Stillmatic

What Goes Around

Nas

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

234

Internal

181

Multi

319

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus: Nas]

It's all poison^✦

Ecstasy,^✦ coke, you say it's love, it is poison^✦

Schools where I learned,^✦ they should be burned,^✦ it is poison^✦

Physicians^✦ prescriptin'^✦ us medicine^✦ which is poison^✦

Doctors^✦ injectin'^✦ our infants^✦ with the poison^✦

Religion^✦ misoverstood^✦ is poison^✦

Sisters^✦ up in my hood try to do good, given^✦ choices

[Verse 2: Nas]

When pregnant, drop out of school or have abortions

Stop workin',^✦ hopin'^✦ that they find a man that will support them

Up late night, on they mother's cordless

Thinkin'^✦ a perm or bleachin' cream will make them better,^✦ when they gorgeous

White girls tannin',^✦ liposuction^✦

Fake titties^✦ are implanted, fake lips, that's life destruction^✦

Light-skinned^✦ women,^✦ bi-racial, hateful

Toward^✦ themselves, denyin'^✦ even^✦ they blood

I don't judge Tiger^✦ Woods, but I

Overstand the mental poison^✦ that's even^✦ worser^✦ than drugs

[Chorus: Nas]

Yo, it's poison^✦

Ecstasy,^✦ coke, you say it's love, it is poison^✦

Schools where I learned,^✦ they should be burned,^✦ it is poison^✦

Physicians^✦ prescriptin'^✦ us medicine^✦ which is poison^✦

Doctors^✦ injectin'^✦ our infants^✦ with the poison^✦

Religion^✦ misoverstood^✦ is poison^✦

Radio^✦ and TV, poison^✦

White Jesus, poison^✦

And any^✦ thoughts of takin'^✦ me down is poison^✦

Who want beef now? My heat shall anoint^✦ them, plaow

[Interlude: Nas]

Never^✦ to worry^✦

All the wrong-doers got it comin'^✦ back to 'em a thousand times^✦ over^✦

Every^✦ dog has its day, and everything flips around^✦

Even^✦ the most greatest nation^✦ in the world has it comin'^✦ back to 'em

Everybody reaps what they sows, that's how it goes

Innocent lives^✦ will be taken,^✦ it may get worse

But we'll get through it, y'all, be strong

[Verse 3: Nas]

The China-man built the railroad

The Indians^✦ saved^✦ the Pilgrim^✦

And in return, the Pilgrim^✦ killed^✦ 'em

They call it Thanksgiving, I call your holiday^✦ "Hell-day"^✦

'Cause I'm from poverty, neglected by the wealthy^✦

Me and my niggas^✦ share gifts e'ryday^✦ like Christmas

Slay bitches,^✦ and party^✦ e'ryday^✦ like this is the last

I'm with my heckles, connectin'^✦ and we hittin'^✦ the lab

This is my level, fuck if it get you mad

[Chorus: Nas]

It's all poison^✦

All of my words to enemies,^✦ it is poison^✦

Rappers only^✦ talk about^✦ keys, it's all poison^✦

How could you call yourself MC's? You ain't poison^✦

Think about^✦ the kids you mislead^✦ with the poison^✦

And any^✦ thoughts of takin'^✦ me down is all poison^✦

Who want beef now? My heat shall anoint^✦ them, plaow

[Bridge: Keon Bryce & Nas]

What goes around^✦ comes^✦ around,^✦ my nigga^✦

And what goes up, it must come down, my nigga^✦

The soldiers^✦ found below^✦ the ground, my nigga^✦

Just hold it down, we older^✦ now, my nigga^✦

What goes around^✦ comes^✦ around,^✦ my nigga^✦

And what goes up, it must come down, my nigga^✦

The soldiers^✦ found below^✦ the ground, my nigga^✦ (Uh)

Just hold it down, we older^✦ now, my nigga^✦

[Verse 4: Nas]

This nigga^✦ Ike with the Iverson jersey,^✦ light-skinned^✦ with herpes^✦

Fuckin'^✦ sisters^✦ in Harlem,^✦ Brooklyn and D.C

This is the problem, 'cause he never^✦ tell 'em he got it

From lettin'^✦ fags suck him off, Rikers Island in '93

Drives^✦ a Benz, hangs at all the parties^✦

All the concerts, backstage where the stars be

Rockin'^✦ they shirts in bitches'^✦ faces^✦ like clockwork

"What's your name? Where you from?"

Chain blingin', thinkin'^✦ girls everywhere is dumb

Takin'^✦ pride in ruinin'^✦ their lives^✦

So they could never^✦ have babies,^✦ and they could never^✦ be wives^✦

He never^✦ used^✦ a condom, give him head? He got ya

Met the wrong bitch and now he dead from the monster AIDS

I contemplate,^✦ believin' in karma^✦

Those on top could just break and won't be eatin'^✦ tomorrow

I know some bitches^✦ who be sleepin' on niggas'^✦ dreams

They leave, when that nigga^✦ blow, she the first bitch on her knees

Knowin'^✦ dudes^✦ that's neglectin'^✦ they seeds

Instead^✦ of takin'^✦ care of 'em, they spendin' money^✦ on trees

I pray for you deadbeat daddies^✦ 'cause when them kids get grown

It's too late for you, now you old and you gettin'^✦ shitted on

It's all scientific, mystic, you know, the Earth and the stars

Don't hesitate^✦ to say you heard it from Nas

What is destined shall be

George Bush-killer 'til George Bush kills me

Much blessings, be healthy,^✦ remember

[Outro: Keon Bryce]

What goes around^✦ comes^✦ around,^✦ my nigga^✦

And what goes up, it must come down, my nigga^✦

The soldiers^✦ found below^✦ the ground, my nigga^✦

Just hold it down, we older^✦ now, my nigga^✦

What goes around^✦ comes^✦ around,^✦ my nigga^✦

And what goes up, it must come down, my nigga^✦

The soldiers^✦ found below^✦ the ground, my nigga^✦

Just hold it down, we older^✦ now, my nigga^✦

Technical Breakdown

7.0

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm5.5

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 Score6.95

Production

— Salaam Remi

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Nas utilizes a relentless, repetitive anaphora-driven structure to frame systemic societal issues as a form of ingested toxicity, effectively shifting from clinical observation to personal indictment.

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

5.5

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

6.5

Wordplay

Delivery

AnaphoraList-based progressionSocial commentaryInternal multisyllabic rhymingSyllabic density variation

Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on heavy internal rhyming clusters (abortions/portions/support them/cordless/gorgeous) anchored by an insistent, recurring end-rhyme structure that underscores the theme of 'poison'.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"religion misoverstood"

① The common misunderstanding or misinterpretation of religious doctrines.② A play on the prefix 'mis-', suggesting that the current state of religious practice is not just misunderstood, but actively 'under-stood' or lacking depth/foundation.

"the mental poison that's even worser than drugs"

① The psychological impact of self-hatred and systemic colorism.② A comparative analysis between physical substance abuse (coke/ecstasy mentioned earlier) and the internalized trauma that destroys one's self-perception.

Thematic consistency

Aggressive and stark imagery

Strong structural cohesion

Fluid transition between cultural critique and individual struggle

Didactic tone occasionally sacrifices lyrical subtlety

Vocabulary choices are straightforward, prioritizing message clarity over density

Predictable rhythmic resolution

What Goes Around

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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