Untitled

You Can't Stop Us Now

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

7

End

66

Internal

27

Multi

58

Slant

4

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: The Last Poets]
Ohh, no matter✦ how hard you try
You can't stop us now (oh, no matter)✦
No matter✦ how, hard you try
You can't stop us now (no)
[Verse 2: Nas]
Can't be stopped
Yo, on Dateline, the other✦ night they showed✦ hate crimes✦
Gave a blood time cause he fought with his canine✦
Beastiality, humane✦ society
Go to China,✦ see how they dine, see what they eat
Better✦ yet, ask PETA,✦ whoever, which animal makes✦ suede?
If not for suede, would you have survived the Dark Ages?✦
Cannibal ways of the ancient Caucasians
Stare you like you're steak tartar,✦ pinot noir
David Star on the chain of Sammy✦ Davis✦
He helped✦ pave the way for Southern crankers and them Harlem✦ shakers
Now we gettin'✦ our papers,✦ they try to censor the words
And stop our money✦ comin'✦ but you can't escape✦ us - haters✦
[Chorus: The Last Poets]
Ohh, no matter✦ how hard you try
You can't stop us now (oh, no matter)✦
No matter✦ how hard you try
You can't stop us now (no)
You can't stop us now

Technical Breakdown

7.3
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 / Rhythm6.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.35

Production

— Salaam Remi

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas utilizes a confrontational, high-velocity stream-of-consciousness flow that pairs erratic, provocative imagery with a sustained multi-syllabic rhyme scheme to critique societal hypocrisies.

B+
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
6.5
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
7
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Assonance-heavy internal rhymingStream-of-consciousness progressionHistorical allusionSyntactic juxtaposition
Rhyme Architecture: A dense, high-frequency rhyme structure primarily utilizing AAAA end-rhymes ('hate crimes', 'canine', 'humane society', 'dine', 'eat', 'suede', 'Ages', 'Caucasians', 'tartar', 'noir', 'Sammy Davis') anchored by internal rhyme chains.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"David Star on the chain of Sammy Davis"

① Reference to the Star of David worn as jewelry, signaling religious or cultural identification.② A double-entendre linking the literal jewelry to the performer Sammy Davis Jr., who was a convert to Judaism, highlighting the intersection of Black performance history and Jewish iconography.

"Cannibal ways of the ancient Caucasians"

① A direct historical and ethnographic commentary regarding Western perceptions of 'civilization'.② A satirical inversion where Nas frames the historical narrative of consumption and dominance back upon the architects of the systems he critiques.

Masterful density and rhythm maintenance

Bold, provocative thematic sequencing

Strong historical contextualization

Occasional non-sequiturs in logic flow

Rhythm becomes slightly rigid due to the obsession with the rhyme sound

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