Idlewild
Dyin' to Live
Outkast
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
9
End
14
Internal
1
Multi
32
Slant
5
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[André 3000:]
My suit is dark my clouds are gray
And all things around me pass away✦
Well what if I leave
Yeah that's what I'll do I'll leave
'Cause 88 keys is all I got to lose
That ain't much, you can have them shoes
I'm dying to love dying to play
Dying to get out of here
I'm dying to live
Percival (oh)
Says goodbye (oh)
An angel dies
Technical Breakdown
6.5
Multisyllabic Rhymes2.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes7.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres6.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm7.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity7.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control7.0
Performance and control
Computed Score6.48
Production
— André 3000Be the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
The verse relies on existential abstraction rather than dense wordplay, utilizing a minimalist, melodic cadence that prioritizes emotional resonance over lyrical complexity.
B
2.5
Multisyllabic
7.5
Internal Rhymes
7
Cadence / Flow
7
Vocabulary
6
Wordplay
7
Delivery
existential repetitionmelodic flowthematic anchoringminimalist syntax
Rhyme Architecture: Primarily end-rhyme heavy with simple AABB and ABAB structures, supplemented by sparse internal rhyming that emphasizes flow over density.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"88 keys is all I got to lose"
① The physical keys of a piano, representing his craft and musical identity.② The idea of musical expression being his only tether or possession in a transitory state.
"dying to live"
① An intense, desperate desire to experience life.② A literal existential contradiction where the process of dying is the only way to truly begin living or transcending.
Evocative atmosphere
Unique cadence for the era
Strong emotional through-line
Low multisyllabic density
Limited reliance on complex linguistic devices
Repetitive structure