Year of the Dog... Again

It's Personal (featuring Jadakiss and Styles P)

DMX

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

8

End

92

Internal

28

Multi

93

Slant

3

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Hook w/ Jadakiss adlibs] - repeat✦ 2X
[Verse 3: Jadakiss]
It's like lately✦ I've been feeling so weak at the knees
And speaking✦ to niggas✦ is just like speaking✦ to thieves
So I keep the hawk ready✦ to eat 'em
Guess already? Then meet 'em
I'm fair game, but I'm ready✦ to cheat 'em
The streets ain't right now, the Colgate White is light brown
These niggas✦ ain't nice, they nice clowns
That's why I'mma✦ start layin them right down
And have 'em there layin in the casket,✦ ice down
Jacob watch on 'em, mortician must've been hazed up
Cause you can see the makeup spots on 'em
This is way beyond ya Avion✦
The Golden✦ King, more like Polo✦ Spring
And what makes✦ it even✦ worse, aiyyo it's that it's personal
Maybe even✦ ya Earth can go
I'll make it where they can never✦ find the bitch
Right outta✦ the bar, with all kind of shit
[Hook] - repeat✦ 2X
[Outro: Styles P.]
Yeah, y'all niggas✦ can get caught up in the hype if you want
Bodies✦ drop over✦ here, this is not a game man
You wanna✦ get caught up in the hype again?✦ Then you can fall in the hype again✦
This is a movement, Double R, nigga✦ you know what's up
And if you don't, you gon' get to know what's up
Yeah, we ain't playin wit' y'all niggas✦ this year
'06, '07, and on, nigga✦ what's up?
Pop off! You know how I work!

Technical Breakdown

6.9
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5

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 Complexity6.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.5

Performance and control

Computed Score6.87

Production

— Franklin Crum, Eddie Serrano

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Jadakiss demonstrates a high level of technical efficiency typical of his mid-2000s output, utilizing tight internal rhyme chains and consistent breath control to elevate relatively straightforward street-level narratives.

B
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
5.5
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
7.5
Delivery
internal rhyme layeringmultisyllabic end-rhyme chainsrhythmic syncopationcolloquial wordplay
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on a dense AAAA rhyme scheme centered on the 'eez/eev/eet/eem' vowel sounds, transitioning into a 'own/own' and 'on/on' structure, showcasing Jadakiss's signature ability to sustain a rhyme sound over long segments.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"I'm fair game, but I'm ready to cheat 'em"

① In a fair fight or competition (the streets), he is an accessible target.② He rejects the rules of fair play and will use underhanded, violent tactics to win.

"These niggas ain't nice, they nice clowns"

① Asserting that his peers are not skilled or dangerous.② A play on 'nice' as a homophone for 'n-ice' (referring to them being 'clowns' who pretend to be tough but are actually jokes).

"Jacob watch on 'em, mortician must've been hazed up / Cause you can see the makeup spots on 'em"

① The victim is wearing expensive jewelry (Jacob & Co. watch).② The victim is dead and in the casket; the 'makeup spots' refer to the mortician's clumsy attempt to cover up trauma or decay, implying the violence was brutal enough to ruin the body.

exceptional breath control and internal rhyme density

consistent rhythmic pocket throughout the verse

effective use of aggressive, punchy delivery style that emphasizes the end-rhymes

lyrical content remains heavily grounded in standard braggadocio tropes of the era

some metaphors, specifically the 'Colgate' line, feel slightly forced to meet the rhyme requirement

lack of deeper thematic evolution beyond the established street-noir aesthetic

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