GNX
reincarnated
Kendrick Lamar
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
25
End
156
Internal
103
Multi
293
Slant
7
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar]
Another life had placed✦ me as a Black woman✦ in the Chitlin' Circuit
Seductive✦ vocalist as the promoter hit the curtains
My voice was angelic, straight from heaven,✦ the crowd sobbed✦
A musical genius what the articles emphasized
Had everything✦ I wanted,✦ but I couldn't escape✦ addiction✦
Heroin✦ needles had me in fetal✦ position,✦ restricted
Turned✦ on my family,✦ I went wherever cameras be
Cocaine,✦ no private planes✦ for my insanity✦
Self-indulged, discipline✦ never✦ been my sentiments
I needed✦ drugs, to me, an 8-ball was like penicillin
Fuck love, my happiness was in that brown sugar✦
Sex and melodies✦ gave me hope when nobody's lookin'✦
My first assistant was a small town scholar
Never✦ did a Quaalude 'til I got myself✦ around her
My daddy✦ looked✦ the other✦ way, he saw sin in me
I died with syringes pinched in me, reincarnated✦
[Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]
My present life is Kendrick Lamar✦
A rapper✦ looking✦ at the lyrics to keep you in awe
The only✦ factor I respected was raisin'✦ the bar
My instincts sent material straight to the charts, huh
My father✦ kicked✦ me out the house, I finally✦ forgive✦ him
I'm old enough to understand the way I was livin'✦
Ego✦ and pride had me looking✦ at him with resentment
I close my eyes, hoping✦ that I don't come off contentious✦
I'm yelling, "Father,✦ did I finally✦ get it right?" Everything✦ I did was selfless
I spoke freely,✦ when the people needed✦ me, I helped✦ them
I didn't gloat, even✦ told 'em, "No," when the vultures came
Took control of my fleshly body✦ when the money✦ changed
Son, you do well, but your heart is closed✦
I can tell residue that linger✦ from your past creates itself✦
Father,✦ I'm not perfect, I got urges,✦ but I hold them down
"But your pride has to die," okay,✦ Father,✦ show me how
Tell me every✦ deed that you done and what you do it for
I kept one hundred✦ institutions paid
Okay,✦ tell me more
I put one hundred✦ hoods on one stage
Okay,✦ tell me more
I'm tryna✦ push peace in L.A.
But you love war
No, I don't
Oh, yes, you do
Okay,✦ then tell me the truth
Every✦ individual is only✦ a version✦ of you
How can they forgive✦ when there's✦ no forgiveness in your heart?
I could tell you where I'm going
I could tell you who you are
You fell out of Heaven✦ 'cause you was anxious✦
Didn't like authority,✦ only✦ searched to be heinous✦
Isaiah fourteen was the only✦ thing that was prevalent
My greatest music✦ director was you
It was colors, it was pinks, it was reds, it was blues
It was harmony✦ and motion✦
I sent you down to earth 'cause you was broken✦
Rehabilitation,✦ not psychosis
But now we here now
Centuries✦ you manipulated✦ man with music✦
Embodied you as superstars to see how you moving✦
You came a long way from garnishing evilish views
And all I ever✦ wanted✦ from you was love and approval
I learned a lot, no more putting these people in fear
The more that word is diminished, the more it's not real
The more light that I can capture, the more I can feel
I'm using✦ words for inspiration✦ as an idea✦
So can you promise✦ that you won't take your gifts for granted?
I promise✦ that I'll use my gifts to bring understanding
For every✦ man, woman✦ and child, how much can you vow?
I vow my life just to live one in harmony✦ now
You crushed a lot of people keeping their thoughts in captivity✦
And I'm ashamed that I ever✦ created✦ that enemy✦
Then let's rejoice where we at
I rewrote the devil's story✦ just to take our power✦ back, 'carnated✦
Technical Breakdown
8.3
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres8.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm7.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity8.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.5
Performance and control
Computed Score8.26
Production
— Sounwave, Jack Antonoff, Kendrick Lamar, M-Tech, Noah EhlerBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Kendrick employs high-concept narrative persona adoption and thematic recursion, effectively using biographical fiction to map the cycle of addiction onto his own artistic evolution.
A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
7.5
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
8
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
Narrative persona adoptionThematic recursionMultisyllabic internal rhyme chainsEnjambment-heavy cadence
Rhyme Architecture: Kendrick utilizes an advanced multisyllabic scheme that prioritizes internal rhyme density (e.g., 'Chitlin' Circuit' / 'hit the curtains') while maintaining a consistent AABB or AAAA structural flow through enjambed clauses.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"an 8-ball was like penicillin"
① A reference to the quantity of cocaine (8-ball) acting as a necessary curative agent for the narrator's pain.② A juxtaposition of a deadly drug with a life-saving antibiotic, highlighting the distorted perception of the addict.
"I died with syringes pinched in me, reincarnated"
① The physical death of the persona in the previous life via drug overdose.② The metaphorical transition to the current life as Kendrick Lamar, implying the past lives are stored within the current identity.
"raisin' the bar"
① Increasing standards or expectations of excellence in rap.② A literal reference to the lyrical 'bars' Kendrick writes, suggesting they are constructed with higher frequency and quality.
Exceptional storytelling efficiency
Strong emotional resonance via persona-swapping
High density of internal rhymes anchoring the flow
Effective integration of historical context with personal struggle
The density of internal rhyme occasionally risks crowding the narrative clarity
Some punchlines are subordinate to the overall atmospheric storytelling rather than acting as singular highlights