The Seventh Seal

Message in the Song

Rakim

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

12

End

104

Internal

25

Multi

169

Slant

9

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Hook]
Evil✦ things that people do
The illegal dreams that we pursue
We don't think that we could lose
Call it cheese or cream or green or blue
It's the root of evil✦ we done proved✦
It's supreme, from me to you
[Verse 2]
I see through the eyes of the prophets, King Tutankhamuns
And Martin's and Malcolm's, Elijah Muhammad's
Wise and with knowledge
Paid in full ain't just the size of the pockets
It's rise where the top is, rise economics
I'll show you that time
Is more valuable then them diamonds in your watches
You grind where the block is, you die for them dollars✦
What's worth more to you? Your life or your gwop is
Thugs is pitching, chicks is in the club stripping✦
Flipping✦ drugs or pimping hood is blood or cripping✦
Latin Kings and Black Guerrillas
Government sits back hoping✦ either✦ that or crack will kill us
It sound like a setup and we the victims
One out of a million✦ will beat the system✦
Getting rich from flipping✦ bricks is over✦ with
Take your chips and go legit from the
[Hook]
[Verse 3]
To my G's on the block that do what they gotta✦ do
Don't get me wrong, I don't judge, I'm not knocking you
Guess that's what not having✦ a job will do
People starving gotta✦ get they dollars✦ too
Get that gwop at night, it's a lot of strife
My advice,✦ is don't get blinded by the light
Drug money✦ and blood money✦ got a price
Six feet under✦ or 25 to life
Do a crime and you might do the time you serving
What's it worth when you do a crime and get murdered
Time is precious, time we earned✦ it
Time to question✦ your grind, is it worth it
It's time that we change the game
We been waiting for change, and it came (big up Obama)✦
Why play with death, play it safe
Do your best to stay away✦ from the
[Hook x2]

Technical Breakdown

8.4
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm8.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.41

Production

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Rakim elevates the social commentary genre by shifting the focus from material gain to spiritual and intellectual currency through sophisticated internal rhyme density and authoritative cadence.

A
7.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
8.5
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
9
Delivery
multisyllabic internal rhyminghistorical allusionphonetic repetitionthematic anchoring
Rhyme Architecture: Rakim utilizes a dense, multi-layered internal rhyme scheme that prioritizes assonance and consonance over simple end-rhymes, creating a fluid, rhythmic cadence that shifts across the bar line.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Paid in full ain't just the size of the pockets / It's rise where the top is, rise economics"

① A reference to financial wealth and literal pocket capacity.② A philosophical shift redefining 'wealth' as intellectual ascension and understanding economic systems.

"What's worth more to you? Your life or your gwop is"

① A direct question regarding the value of human existence versus currency (gwop).② A linguistic play where the 'is' at the end of the line pivots the meaning of the previous 'gwop' to reinforce the contrast between mortality and materialism.

Exceptional command of rhythmic pocket

Intellectual depth in lyrical content

Masterful use of internal rhyme to bridge disparate ideas

Commanding, prophetic vocal delivery style

The density of the rhyme scheme can occasionally obscure the complexity of the political message for casual listeners

Some phrasing is constrained by the strict adherence to the multi-syllabic pattern

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