Life After Death
What's Beef?
The Notorious B.I.G.
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
39
End
257
Internal
74
Multi
201
Slant
11
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G. & Puff Daddy]
What's beef?
Beef is when you need two gats to go to sleep
Beef is when your moms ain't safe up in the streets
Beef is when–I✦ see you
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U.,✦ one more time
What's beef?
Beef is when you make your enemies✦ start your Jeep
Beef is when you roll no less than thirty✦ deep
Beef is when I see you
Beef is when–I✦ see you
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U.✦ – check it (Yeah)
[Verse 2: The Notorious B.I.G. & Puff Daddy]
I done smoked✦ with the best of 'em (Uh-huh),✦ shot at the rest of 'em (Uh-huh)✦
Was about✦ a hundred or more, maybe less, of 'em
Got my rocks off, that nigga✦ from the Brook' just be—
Wildin'✦ on you, just be–stylin' on you (You so crazy)✦
And I tried to warn you, but your eyes fucked✦ up
Now I cleared them shits with hits, you on the fuckin'✦ bench (Mm)
Pardon my French but, uh, sometimes, I get kind of
Peeved✦ at these weak MCs (Don't stop)
With these supreme baller-like lyrics, I call 'em like I see 'em, G
Y'all niggas sound like me (Yeah)
Y'all was grimy✦ in the early✦ '90s, far behind✦ me
It ain't hard to find me
Number✦ one with the booyaka✦ (Booyaka)✦
Give me the Remy✦ and the chronic
Ain't no tellin'✦ what I do to ya (I do to ya)
It's obvious the game's✦ new to ya (New to ya)
Take them ends you make (Eh heh haaa) and spend 'em on a tutor, hah
One shot, I'm through with ya (Through wit' ya)
[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G. & Puff Daddy]
What's beef?
Beef is when you need two gats to go to sleep (Don't sleep)
Beef is when your moms ain't safe up in the streets (Ain't safe)
Beef is when–I✦ see you
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U.✦ (I see you), one more time
What's beef? (What's beef?)
Beef is when you make your enemies✦ start your Jeep (Start my Jeep)
Beef is when you roll no less than thirty✦ deep (Thirty✦ deep)
Beef is when–I✦ see you
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U,✦ there'll✦ be nothin'—✦ (I see you)
[Verse 3: The Notorious B.I.G. & Puff Daddy]
There'll✦ be nothin'✦ but smooth sailin'✦ (Sailin')✦
When I spit shots, now your crew's bailin'✦ (Bailin')✦
All I got is heat and tough talk for you (Uh-huh)✦
Tie you up, cut your balls off, just for you (Oooh)
Man, listen,✦ straight torture, look what that slick shit bought ya
A first class ticket✦ to Lucifer, real name: Christopher
Watch me set it off like Vivica✦
Here lies your demise,✦ close your eyes (Uh-huh)✦
Think good thoughts, die while your skin start to glisten
Pale blue hands get cold; your soul's risen✦
It's bad 'cause I just begun✦
What make the shit real bad–I✦ was havin'✦ fun (Ahaha!)✦
[Chorus: The Notorious B.I.G. & Puff Daddy]
What's beef?
Beef is when you need two gats to go to sleep (Don't sleep)
Beef is when your moms ain't safe up in the streets (Ain't safe)
Beef is when–I✦ see you
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U.✦ (I see you), one more time
What's beef? (What's beef?)
Beef is when you make your enemies✦ start your Jeep (Start my Jeep)
Beef is when you roll no less than thirty✦ deep (Thirty✦ deep)
Beef is when–I✦ see you (I see you)
Guaranteed✦ to be in I.C.U.,✦ and I'm through (Yeah...)
[Outro: Puff Daddy & The Notorious B.I.G.]
Ugh... And I'm through... ugh
Life After—✦
Now, ask yourself...✦ (Ugh)
Do you really...✦ know what beef is?
Life After—✦
Then, ask yourself...✦ (Ugh)
Do you really...✦ want beef?
Life After—✦
Ahahaha! Yeah... I like that
Big Nash'
Hitmen,✦ baby✦
On and on, and on, and on...
Bad Boy
Y'all know what it is...
Shit... I don't want no beef...
Aha!✦
Technical Breakdown
8.5
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres7.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm9.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control9.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.48
Production
— Carlos "6 July" Broady, Nashiem MyrickBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Biggie utilizes internal conversational phrasing and rhythmic displacement to establish a definitive, authoritative persona, effectively using the persona's cadence to mask technical complexity.
A
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
9
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
7
Wordplay
9
Delivery
conversational cadenceinternal rhyme chainingsyllabic elasticityrhythmic displacement
Rhyme Architecture: A dense, fluid scheme relying on long-vowel sounds ('em', 'eep', 'ee') integrated into a colloquial flow that prioritizes conversational rhythm over rigid, blocky patterns.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Guaranteed to be in I.C.U."
① The hospital intensive care unit following a violent encounter.② A homophonous wordplay on 'I see you,' as in keeping the target under constant surveillance.
"Pardon my French but, uh, sometimes, I get kind of / Peeved"
① An ironic apology for using profanity.② A deliberate phonetic setup where the listener expects an expletive (like 'fucked') but Biggie substitutes it with 'Peeved', emphasizing his calm, dismissive arrogance.
unrivaled command of cadence and pocket
seamless transition between colloquial speech and rhythmic structure
authoritative vocal persona
effective use of vocal pauses to heighten tension
vocabulary density is lower compared to abstract lyricists of the era
reliance on established tropes of the mid-90s gangsta rap archetype