Daddy's Home

After the Dance

Big Daddy Kane

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

15

End

117

Internal

95

Multi

225

Slant

7

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2]
Guns are bein' bought over✦ the counter like candy✦
Comin'✦ in handy✦ for chumps to act manly✦
Once before✦ they were only✦ for the law
But no more for sure, lookin'✦ at a L.A. gun war
Even✦ in Brooklyn, lives✦ are bein' tooken✦
The Bronx is dyin' while the rocks are steady✦ cookin'✦
Capsule✦ after✦ capsule,✦ settin'✦ up a trap
To destroy all our kind without a hassle
I couldn't kill my brother, about✦ a color
Or cocaine, not even✦ over✦ a rope chain
In this world I'm considered✦ a rap rebel✦
To correct those who dance with the devil✦
[Chorus]
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
[Verse 3]
There's✦ no survival✦
Bodies✦ come in D.O.A, Dead On Arrival✦
Every✦ time someone ships in artillery✦
Begins the game wonderin' who will the killer✦ be
There's✦ no war, so the Navy✦ must wanna✦ see
Drugs and guns shift into✦ our country
So we can shoot each other✦ and sell each other✦ death
And imprison all the other✦ ones✦ left
So it's time to start to rise
We can't be uncivilized, we gotta✦ realize
That bein' the baddest doesn't matter✦ when your life is had
So let Michael Jackson be Bad
No time to devastate,✦ we gotta✦ elevate✦
To a higher✦ level..✦ than dancin'✦ with the devil✦
[Chorus]
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
This is the dance with the Devil!✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
[Verse 5]
Lookin'✦ at the fall of our new generation✦
Makes✦ me wonder✦ about✦ the Emancipation✦ Proclamation✦
We're considered✦ to be free, but did slavery✦ devour✦
When we're still slaves✦ to mental death and power✦
Misled✦ and unknowin', people are goin'
More and more beneath, instead of growin'✦
Express Yourself was said by N.W.A
So stop givin'✦ trouble a play
Because those who chose to oppose✦ never✦ rose they all froze
At 32 degrees to enemies
That already tricked em and made em fall victim
Mmmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm, just look at them
What we need is peace and love and more love
But I don't see none of the above✦
So one for the bass and two for the treble
(Come on y'all) Don't "dance with the Devil"✦
[Chorus]
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance with the Devil"✦
"Dance dance with the Devil"..✦

Technical Breakdown

7.4
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm7.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity6.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.43

Production

Be the first to rate the production

Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Big Daddy Kane pivots from his trademark braggadocio to social commentary, utilizing a dense, multisyllabic internal rhyme structure to mirror the chaotic environment of the crack epidemic era.

B+
9.5
Multisyllabic
8.5
Internal Rhymes
7.5
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhymingAssonant chain linkingSocial narrative trajectoryEnjambment for rhythmic tension
Rhyme Architecture: A highly disciplined AABB-style structure heavily bolstered by internal rhyme clusters (e.g., 'bought/counter/candy/handy/manly'), creating a rapid-fire, relentless cadence that mimics the urgency of the subject matter.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Dance with the devil"

① A literal engagement in violent or illicit behavior.② A metaphor for the destructive allure of the drug trade and gang violence.

"rocks are steady cookin'"

① The physical process of cooking crack cocaine.② A metaphorical depiction of the urban environment being 'heat-filled' or reaching a boiling point of social collapse.

"not even over a rope chain"

① Reference to the popular jewelry style of the era.② A symbol of the superficial material status markers that were inciting fatal violence.

High technical density for the era

Strong atmospheric consistency

Effective use of internal rhyme to drive the narrative forward

Clear moral pivot point in the later lines

Slightly didactic tone compared to his more inventive battle verses

Some forced multisyllabic pairings in the transition to social critique

Vocabulary remains relatively straightforward to ensure thematic accessibility

User Scores