Magic

The Truth

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

7

End

118

Internal

32

Multi

153

Slant

4

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Niggas✦ ain't telling✦ the truth enough✦ (No, uh-uh,✦ no)
Y'all don't look like the truth to us
Hype off that lil' dirt you did, that ain't shit to the kid, woah
Niggas✦ ain't telling✦ the truth enough✦ (No, no, nigga)✦
Y'all don't look like the truth to us
Hype off that lil' dirt you did, that ain't shit to the kid, woah
[Verse 2]
Now you got your marching orders, this shit'll make your mouth water✦
Like food grill with wood chips, woolriche
Button-up flannel, looking wolfish, my hair wolfing
Central bookings, simple lessons
One foot on the curb, one foot in the Lexus
My style is eclectic
Eat you pussies for breakfast, then I offer✦ refreshments
Look all that fly shit y'all harping on
They take a watch from your arm and cops do nothing about it, that's what's going on
Many✦ changes, more races
When I was touring the nation with warrants on probation✦
I was a small kid amazed with the thought one day I'd be banking, IV from drinking
Papi✦ to Abu✦ Dhabi,✦ probably parley✦ with Saudis
Crank the engine✦ on the '74 Chevy✦ Chevelle
Shawty✦ friend is a snake, I told her her bestie ain't real
You gotta✦ watch that, as the lobster crack, I spray the Baccarat
Your reputation,✦ you can't clean that shit up at no laundromat
Sucker,✦ see somebody has to say it, the boy still ain't graduated
I must say they cap the greatest (Be real)
My team is mature,✦ the bags are secured
Surrounded by addicts addicted to having✦ more
[Chorus]
Niggas✦ ain't telling✦ the truth enough✦ (No, uh-uh,✦ no)
Y'all don't look like the truth to us
Hype off that lil' dirt you did, that ain't shit to the kid, woah
Niggas✦ ain't telling✦ the truth enough✦ (No, no, nigga)✦
Y'all don't look like the truth to us
Hype off that lil' dirt you did, that ain't shit to the kid, woah

Technical Breakdown

7.5
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm6.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.8

Performance and control

Computed Score7.49

Production

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas demonstrates a mature, observational flow that prioritizes vivid lifestyle imagery and internal phonetics over dense lyrical puzzles, successfully blending street reportage with sophisticated multisyllabic pocket-riding.

B+
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
6.5
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
7.5
Wordplay
7.8
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhyme chainsPhonetic mirroringContextual subversionAssonance-heavy cadences
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on dense, multisyllabic internal rhyming clusters (e.g., 'marching orders/mouth water/wood chips/woolrich') that anchor the listener to a consistent rhythmic pulse, punctuated by intermittent end-rhymes that provide a sense of resolve.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"IV from drinking"

① A reference to intravenous therapy, suggesting the narrator's exhaustion or extreme lifestyle.② A play on 'IV' (Roman numeral 4) representing his 'fourth' or status level attained through success.

"As the lobster crack, I spray the Baccarat"

① A literal description of a luxurious seafood dining experience.② A juxtaposition of 'cracking' as breaking or violence and 'Baccarat' as both the high-stakes card game/lifestyle and the act of spraying expensive perfume/scent, suggesting a transition from food to violence.

High-level internal rhyme density

Impeccable pocket-riding and cadence control

Evocative imagery regarding the contrast between past struggle and present luxury

Sophisticated use of phonetic sound-linking

Occasional reliance on 'tough-talk' tropes

Some internal segments feel more focused on sound than narrative coherence

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