The Marshall Mathers LP 2
Love Game
Eminem
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
43
End
340
Internal
164
Multi
370
Slant
28
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Pre-Chorus: Wayne Fontana & Eric Stewart]
Game of love, love, love, love
La-la-la-la-la-love✦
[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]
She doesn't love me, no, she don't love me no more
She hates✦ my company,✦ guess she don't love me no more
I tried to get her up out of my head, left my bags at the door
She screamed✦ she loved✦ me like she never✦ did before✦
[Post-Chorus: Kendrick Lamar & Keira Marie]
And I told her, "Go where you wanna✦
Go do what you wanna✦ do, I don't care"
And I told her, "Go where you wanna✦
Go do what you wanna✦ do, I don't care"
[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
I told that bitch, "I'm a sucker✦ for love, you a sucker✦ for dick"
Suckin'✦ dick in your mama✦ tub, then your granny✦ walked✦ in
Told the stupid✦ nigga✦ to duck under✦ the water,✦ he drowned
Like an abortion,✦ they booked✦ you for manslaughter
You beat the case and I called✦ ya
"Sherane is not available, now leave a message✦ at the tone
And Kendrick, don't forget✦ to buy two pair of those expensive✦ heels, you little fuckin'✦ Ferris✦ wheel
Fuckin'✦ spinnin' on me—fuck✦ you think, we gon' get married still?
Fuckin'✦ Mary✦ had a little lamb, this ain't no fairy✦ tale
Fairy✦ godmama better✦ tell you how I fuckin'✦ feel
Like you should fuckin'✦ beat it or fuckin'✦ eat it while I'm on my period✦
Now have a blessed day," bitch, you serious?✦
I'm in the mirror✦ with this look on my face, curious✦
Why you ain't fuckin'✦ with me? You cut me deep as Caesarean
You know I want you bad as a Benjamin,✦ I'm delirious✦
I want you bad as the head shattered✦ on George Zimmerman
After✦ the Dillinger hit him diligently and killin'✦ him
His mouthpiece for a Cadillac emblem✦
That's analogy and metaphor for you
I should win a medal✦ for all the ways I adore✦ you
This is me talkin'✦ cordial, yeah, I got some home trainin'
That ain't what you like, ain't it? What about✦ if I was as famous as Marshall?
Would you give fellatio in the carpool?
Cops pull us over,✦ they just wanna✦ know if you gargle
Singin',✦ "I hope she's good enough✦
Meanwhile, you're chasin'✦ her"
Chlamydia couldn't even✦ get rid of her
Pity✦ the fool and pity✦ the fool in me, I'ma✦ live with her
[Pre-Chorus: Wayne Fontana & Eric Stewart]
Game of love, love, love, love
La-la-la-la-la-love✦
[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar & Eminem, Kendrick Lamar]
She doesn't love me, no, she don't love me no more
She hates✦ my company,✦ guess she don't love me no more
I tried to get her up out of my head, left my bags at the door
She screamed✦ she loved✦ me like she never✦ did before✦
[Post-Chorus: Kendrick Lamar, Eminem & Keira Marie]
And I told her, "Go where you wanna✦
Go do what you wanna✦ do, I don't care"
And I told her, "Go where you wanna✦
Go do what you wanna✦ do, I don't care"
[Verse 3: Eminem]
So needless to say I'm feelin'✦ betrayed, snatch my house key off her keychain
She jumps off Wee-Bey✦ from The Wire's✦ dick, now she's chasin'✦ me with a cheese grater✦
Here goes that broken✦ record cliché, it's all my fault anyway✦
She's turnin'✦ the tables,✦ I'm a beat-break
She treats my face like Serato,✦ she cuts and scratches like a DJ
Each day is an instant replay✦
They say what we display✦ is symptomatic✦ of addict✦ behavior
Back together, but forgot✦ today✦ was her B-day
She cut me off on the freeway✦
Simple misunderstandin', but just as I went to slam on the brakes✦
That's when I realized that she may be crazy✦ as me, wait
Bitch, cut my fuckin'✦ brakeline
Stepped on them fuckers eight times✦
Still goin' seventy-three, thank God there's✦ an exit✦ comin'✦ up
What the mother-F-U-C-K's wrong with her?
Hit the off ramp 'til I coasted to a goshdamn halt
Hit a fuckin'✦ tree, now here she comes✦ at full speed
She's racin'✦ at me, "Okay,✦ you wanna✦ fuck with me, eh?"
Snatch that bitch out her car through the window✦
She's screamin',✦ I body✦ slam her on the cement✦
Until✦ the concrete gave and created a sinkhole
Buried✦ the stink ho in it, then paid to have the street repaved
(The fuck?) Woke up in a dream state
In a cold sweat, like I got hit with a freeze ray during a heat wave
Guess I eventually✦ caved✦ though, 'cause she's layin' next to me in bed
Directly aimin'✦ a gat at my head
Woke up again✦ and jumped✦ up, like, "Fuck it, I've had it
I'm checkin' into✦ rehab," I confess I'm a static✦ addict✦
I guess that's why I'm so clingy✦
Every✦ girl I've ever✦ had either✦ says I got too much baggage✦
Or I'm too fuckin'✦ dramatic✦
Man, what the fuck is the matter?✦ I'm just a fuckin'✦ romantic
I fuckin'✦ love you, you fuckin'✦ bitch, combative,✦ possessive✦
In fact last time I was mad at an ex
I actually✦ set off a chain reaction✦ of tragic✦ events
I said, "Hit the road", then after✦ she left
I sent that bitch a text that said, "Be careful drivin'✦
Don't read this and have an accident"
She glanced to look at it and wrecked
Too bad, thought we had a connect
No sense dwelling✦ makes,✦ never✦ been a more compelling✦ case
Than the model✦ covered✦ in L'Oréal✦ and mace
Who fell from grace eleven✦ stories for storytellin'✦
While the whore was yellin'✦ "rape"
'Til her vocal✦ cords were swellin'✦
And her voice were more hoarser than Tori Spellings' face
Still they swarm the gates✦ of my fancy✦ estates
To greet Norman✦ Bates✦ with a warm embrace
'Less you're Andrea✦ Yates,✦ don't ask me for a date
Don't be late, well, the sentiment's great
But wait, think there's✦ been a mistake
You wanted✦ an intimate✦ date, I wanna✦ intimidate✦
I have infinite✦ hate in my blood
It's mainly✦ 'cause of the game of
Wait, "dinner✦ at 8"?
I have infinite✦ hate in my blood, it's mainly✦ 'cause of the
[Outro: Wayne Fontana & Eric Stewart]
Game of love, love, love, love
La-la-la-la-la-love✦
Technical Breakdown
9.2
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.5
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 Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score9.19
Production
— Rick RubinBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Kendrick Lamar utilizes aggressive character-based storytelling and rapid-fire internal rhyme density to contrast domestic frustration with chaotic, high-stakes imagery.
A+
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
8.5
Wordplay
9
Delivery
multi-syllabic rhymingpersona adoptioninternal rhyme stringsrhythmic syncopationnarrative non-sequitur
Rhyme Architecture: Kendrick utilizes an intense, high-density AAAA internal rhyme scheme that frequently bleeds across bar boundaries (e.g., 'dick', 'tub', 'drowned', 'manslaughter'). He shifts from aggressive direct address to conversational dialogue mimicry to create dynamic variance.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"you a sucker for dick / Suckin' dick in your mama tub"
① Literal sexual accusation regarding the partner's promiscuity.② A biting critique of character, using the 'sucker' repetition to link her lust with the act itself in a derogatory, rhythmic cycle.
"Like an abortion, they booked you for manslaughter"
① A dark, hyperbolic comparison where the death of the lover is framed as the termination of a 'life' (the relationship).② A grim legal metaphor where a chaotic situation results in a criminal charge, escalating the 'drowning' imagery to a legal consequence.
"you little fuckin' Ferris wheel / Fuckin' spinnin' on me"
① The partner is literally moving around or being indecisive/volatile.② Metaphorical 'spinnin'' suggesting she is dizzying him, messing with his head, or playing him like a game, matching the cyclical motion of a Ferris wheel.
exceptional rhythmic pocket control
visceral storytelling
high-density internal rhyming
dynamic vocal shifts that mimic characters
some lines prioritize sonic density over narrative coherence
aggressive tonal shifts may alienate casual listeners