Grand Champ

A'Yo Kato (featuring Magic and Val)

DMX

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

32

End

175

Internal

40

Multi

175

Slant

17

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus]
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends (We miss you, Kato)✦
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
[Verse 2: DMX]
Ayo, K', let me kick it with you for a minute✦ (Yeah)
There was things left unsaid,✦ dog, we wasn't finished
Never✦ got to say thank you for being a friend
Dogs for life, and you rode to the end
Held dog down, didn't let a day go by
Every✦ time dog came to the Chi (What?)
I was good, trips out to Phoenix✦ with the scrambler squad
Now I come back to Phoenix✦ and like, "Damn, it's hard"
To accept✦ the fact (Uh) that you won't be coming✦ back (Uh)
But I hope you coming✦ back (Uh) 'cause I won't accept✦ the fact
When you came to New York, you had to come to the crib
And vice-versa (Yeah), that's just how we did
Remote✦ control cars (What), we would race all day
It was adventure, we would chase our day (Yeah)
So I'm not gonna✦ say goodbye my nigga✦ (Uh-uh)
Instead I would rather✦ (Rather)✦
Focus on the time we spent together, that's what matters
[Chorus]
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends (We miss you, Kato)✦
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
[Verse 3: DMX]
I need you to save me a spot, next to you and the Lord (Aight)
I don't know when I'm coming,✦ but keep checking the door (Aight)
But while I'm here, knock on wood
I'll make sure your kids remember who their father✦ was and Val is good (Aight)
Understood how real niggas move
We don't talk, but you gon' always✦ have family✦ in New York, believe that (Yeah)
From where you at you can see that
We dogs for life and to death and I mean that (Vato)✦
[Chorus]
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
Dogs that I call my friends
Praying for all my friends (We miss you, Kato)✦
Things I do for my friends
We miss you, ayo, Kato✦ (We miss you, Kato)✦
[Outro: DMX, Magic & Val, Val]
Yo, "Where the Hood At" is banging right now, man
That was your favorite joint, ya know what I mean?
We miss you, Kato✦
It's going just like we thought it would, baby✦
We miss you, Kato✦ (Yeah)
We miss you, Kato✦
I'll always✦ love you, K'

Technical Breakdown

8.2
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres4.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity5.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.23

Production

— Swizz Beatz

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

DMX utilizes a conversational, emotive delivery style that prioritizes raw sentiment and pacing over complex linguistic acrobatics, relying on a repetition-heavy structure to underscore the grief of the narrative.

A
7.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
5
Vocabulary
4.5
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
AABB rhyme scheme variationsInternal rhyme clustersConversational cadenceEpistolary-style address
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on a foundational AABB rhyme scheme with heavy use of internal rhyming on the final syllables to bridge lines, creating a driving but melancholic flow.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"I hope you coming back / 'cause I won't accept the fact"

① A literal psychological denial of the friend's death.② A theological or spiritual hope that the friend has transitioned to an afterlife and will be 'coming back' in a spiritual sense.

"It was adventure, we would chase our day"

① A literal description of spending the entire day together.② A metaphor for chasing success and longevity ('our day') in the context of their shared life.

High emotional resonance and authenticity

Strong command of cadence that mimics natural speech

Effective use of the 'dog' moniker as both a identity marker and a term of endearment

Lack of complex metaphors or intricate wordplay

Repetitive phrasing that prioritizes emotive delivery over dense lyricism

Vocabulary remains relatively functional rather than evocative

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