggas,✦ big bricks of bread, sell 'em as dimes✦
His feet hurt, networkin', he get no work
Yo, smack him where his hand hurt, fuck what he worth
Yo, he sucked✦ his thumb, Slew footed✦ kid, laced✦ with the pink gums
Stuntin' to my Baltimore niggas✦ that he on the run
Plus he ill on the drums, heartburn for life, calcium man
Watch him grab the Tums, he's a front
Pigeon-toed Tyler's sister✦ with the fat ass
Show hash for Hines✦ up the block, plus he smashed her
Big Buck did him somethin' deadly,✦ act premeditated✦
Buck 60 strike was the medley✦
Nights like Van Halen,✦ seen him at The Tunnel✦ with his skin peelin'✦
Did two days, thought he was jailin'✦
You get close, look at his hands
That's the same kid that cut his wrists, talkin'✦ 'bout "The cuffs did it"
He bantam✦ weight, frontin' majorly
Eyes like Sammy✦ Davis✦ Jr., rounded off with a fade, G
He sport the Bob Hope classics, ran-down Asics✦
K-mart, the short sleeve shit be the basics✦
He eat hams, shitted on hisself twice
Big-hatted Jews rushed✦ the nigga✦ out in Crown Heights
Yo, let me tell you how the game go
We gettin'✦ rid of all the prostitutes✦
Tony✦ wants the streets back, for sure
Too many✦ hustlers,✦ too many✦ thieves✦
We're fuckin'✦ up, who's willin'✦ to fight and teach the seeds?
Too much TV, guns and robberies✦
Lust and greed and hate the 4 devils'✦ jealousy✦
Yo, I-Cham✦ punched Mase in his face over✦ some bullshit
The other✦ night, they kidnapped his brother,✦ pokin'✦ it with knives✦
It's rainin',✦ 85 degrees,✦ kinda✦ muggy✦
One of them nights, you thrown on that face that's real ugly✦
Yo, we up in Jonesy's posin',✦ all these niggas✦ know me
From fuckin'✦ wit' Un and these niggas,✦ heavy✦ parolees✦
Yo, we played the speaker
And from a distance, we could see these chains
The piece laid, flat on his chest, was two planes✦
Ashy✦ hands, yo, no need for rings at all
He just cracked the V8 backed✦ up, leaned✦ against the wall
Look at Flower,✦ he just came home, he on it like a fuck
Did a dime for holdin'✦ up the guards up in the armored truck
Ten years later,✦ son 280 on the weight tip
He throwin' up six plates✦ plus, he studied✦ Matrix✦
He's a wally✦ horse, shout it out, sweatin' through his velour✦
Cock-eyed nigga,✦ back up his neck, he had sores✦
Sammy✦ eagerly rode up on him
Toxi off the turkey✦ with the joint on him
"Flower,✦ look, his man stood up before✦ him"
The bitches hit the table, Jah king stripped✦ off his cables✦
Shots went off, Sam'll get a chance to make his debut✦
Flower✦ grabbed✦ Tiff, his man with the sideburns, hat fell off
We noticed ring-worms, he hid behind✦ Rich
C-Allah✦ hit the light switch, young girls were trampled
In the men's room, Poo pistol-whipped✦ Mase and broke the handle
Desperate, crawlin' to the door on all fours
Cham kicked✦ the jukebox, the theme song rode in was "It's Yourz"
Oh my goodness, Ba grabbed✦ the Mo bottle, thrashin'
He layin' like a gay model,✦ shoutin' out "Sebastian!"
He smiled✦ with his teeth missin',✦ beggin'✦ for mercy✦
"No more, God! There's✦ 68 thousand down at pier 3"
Out came the cannon,✦ whistled out zaggin'✦
Cham snatched his flag, four big rocks, enter✦ the dragon✦
It's over,✦ another✦ story✦ told
Lyin' with the snakes,✦ tongue kissin'✦ cobras✦
Yo, let me tell you how the game go
We gettin'✦ rid of all the prostitutes✦
Tony✦ wants the streets back, for sure
Too many✦ hustlers,✦ too many✦ thieves✦
We're fuckin'✦ up, who's willin'✦ to fight and teach the seeds?
Too much TV, guns and robberies✦
Lust and greed and hate the 4 devils'✦ jealousy✦
Technical Breakdown
7.6
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm6.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity8.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.0
Performance and control
Computed Score7.64
Production
— RZA, ChooBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Ghostface Killah utilizes an aggressive, stream-of-consciousness delivery style that prioritizes visceral imagery and phonetic density over linear narrative, successfully grounding the street-level violence of the verse in the thematic weight of the preceding Malcolm X sample.
B+
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
6.5
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Aggressive prosodyPhonetic sequencingThematic integration of political samplesEnjambment for rhythmic tension
Rhyme Architecture: A complex, irregular internal rhyme scheme that utilizes multi-syllabic clusters (e.g., 'window/joint/joint/duck shit') to maintain momentum, punctuated by end-line stress patterns that emphasize the percussive nature of the bars.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"calcium man / Watch him grab the Tums"
① A reference to the physical need for antacids to treat heartburn.② A dismissal of the subject's toughness, implying he is 'soft' or fragile like bone/calcium.
"Big bricks of bread, sell 'em as dimes"
① Drug dealing terminology where large quantities (bricks) are broken down into small street-level units (dimes).② Metaphor for the transformation of wealth and status, turning substantial capital into small, fleeting gains.
Exceptional rhythmic urgency and vocal commitment
Seamless integration of internal multisyllabics
Distinctive, chaotic, yet controlled lyrical persona
Narrative coherence is occasionally sacrificed for phonetic impact
High-density slang can obscure specific plot points for casual listeners