Life After Death

My Downfall

The Notorious B.I.G.

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

317

Internal

125

Multi

289

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Interlude: Puff Daddy]

Jealousy's a motherfucker,^✦ you weak jealous^✦ motherfuckers!^✦

If you a jealous^✦ motherfucker,^✦ you just a weak motherfucker!^✦

See when you on top, motherfuckers^✦ just wanna^✦ bring you down!

Motherfuckers^✦ don't even^✦ know you, and they don't like you

[Verse 1: The Notorious B.I.G.]

Uhh, I dream filthy,^✦ my mom's and pop's mixed^✦ me

With Jamaican Rum and Whiskey,^✦ huh, what a set off

Shoulda pushed^✦ him dead off, wipe the sweat off (Uh)

'Cause in this world I'm dead off, squeeze lead off, Benz sped off

Ain't no shook hands in Brooklyn

Army^✦ fatigues bring fatigue, to enemies,^✦ look man

You wanna^✦ see me locked^✦ up, shot up

Moms crouched up over^✦ the casket,^✦ screamin',^✦ "Bastard!"

Cryin', know my friends is lyin'

Y'all know who killed^✦ him, filled^✦ him with the lugers^✦ from their Rugers^✦

Or the Desert, dyin' ain't the shit, but it's pleasant

Kinda^✦ quiet, watch my niggas^✦ bring the riot

Givin'^✦ cats the opposite of diets

You gain thirty^✦ pounds when you die no lie, lazy^✦ eye

I was high when they hit me, took a few cats with me

Shit, I need the company (Uh-huh)^✦

Apologies^✦ in order^✦ to T'Yanna,^✦ my daughter

If it was up to me you would be with me

Sorta^✦ like Daddy^✦ Dearest,^✦ my vision^✦ be the clearest^✦

Silencers so you can't hear it

Competition still fear it, shit don't ask me

I went from ashy^✦ to nasty^✦ to classy^✦ and still

[Chorus: DMC]

That's not all, MCs have the gall

To pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray, they pray)

[Verse 2: The Notorious B.I.G.]

This goes out to cats, fingers in their ass again^✦

Fifty-dollar half-a-men, daydreamin'^✦

Fuck around^✦ get wet like semen,^✦ your whole team and

Be more gone than Freeman

I took the cream and, moved^✦ to new places,^✦ new faces^✦

Fuck the screw faces,^✦ 'cause when I flip

I make the papers,^✦ dangerous,^✦ we Goodfellas (Uh)

Niggas^✦ can't bang with us, try to do me

My crew be unruly^✦ (what)

Some old school cats that call gats toolies^✦

Call blacks moolies,^✦ think it's cool to smoke woolies^✦

And fuck without^✦ rubbers (What?)

Specialize^✦ in killin'^✦ wives^✦ and grandmothers

Who you trustin'? Shit!

When Frank start bustin',^✦ Frank start somethin'

Killin'^✦ you gently,^✦ God meant me, to push a Bentley^✦

Me and Sean Combs takin'^✦ broads home

On the phone with the chip, with these Cristal chicks

'Bout to make our own porno^✦ flicks, my life's^✦ the shit

[Chorus: DMC]

That's not all, MCs have the gall (They pray, they pray)

To pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦

That's not all, MCs have the gall (They pray, they pray)

To pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (They pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall,^✦ fall

[Verse 3: The Notorious B.I.G., Puff Daddy]

We used^✦ to hold the gold, now we floss with diamonds

Niggas^✦ want my team to stop shinin',^✦ pray my fame start declinin'

Whinin'^✦ like girlies^✦ (Stop whinin'^✦ you bitches)^✦

We been around^✦ the world twice, all we got is mo' ice and mo' nice

Sacrifice your heart

Lexus with the automatic start (What?)

Fifty^✦ shots'll tear your club apart^✦

Eatin'^✦ shrimp À la carte, with some bitches^✦ from Brussels^✦

Eatin'^✦ clams and mussels^✦

Uhh, octopus, pretty^✦ face no waist

I just want the bush, so I can mack it

Give her a package to push, 'cause I work them hoes

Pendejos, I show you how to play them hoes

Can you just visualize^✦ it?

Before^✦ I go to sleep I check the beds and the closet,^✦ so I can sleep safe

Not too many^✦ keep a mil' in the briefcase

Infrareds help me sleep safe, but wait

[Chorus: DMC]

That's not all, MCs have the gall (they pray, they pray)

To pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (they pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (they pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall,^✦ fall

[Interlude: Puff Daddy]

See, y'all motherfuckers^✦ live off of negativity

What y'all niggas^✦ need to get through your motherfuckin'^✦ heads

Is that, y'all fuckin'^✦ with some niggas^✦ that's on a higher^✦

Motherfuckin'^✦ level^✦ -- we don't give a fuck

About^✦ what you think about^✦ us how you feel about^✦ us

What you got to say about^✦ us

We gon keep doing our motherfuckin'^✦ thing

From now 'til the year 3000, bitches!^✦

You can't breathe, you can't sleep, you can't eat

Without^✦ thinkin'^✦ about^✦ us!

And without^✦ thinkin'^✦ about^✦ us on your mind

We gon' haunt your asses,^✦ motherfuckers!^✦

[Chorus: DMC]

That's not all, MCs have the gall (they pray, they pray)

To pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (they pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall^✦ (they pray)

Pray and pray for my downfall,^✦ fall

(They pray, they pray, they pray, they pray)

(They pray, they pray)

Technical Breakdown

9.2

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.5

Performance and control

Computed Score9.20

Production

— Carlos “6 July” Broady, Diddy, Nashiem Myrick

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Biggie uses internal rhyme density and a conversational, yet foreboding, cadence to bridge the gap between street narratives and existential dread, establishing a masterclass in vocal gravity and rhythmic precision.

A+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

7.5

Wordplay

9.5

Delivery

Multisyllabic chain rhymingInternal rhyme densityVocal cadence variationNarrative foreshadowing

Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on complex multisyllabic end-rhymes (set off/sweat off/dead off/lead off/sped off) paired with high-frequency internal rhyming that anchors the listener within the pocket despite varying line lengths.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Army fatigues bring fatigue, to enemies"

① The literal military apparel worn by the artist.② The state of exhaustion or literal 'fatigue' the artist inflicts on those who cross him.

"Givin' cats the opposite of diets / You gain thirty pounds when you die no lie"

① A dark, hyperbolic play on the weight added by bullets or bodily trauma.② A direct subversion of 'dieting' culture, implying that death 'adds' weight in the form of lead/heavy trauma rather than stripping it away.

Unmatched vocal delivery and command

High density of internal rhymes that maintains rhythmic forward momentum

Emotional resonance balanced with technical proficiency

Occasional reliance on standard genre tropes regarding 'haters'

Vocabulary breadth is high-functional but standard for the era

My Downfall

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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