It's Dark and Hell Is Hot

Niggaz Done Started Something (featuring The LOX and Murda Ma$e)

DMX

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

239

Internal

150

Multi

293

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus: Styles P & DMX]

If you love the money,^✦ then prepare^✦ to die for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

You can lay in the flames,^✦ or hug the sky for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

If you love the money,^✦ then prepare^✦ to die for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

You can lay in the flames,^✦ or hug the sky for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

[Verse 3: Jadakiss]

Yo, check out the kid that get coke like Sosa^✦

Never^✦ turned^✦ down chocha,^✦ be in the Costa^✦

Rica,^✦ sipping margaritas with a mami^✦

Cleaning my Tommy,^✦ showing^✦ love to my army^✦

Whenever^✦ The Lox find rippy^✦ blocks, we kill 'em

Yeah I hear niggas,^✦ but I still don't feel 'em

And this for the listeners, and prisoners

And them jealous rap cats that prefer^✦ dissing us

My 16's be so real

You can feel 'em in your vein

Like Ramello's pops from Sugar^✦ Hill

J be the cause for the kiss at your wake

Cartel^✦ lips, spitting^✦ clips at your face

We started^✦ from the bottom, you'll see beg niggas'^✦ pardon^✦

Whatever,^✦ we can do it at the Garden^✦

Word life, this shit is real, B

I'm making^✦ niggas^✦ blow trial even^✦ if they not guilty^✦

[Verse 4: Styles P]

I want a palace^✦ for my thugs, with oriental rugs

Green bags from drugs, get whacked for the love

Twenty^✦ niggas^✦ batter^✦ me, still couldn't shatter me

I'm only^✦ getting^✦ up, splitting^✦ up your anatomy

Official LOX family,^✦ grants niggas^✦ handing^✦ me

I want the finer^✦ things, and I hope you understanding^✦ me

Sitting^✦ at the table, planning and plug the fan in

Let the sweat dry off and then grab your cannon^✦

Think you're smartest, and retaliate the hardest^✦

Regardless, if you're a thug or a rap artist

Respect me like Pesci^✦

And if rap was hockey,^✦ I be Gretzky, puffing Nestle

And y'all niggas^✦ done starting something^✦

Acting^✦ invincible^✦ like you God or something^✦

If you God, then I'ma^✦ make salat^✦ 'til you rot

And if you a playa, then play for everything you got

And if you a thug, then start busting off shots

And if you a dog, you better^✦ bite before^✦ you bark

[Chorus: Styles P & DMX]

If you love the money,^✦ then prepare^✦ to die for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

You can lay in the flames,^✦ or hug the sky for it

Niggas^✦ done started^✦ something^✦

[Verse 5: DMX]

Don't come at me with no bullshit, use caution^✦

'Cause when I wet shit, I dead shit, like abortions^✦

For bigger^✦ portions,^✦ of extortion^✦ and racketeering

Got niggas^✦ fearing,^✦ fuck whatchu heard, this what you hearing^✦

How much darker^✦ must it get, how much harder^✦ must it hit

See if your hardest^✦ niggas^✦ flip, when I start a bunch of shit

I like pussy,^✦ but not up in my face, so give me 3 feet

'Cause when we creep, no more than 3 deep, niggas^✦ see sheep

Bloodhounds found your shit buried^✦ in the mud

Following^✦ traces^✦ of gun powder,^✦ residue and blood

A positive ID is impossible,^✦ so you know

John Doe is what they gon' be putting on that tag on your toe

Now who gon' tell your mother,^✦ her baby's under^✦ a cover^✦

In the morgue, stiff as a log, sniffed out by the dogs?

Another hardheaded nigga^✦ that wouldn't listen^✦

So you got what you came for

(What's that?) Surgery with the chainsaw

I hit the fucking^✦ streets

'Cause, like I said before,^✦ ain't nothing going down until^✦ I eat

Muh'fuckers^✦ think it's all about^✦ impressing^✦ bitches^✦ and stressing^✦ bitches^✦

Well, I'm testing bitches^✦ game, undressing^✦ bitches,^✦ and caressing^✦ bitches^✦

And dealing^✦ with muhfuckers^✦ on all levels,^✦ what I'm dealing^✦ with is all devils

Fucking^✦ with snakes^✦ running with niggas^✦ you call rebels^✦

I got an army^✦ of 730 niggas,^✦ dirty^✦ niggas^✦

That come through and worry^✦ niggas^✦

30 niggas^✦ that like to bury^✦ niggas^✦

And scary^✦ niggas^✦ get it all the time

'Cause what they got is all of mine, your man was talking shit until^✦ I pulled^✦ the nine

And if I don't know you, I don't fuck witchu^✦

And if you with my man, then he getting^✦ stuck witchu^✦

And gave it the money,^✦ 'cause I just lost my mind when he crossed the line

Sent his back through his chest then I tossed^✦ the nine

Boss of crime, black Gotti,^✦ I stack bodies^✦ with the black shottie

Bitch-ass niggas^✦ that act snotty^✦

Get it

[Outro: Interviewer & DMX]

These niggas^✦ is for real

These niggas^✦ ain't playing

This ain't no fucking^✦ game

She think we playing?

Ruff Ryders

Grr

Technical Breakdown

8.2

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 / Rhythm8.5

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.22

Production

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Jadakiss demonstrates mid-90s East Coast technical proficiency through internal rhyme density and authoritative, deadpan rhythmic confidence that anchors the chaos of the track.

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

8.5

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

6.5

Wordplay

Delivery

Multisyllabic internal rhymingAssonance-heavy flowPop culture integrationStaccato delivery

Rhyme Architecture: Consistent AAAA structure using internal rhymes tied to the end-rhyme scheme (Sosa/Costa/mami/army) followed by a transition into shorter, punchier internal patterns for the final bars.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"coke like Sosa"

① High-quality narcotics supply② A direct comparison to the film 'Scarface' protagonist Tony Montana

"Cleaning my Tommy"

① Maintenance of a firearm (Tommy gun)② A double-entendre regarding the brand name Tommy Hilfiger, common in 90s hip-hop fashion vernacular

"You can feel 'em in your vein / Like Ramello's pops from Sugar Hill"

① The visceral impact of the lyrics hitting the listener② A reference to the character Roemello Skuggs' father in the film 'Sugar Hill', who is heavily addicted to heroin, implying the music is addictive

Exceptional rhythmic lock and pocket placement

High density of internal rhyming

Naturalistic, authoritative vocal tone

Limited metaphorical complexity

Reliance on somewhat generic street-rap motifs

Lack of sustained narrative arcs

Niggaz Done Started Something (featuring The LOX and Murda Ma$e)

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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