Until the End of Time
Death Around the Corner
2Pac
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
25
End
187
Internal
135
Multi
190
Slant
9
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
[Verse 2]
I see death around✦ the corner,✦ the pressure's gettin'✦ to me
I no longer✦ trust my homies✦ — them phonies✦ tried to do me
Smokin'✦ too much weed, got me paranoid, stressed
Pack a gat and a vest under✦ my clothes when I dress
Here's✦ hopin'✦ I die the way I lived,✦ straight thuggin'
Huggin'✦ my trigger for all them niggas✦ that was buggin'✦
My homie told me once, "Don't you trust them other✦ suckers✦
They front like they your homies,✦ but they phony✦ motherfuckers"✦
And even✦ if I did die young, who'd care?
All I ever✦ got was mean mugs and cold stares✦
Got homies✦ in my head that done passed✦ away✦ screamin' "Please!"
Young nigga,✦ make G's
I can't give up, although I'm hopeless, I think my mind's gone
All I can do is get my grind on
Death around✦ the corner✦
[Chorus]
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
Death around✦ the corner✦
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
[Verse 3]
(I was raised)✦ I was raised✦ in the city,✦ shitty✦
Ever✦ since I was an itty✦ bitty✦ kiddy✦
Drinkin'✦ liquor✦ out my momma's✦ titty✦
And smokin'✦ weed was an everyday thang in my household
And drinkin'✦ liquor✦ 'til you out cold
And though I'm grown now, nigga,✦ it's still on — pow!
Bustin✦ on them niggas✦ 'til they gone
How many✦ more jealous✦ ass bitches comin'✦ for my riches?✦
Now I gotta✦ be suspicious✦ when I bone
'Cause if I ain't sharp and heartless, them bitches'll start shit
Excuse✦ me, but this is where we part, bitch
No more game for free, please explain to me
Why niggas✦ trip, bitch, who you came to see?
Murder✦ me now but see me later✦ man, that's on my pops
I got homies✦ that will hunt you 'til you drop
I hope the Lord can forgive me
I was a G, and gettin'✦ high was a way of bein' free
I see death around✦ the corner✦
[Chorus]
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("When we were kids, belonging✦ felt good...")
I see death around✦ the corner✦
("But having✦ respect,✦ that feels even✦ better...")✦
I see death around✦ the corner✦
[Outro]
This is for all the real motherfuckin'✦ niggas✦ out there
I know you ain't scared✦ to die; we all gotta✦ go, y'know?✦
A real motherfucker will pick the time he goes
And make sure he handles his motherfuckin'✦ business
(You think you're gonna✦ live long enough✦ to spend that money,✦ you fuckin'✦ hump?)
Y'all niggas✦ stop actin'✦ like pussies✦ out there, all right?
If any✦ of you...
Are tired✦ of gettin'✦ ripped✦ off by guys like that...
I want his family✦ dead! I want his house burnt to the ground!
I wanna✦ go there in the middle of the night, I wanna✦ piss on his ashes!✦
I want his family✦ dead! I want his house burnt to the ground!
I wanna✦ go there in the middle of the night, I wanna✦ piss on his ashes!✦
I want that son of a bitch dead, I want him dead!
I want him dead, I don't care...
Technical Breakdown
8.6
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 / Rhythm8.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity7.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.57
Production
— Johnny JBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
The verse utilizes internal anxiety as a structural engine, successfully blurring the line between paranoia and survivalism through rhythmic repetition and high-stakes thematic consistency.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
8.5
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
7.5
Wordplay
9
Delivery
internal mono-rhyme chainsthematic repetition as rhythmic anchorconversational cadence shiftscyclical narrative structure
Rhyme Architecture: The verse utilizes a complex AABB/CCDD structure heavily saturated with multisyllabic internal rhyme clusters (e.g., 'weed/stressed/vest/dress'), punctuated by a recurring refrain that serves as a rhythmic pivot point.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Huggin' my trigger"
① The physical act of holding a firearm tightly for readiness.② A subversion of comfort; the only 'hug' the narrator receives is from his weapon, replacing human affection with tactical lethality.
"Get my grind on"
① Working hard or hustling to survive.② A grim play on the 'grind' of life and the literal act of struggling against the 'corner' of death, suggesting a cyclical, repetitive, and destructive labor.
Exceptional emotional resonance through vocal delivery
High density of internal rhyming consistent with 1994 peak-era complexity
Seamless integration of narrative dialogue within the rhyme scheme
Heavy reliance on genre-standard tropes (guns/paranoia) limiting high-level linguistic innovation
Limited variation in thematic scope