R U Still Down? (Remember Me)

Hold On Be Strong

2Pac

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

28

End

136

Internal

30

Multi

153

Slant

9

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Hold on, be strong!
Hold on, be strong!
Hold on, be strong!
When it's on, it's on
[Verse 2]
There's✦ never✦ a good day, ‘cause in my hood they
Let they AK's pump strays where the kids play
And every✦ Halloween, check out the murder✦ scene
Can't help but duplicate the violence seen on the screen
My homies✦ dyin' before✦ they get to see they birthdays
These is the worst days, sometimes✦ it hurts to pray
And even✦ God turned✦ his back on the ghetto✦ youth
I know that ain't the truth, sometimes✦ I look for proof
I wonder✦ if Heaven✦ got a ghetto,✦ and if it does
Does it matter✦ if you Blood or you Cuz?
Remember how it was?
The picnics and the parties in the projects
Small time drinkin', gettin'✦ high with them armies✦
Just another knucklehead kid from the gutter✦
I'm dealin'✦ with the madness, raised✦ by a single mother✦
I'm tryin' to tell you when it's on
You gotta keep your head to the sky
And be strong, most of all, hold on
[Chorus]
Hold on, be strong!
Hold on, be strong!
Hold on, be strong!
When it's on, it's on
[Outro]
(Hold on, be strong *repeats in background*)
I know them ain't tears comin'✦ down your face
Wipe your eyes
In this world, only✦ the strong survive, you know?
Hehe, I know it's hard out there
Welfare, AIDS, earthquakes, muggings, car-jackings
Yeah, we got problems
But believe me when I tell you things always✦ get better✦
God don't like ugly,✦ and God don't like no quitters
You know what Billie Holiday said?
Bay-bee, God bless the child that can hold his own
You know? You got to stand strong
And when these bustas try to knock you out your place
You stand there to they face
Tell 'em "Hold on!", and be strong
The game don't stop, huh
This here is black, man
If you don't never✦ learn nothin',✦ learn one thing
It don't stop, 'til the casket✦ drop
Thug for life... feel me?
All my homeboys and my homegirls, stay strong
When things get bad
Especially come the first and the fifteenth
Stay strong, and stay ballin',✦ hold on
I'll catch y'all at the next life, we in traffic

Technical Breakdown

8.2
Multisyllabic Rhymes6.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm9.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.20

Production

— Choo The Specializt

Be the first to rate the production

Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Pac utilizes internal rhyme density and narrative continuity over high-concept lyricism, relying on visceral imagery and rhythmic urgency to anchor his social commentary.

A
6.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
9
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
Internal rhyme chainsMultisyllabic enjambmentConversational syntaxRhythmic cadence shifting
Rhyme Architecture: Primarily AABB/CCDD couplets featuring high internal rhyme density, transitioning from dense mid-sentence multi-rhymes ('hood they'/'good day') to narrative-focused terminal rhymes.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Heaven got a ghetto"

① A literal query about the existence of an afterlife for marginalized communities.② A socio-political critique questioning if systemic oppression and poverty follow humans into the afterlife.

"These is the worst days"

① Literal statement regarding current hardships experienced in the neighborhood.② A direct inversion of the concept of 'better days,' signaling a hopeless trajectory for youth.

Exceptional rhythmic urgency and vocal conviction

High density of internal rhyming

Strong narrative pacing and emotional resonance

Coherent thematic arc throughout the verse

Limited usage of abstract metaphor or complex linguistic layering

Reliance on direct exposition over metaphorical subtext

Occasional simplistic rhyme resolution compared to complex setup

User Scores