Magic 2

Pistols on Your Album Cover

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

23

End

112

Internal

75

Multi

173

Slant

6

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Eyes blurry,✦ sayin' goodbye at the cemetery✦
I murder✦ niggas✦ on wax and forget✦ where they buried✦
This the hardest✦ shit since Rakim✦ and Eric✦ B
Or pistols✦ on your album✦ cover✦ just like BDP
[Verse 2]
Man, this the hardest✦ shit since DPG, Kurupt and Daz
Nate Dogg on the hook, Dr. Dre on the track
This melody✦ be takin'✦ me back but we pushin'✦ it forward
187 on rappers, N-A-S, I'm a poet
At times,✦ I get confused, they lie in they interviews
Get goose pimples whenever I'm puttin'✦ on my jewels
Bailed✦ so many✦ brothers out, paid all they lawyer✦ fees
After✦ that, some turned✦ they back, where is the loyalty?
Money's✦ lovely✦ but I could care less who has more than me
I'm just happy✦ Mutulu✦ Shakur✦ got free
May he rest in peace, he was a warrior all of his days
And time move faster✦ the more you get up there in age
In other✦ news, I'm a G to the grave
I know they wanna✦ see me burned✦ out, depleted and drained
High blood pressure, instead I'm on a red page
My pupils are dilated, I throw on some dark shades✦
[Chorus]
Eyes blurry,✦ sayin' goodbye at the cemetery✦
I murder✦ niggas✦ on wax and forget✦ where they buried✦
This the hardest✦ shit since Rakim✦ and Eric✦ B
Or pistols✦ on your album✦ cover✦ just like BDP
[Interlude]
I'm MC Shan with an Uzi
Pistols✦ on your album✦ cover✦ just like BDP
To the hardest✦ artists out there, hard
Pistols✦ on your album✦ cover✦ (Blaow)
Boogie Down Productions
I remember I put Tupac onto✦ that Henny✦
Howard✦ University, Howard✦ Homecoming, D.C.
He's like, "What's this?"
(I know the light is bright but keep on watchin'✦ me)
He drank that shit though, word
Crazy,✦ super✦ hard, fact, facts, super✦ facts
(I know the light is bright—)
Yeah, uh, pistols✦ on my album✦ cover,✦ nigga,✦ blaow
(I know the light is bright but keep on watchin'✦ me)
Let's go, yeah (I—, I know the light—)
Peace to Mutulu,✦ I'ma✦ get at these dudes✦ though (Light—)
[Verse 3]
History revisionists, they put themselves✦ where they didn't dwell
I was there, saw them almost shit themselves✦
Walked✦ in the club one day, the pistol fell
I gripped my belt, shit was real
Back then when I used✦ to ship a mil' out the gate
Different world, digital scales✦ to record✦ sales✦
A symposium with my bros and 'em
That mean we kick it with official bros
My journey was great but difficult, what is life if it isn't both?

Technical Breakdown

8.2
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 / Rhythm8.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.21

Production

— Hit-Boy

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas balances aggressive lyrical competition with a reflective, mature narrative, utilizing dense internal rhyme structures and cultural allusions to bridge historical hip-hop context with his personal evolution.

A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
8
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
7
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhymingCultural signalingThematic pivot from violence to reflectionDynamic cadence shifts
Rhyme Architecture: A sophisticated blend of AABB and AAAA end-rhyme structures heavily interspersed with polysyllabic internal rhymes that anchor the bars to the pocket.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"187 on rappers"

① A literal reference to the California Penal Code for murder, threatening lyrical annihilation.② A stylistic nod to West Coast G-Funk history (referencing the DPG mention earlier in the verse), showing Nas's adaptability.

"High blood pressure, instead I'm on a red page"

① A literal health concern or high-stress lifestyle.② A reference to being 'red-lined' or featured prominently in media/history books as a target, contrasting physical vulnerability with legendary status.

Exceptional technical mastery of internal rhyme density

Masterful use of cultural context to establish authority

Commanding, authoritative vocal delivery

Seamless transition from external posturing to personal philosophy

The narrative focus occasionally wavers between disparate topics

Some metaphors rely more on established persona than innovative linguistic construction

User Scores