Distant Relatives
Tribes at War
Nas
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
28
End
134
Internal
118
Multi
147
Slant
9
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal✦ war, we nah want no more a dat
Every✦ man deserve✦ to earn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn, now
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn like a flame deserve✦ to burn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn, like Babylon✦ deserve✦ to burn
[Verse 2: K'Naan]
I drink poison✦ then I vomit diamonds
I gave you Mandela, black Dalai Lamas
I gave you music, you enthused in my kindness
So how dare you reduce✦ me to Donny✦ Imus?
Timeless in case we never✦ been acquainted
Flyness who made it, it gets duplicated
Mindless violence, well, let me try to paint it
Here's✦ the 5 steps in hopes✦ to explain it
ONE: It's me and my nation✦ against✦ the world
TWO: Then me and my clan against✦ the nation✦
THREE: Then me and my fam' against✦ the clan
FOUR: Then me and my brother✦ with no hesitation,✦ uh
Go against✦ the fam' until✦ they cave in
FIVE: Now who's left in this deadly✦ equation?✦
That's right, it's me against✦ my brother✦
Then we point a Kalashnikov and kill one another✦
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal✦ war, we nah want no more a dat
Every✦ man deserve✦ to earn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn like a flame deserve✦ to burn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn, like Babylon✦ deserve✦ to burn
[Verse 3: Damian Marley]
Man, a war tribal✦ over✦ colors
Over✦ money,✦ over✦ land, and over✦ oil, and over✦ God and over✦
Idols, and even✦ lovers✦
Over✦ breakfast, over✦ dinner,✦ over✦ suppers
Over✦ Jungle, over✦ Rema, over✦ Buckers✦
Over✦ Brooklyn, over✦ Queens, and over✦ Rutgers
Over✦ red, and over✦ blue, and over✦ chuckers✦
Over✦ red and over✦ blue and under✦ covers✦
Tribal✦ trouble, the drive-bys double
'Cause the youth, dem nah go war
And go fight with knuckle, the two sides✦ scuffle
Vietnam nah go a war with no more kung fu nun chuckle
Missile and shuttle
Huh, and the Queen of England and Uncle Sam, dem a flex dem muscle
The tribal✦ hustle
Blood diamond puddle, survival struggle (struggle, struggle)
[Refrain: Damian Marley]
Tribal✦ war, we nah want no more a dat
Every✦ man deserve✦ to earn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn like a flame deserve✦ to burn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn
And every✦ child deserve✦ to learn
Tribal✦ war, a nuh dat we a defend✦
Every✦ man deserve✦ a turn, like Babylon✦ deserve✦ to burn
Technical Breakdown
8.3
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres7.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm9.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.34
Production
— Damian "Jr. Gong" MarleyBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
K'Naan utilizes a sharp, rhythmic escalation of tribalism through a structured numerical breakdown, effectively juxtaposing global suffering with personal identity politics.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
9
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
7
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Numerical list progressionInternal rhyme chainsCultural juxtapositionSyntactic mirroring
Rhyme Architecture: K'Naan employs a highly consistent AAAA rhyme scheme based on the '-ai-uhs' assonance (diamonds, Dalai Lamas, kindness, Donny Imus), transitioning into a rigid, sequential narrative structure.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"I drink poison then I vomit diamonds"
① Physical act of consuming toxins and expelling wealth (transformation of pain into value).② The metaphorical process of processing systemic trauma (the 'poison' of colonization or struggle) and refining it into high-art or truth ('diamonds').
"Donny Imus"
① A direct cultural reference to the disgraced radio host known for racially insensitive comments.② A symbol for the reductionist, biased, and dehumanizing perspective of the media establishment toward African identity.
Exceptional rhythmic precision and cadence
Powerful structural escalation that mirrors the progression of conflict
High-contrast cultural imagery
The 'Donny Imus' reference is dated and risks narrowing the song's universality
Vocabulary usage is relatively straightforward, prioritizing clarity over density