It Was Written

Black Girl Lost

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

190

Internal

Multi

191

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus: Nas & JoJo Hailey]

Diamonds^✦ all shinin',^✦ lookin'^✦ all fine (I see you)

Pretty^✦ little face, get a little high (Get a little high)

Young girl strugglin',^✦ tryna^✦ survive^✦ (Tryna^✦ survive)^✦

Mother^✦ of the Earth, she made you and I (Ye-eh-eh-ah)^✦

Just tired^✦ of playin' the same ol' games^✦ (Uh)

Messin'^✦ with my mind, emotional^✦ thangs (Mess with my mind)

(And there goes a black girl lost) (Yeah, I'mma^✦ do that again)^✦

(Ye-eh-eh-ah)^✦

[Verse 2: Nas & JoJo Hailey]

Like Isis,^✦ you got your heart broke and felt lifeless^✦

Grow up, girl, instead you want revenge, so now you act the nicest

To who'sever gettin'^✦ down and trife-est

To get his mind, all you do is give him somethin' priceless^✦

'Cause in time, he'll realize the thighs is all he needs, more than weed

Then you hit him off with lies and greed (Deceit,^✦ ye-eh-eh-ah)^✦

There you go again,^✦ startin' wars, makin'^✦ me more yours (Say it, say it)

Seem to get a kick out of keepin'^✦ me on all fours

Face glistenin', I'm addicted to you

Original Wisdom Body^✦ got me picturin' you

Igloos of ice trickin' on you

You never^✦ listen^✦ to this nigga^✦ spendin' Franklins on tennis^✦ anklets

Must've had a bad deal in the past though

Can't even^✦ keep it real with a nigga^✦ with cash flow

Say men are all the same, what we need to do is break this chain

You got a job part-time, and school's your night thing (Ye-eh-eh-ah)^✦

With dreams to settle down, it ain't far from now

You gettin'^✦ interviewed,^✦ but your boss is into^✦ gettin'^✦ screwed^✦ (Ye-eh-eh-ah)^✦

Typical day that the black girl sees (Baby)^✦

Comin'^✦ home, wantin'^✦ more from a college degree, uh

[Chorus: Nas & JoJo Hailey]

Diamonds^✦ all shinin',^✦ lookin'^✦ all fine (Say it)

Pretty^✦ little face, you get a little high (Get a little high)

Young girl strugglin',^✦ tryna^✦ survive^✦ (Tryna^✦ survive)^✦

Mother^✦ of the Earth, she made you and I

Just tired^✦ of playin' the same ol' games^✦ (Yeah)

Messin'^✦ with my mind, emotional^✦ thangs (Messin'^✦ with my mind)

(And there goes a black girl lost) (Baby)^✦

(Baby,^✦ you)

[Verse 3: Nas & JoJo Hailey]

Where are you focused? On legit^✦ niggas^✦ or where the coke is?

Nice or thug life niggas?^✦ Yo, you seem hopeless^✦

Your value — too much to be measured, I wonder^✦ how you

Could ever^✦ be played; your pussy^✦ worth gold amountin' to

More than the world, but not knowin'^✦ nothin'^✦ about^✦ you

You leavin'^✦ the crib, takin'^✦ all your kids out to

Drop 'em off, lettin'^✦ some nigga^✦ knock you off

So hot and soft, that's the same thing that got you lost

(You should be ashamed^✦ of yourself,^✦ baby)^✦

Growin'^✦ up seein' it, it should remind^✦ you; you bein' lied to

Everythin' that move be inside^✦ you

Sacred^✦ as you are, left with these wannabes to guide you

I watched you, hard to knock you, I tried not to

Then spot you while dancin'^✦ topless in your drawers

Damn, look! There goes a black girl lost (Girl lost)

[Outro: JoJo Hailey]

You should be ashamed^✦ of yourself^✦

The way you carry^✦ yourself^✦

The way you hang out all night long

Doin' silly^✦ things that is wrong

Black girl lost

Technical Breakdown

9.1

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 / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score9.06

Production

— L.E.S., Poke & Tone

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas utilizes internal rhyme density as a foundational structural device, pairing complex multisyllabic schemes with a narrative-driven flow that balances social commentary with street-level character study, consistent with 1996 New York aesthetic norms.

A+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

7.5

Wordplay

8.5

Delivery

Multisyllabic internal rhymingAssonance-based flow pocketsMythological allusionDynamic cadence shifts

Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on dense AAAA-style multisyllabic strings (e.g., Isis/lifeless/nicest/trife-est), transitioning into a narrative flow that maintains end-rhyme consistency while pivoting focus from character description to moral indictment.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Like Isis, you got your heart broke and felt lifeless"

① Reference to the Egyptian goddess Isis, representing femininity, motherhood, and creation.② A comparison to a woman who has been betrayed and feels 'dead' inside, drawing a parallel between the historical/mythological and the personal emotional state.

"Original Wisdom Body"

① A phonetic play on O.W.B. or a reference to the physical form.② A nod to Five-Percent Nation terminology ('Original' denoting the people of the earth/nature), framing the woman as a vessel of ancient, natural significance.

"Igloos of ice trickin' on you"

① Literal description of cold, expensive diamond jewelry.② A metaphor for the cold, unfeeling nature of the men who 'trick' (buy favor) with money but lack genuine human connection, keeping the atmosphere 'frozen'.

High-density rhyme chains typical of the era's peak lyricism

Narrative arc that transitions from empathetic observation to critical analysis

Strong command of cadence that flows effortlessly over the melodic chorus

Sophisticated use of internal rhyme to bridge disparate imagery

Occasional reliance on gendered tropes that, while period-accurate, feel somewhat reductive by contemporary critical standards

Slight over-reliance on repetition of 'you' to close out lines in the latter half of the verse

Black Girl Lost

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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