Magic 2

Black Magic

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

8

End

79

Internal

38

Multi

86

Slant

2

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: Lil' Grimm, Nas & Both]
Black magic,✦ voodoo✦ power,✦ cast a spell upon✦ these tricks
Yes, I'm kind of crazy✦ since you niggas✦ talkin'✦ babbage✦ shit
Black magic,✦ voodoo✦ power,✦ cast a spell upon✦ these tricks
(Walking✦ skyscrapers, walking,✦ yeah)
Yes, I'm kind of crazy✦ since you niggas✦ talkin'✦ babbage✦ shit
[Verse 2: Nas]
No good deed goes unpunished
It's the bummiest, dumbest, life got bad luck in abundance
Look how happy✦ these lames✦ be whenever lies get slung at
The God, why they so angry✦ like they wishin'✦ they can just run with
Anything when it come to Nas? The desperation it shows, Devil✦ is inside✦ of you
Black smoke, Black magic✦ on your back, it's riding you
If I was you, I would watch who I give my power✦ to
I don't make no coward moves✦
My solution's, fuck ton of positive is what I'm producin'
Thought patterns convoluted
Your witchcraft won't do nothin',✦ my Jesus piece is too flooded
Rosemarys, rose Cubans, the world addicted to Black music✦
Black culture, that's Black magic,✦ it's way more than fat asses✦
Who chain bigger?✦ Who car the fastest?
New contracts, I autograph it, new haters, that's automatic
They ain't see this comin',✦ they got hit with the new wave
Evil✦ in the atmosphere, let's hit it with the sage (Sage)
[Outro]
God in Heaven,✦ please protect✦ the G's
Protect✦ my ladies✦ out there, and the children

Technical Breakdown

7.2
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 / Rhythm5.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.16

Production

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas leverages a thematic interplay between occult imagery and industry criticism, successfully grounding abstract spiritual metaphor in the tangible reality of his career longevity.

B
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
5.5
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
7.5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhymingThematic semantic mappingPolysyllabic enjambmentConsonance-heavy internal patterns
Rhyme Architecture: Complex internal multisyllabic structure utilizing AABB and interlocking slant rhyme patterns that weave through the verse, anchored by consistent end-rhymes.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Black magic on your back, it's riding you"

① Literal voodoo/occult possession as a curse② The weight of the industry and scrutiny (the consequences of 'black magic' or success) becoming a burden that controls the critic's actions

"My Jesus piece is too flooded"

① Jewelry encrusted with an excessive amount of diamonds② The spiritual protection ('Jesus') is so abundant or 'drenched' in grace/light that it neutralizes the 'witchcraft' directed at him

"Black culture, that's Black magic"

① A recontextualization of the 'voodoo' theme② An assertion that the influence, innovation, and resilience of Black culture possess a transformative, supernatural power that cannot be replicated

Consistent thematic thread regarding the commodification of Black art

High density of internal phonetic connections

Effective transition from personal anecdote to social observation

Occasional filler phrases to accommodate rhyme scheme

Flow cadence lacks the dynamic pocket variation found in Nas's mid-career prime

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