The Seventh Seal

Man Above

Rakim

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

13

End

82

Internal

22

Multi

149

Slant

6

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Hook]
[Verse 2]
I tackle choices every✦ day that's hopeless
I hear a voice saying "stay focused"
Fast money,✦ cars, and broads will mislead you
Love backwards here is evol but it's legal
Multi-task I make a fortune faster✦
Keep rhymin til I'm climbing up the corporate ladder✦
In my community,✦ you've gotta✦ go out of your way if you're out to get paid
Than back up and wait for opportunity✦
I try not to blame society✦
I eat my pride cuz I know deep inside✦ it's me
But not entirely, when a man try to live righteously
And propriety✦ turn to anxiety✦
I thought I paid back the system when I stayed in prison
Left the stripes, see what success is like
But the way they set the price
You spent your childhood in the wild hood
You're in debt for life
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
I figured out what was talking✦ with me
When I do right I feel him walking✦ with me
So I'm adamant, some call it arrogance
I can cope it cuz I know I'm broke for having✦ sense
But my back's against the wall, it's getting rough to get a buck
In a job with a minimum wage won't get enough✦
Faced✦ with giving✦ up, and my lady✦ friend's beefing
Ends ain't meeting, we just an argument away✦ from splitting up
It gets lonely,✦ my fam disowned me
Called✦ me the black sheep cuz I act street
Yea it's that deep, I tried to change clicks
Homies✦ flipped on me cuz I don't hang; we have beef
But I'm at peace so that cease, at least
I ain't got no ties on my Porsche ride
And no time for no crime, knowing that the most high
Is watching with a close eye
[Hook]
They say I'm from the hood
That mean I'm no good

Technical Breakdown

7.9
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm7.5

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 Score7.88

Production

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Rakim elevates the street-narrative genre by moving away from bravado toward introspective, philosophical socio-economic commentary, utilizing complex internal rhyme schemes that were highly progressive for the era.

B+
7.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
7.5
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
7.5
Wordplay
8
Delivery
multisyllabic internal rhymingphonetic word manipulationenjambment for rhythmic extensionphilosophical juxtaposition
Rhyme Architecture: Rakim employs an advanced internal rhyme scheme that frequently breaks at unexpected intervals, utilizing heavy assonance to link long chains of thought across the bar-line rather than relying solely on end-rhymes.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Love backwards here is evol but it's legal"

① The literal spelling of the word 'love' reversed is 'evol', which phonetically mimics 'evil'.② A commentary on the toxic, destructive nature of street life where immoral actions are normalized or 'legal' in the survival context.

"Left the stripes, see what success is like"

① A reference to prison clothing (the stripes of an inmate).② A reference to 'earning one's stripes' in the context of growth, moving from a criminal past to the pursuit of professional legitimacy.

Exceptional command of polysyllabic internal rhyme

Sophisticated transition from street storytelling to existential introspection

Measured, authoritative delivery that avoids frantic pacing

Sparse usage of complex metaphors compared to his mid-90s peers

The density of the message occasionally risks overshadowing the punchline impact

Some phrasing feels slightly subservient to the strict rhyme requirement

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