Me Against the World
Old School
2Pac
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
29
End
207
Internal
102
Multi
249
Slant
17
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Verse 2: 2Pac]
I had, Shell Toes, and BVD's
A killer✦ crease inside✦ my Lee's when I hit the streets
I'm playin' Skelly,✦ Ringolevio, or Catch A Kiss
Before✦ the homies✦ in my hood learned to smack a bitch
I remember✦ way back, the weak weed they had
Too many✦ seeds in the trey bag
I'm on the train headin'✦ Uptown,✦ freestyling
With some wild kids from Bucktown, profilin'
'Cause the hoochies✦ was starin',✦ thinkin'✦ "What them niggas✦ wearin'?"✦
I'm wonderin' if that's her hair, I remember✦
Stickball,✦ humpin'✦ hoochies✦ on the wall
Or takin'✦ leaks on the steps, stinkin'✦ up the hall
Through my childhood,✦ wild as a juvenile
A young nigga✦ tryna✦ stay away✦ from Rikers Isle
Me and my homies✦ breakin' nights, tryna✦ keep it true
Out on the roof sippin'✦ 90 proof, ain't nuttin'✦ like the old school
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Verse 3: 2Pac]
Remember✦ poppin'✦ and lockin'✦ to Kurtis Blow, the name belts
And Scott La Rock the "Super✦ Hoe" back in Latin✦ Quarter
When Slick Rick was spittin' "La Di Da Di"
Gamin'✦ the hoochies✦ at the neighborhood✦ block parties✦
I remember,✦ breakdancin' to Melle Mel
Jeckyll and Hyde, LL when he "Rocks the Bells"
Forget✦ the TV, I'd rather✦ hit the streets and do graffiti
Be careful don't let the transit cops see me
It ain't nuttin'✦ like the old school
[Chorus: Grand Puba sample]
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
"What more could I say? I wouldn't be here today✦
If the old school didn't pave the way"
[Outro: 2Pac]
Haha,✦ on the real though
Remember✦ seein' Brooklyn✦ go crazy✦ up in the motherfuckin'✦ party?✦
Remember✦ motherfuckers✦ used✦ to go, "Is Brooklyn✦ in the house?"
And motherfuckers✦ would lose they goddamn mind
That's the old school to me, that's what I'm sayin' ("Super✦ Rhyme")
I remember✦ goin' places✦ that motherfuckers✦ was scared✦ to say
They was from anywhere but Brooklyn;✦ that shit was the bomb
Back in the motherfuckin'✦ old school, nigga✦
Remember✦ Skelly,✦ nigga?✦
Knockin' niggas✦ out the box, poppin'✦ boxes?✦ ("My Adidas")✦
Remember✦ stickball?✦ 'Member✦ niggas✦ used✦ to run that shit like that?
Remember✦ the block—
'Member✦ screamin' up at your moms from the window?✦
("LL Cool J is hard as Hell")
The ice cream truck, remember✦ all the mother—✦
'Member✦ the Italian✦ Ices,✦ yo? Yo, remember✦ the Italian✦ Ices?✦
The Spanish Niggas✦ comin'✦ down with the coconut ices✦ and shit?
"I came through the door, said it before"✦
That was the shit
Technical Breakdown
8.6
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres5.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.5
Performance and control
Computed Score8.60
Production
— Soulshock, Jay-B, Ezi CutBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
2Pac utilizes a nostalgic, vivid narrative style that relies more on evocative imagery and rhythmic cadence than complex, multi-layered wordplay, effectively serving the song's reflective theme.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
5
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhyme clustersVivid sensory detailingSyncopated street slang usageNarrative chronological sequencing
Rhyme Architecture: 2Pac employs a tight AABB-adjacent structure with heavy reliance on internal multisyllabic rhymes. He clusters rhymes in the middle of lines (e.g., 'Skelly', 'Ringolevio', 'Catch A Kiss') while maintaining a steady, conversational end-rhyme anchor.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"I had, Shell Toes, and BVD's / A killer crease inside my Lee's"
① A literal description of 1980s hip-hop fashion staples.② A cultural signifier used to establish the speaker's credibility as a product of a specific era (the 'Old School').
"Too many seeds in the trey bag"
① A literal reference to low-quality cannabis containing many seeds.② A nostalgic marker of the lack of refinement in the drug trade prior to the 'indoor/chronic' era.
Exceptional rhythmic placement of slang terms
Strong nostalgic atmospheric world-building
Conversational delivery that feels authentic to the storytelling
Coherent thematic consistency
Low density of abstract metaphors or linguistic double entendres
Reliance on chronological listing rather than conceptual wordplay
Minimal variation in rhyme schemes outside of standard couplets