Damn

XXX.

Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

11

End

44

Internal

17

Multi

91

Slant

4

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Segue: Kendrick Lamar]
Alright, kids, we're gon' talk about gun control (Pray for me)
Damn
[Part II]
[Chorus: Bono]
It's not a place
This country✦ is, to me, a sound
Of drum and bass
You close your eyes to look around✦
[Verse: Kendrick Lamar]
Hail Mary,✦ Jesus, and Joseph
The great American✦ flag is wrapped and dragged with explosives
Compulsive disorder, sons and daughters
Barricaded blocks and borders, look what you taught us
It's murder✦ on my street, your street, back streets, Wall Street
Corporate offices, banks, employees, and bosses✦ with
Homicidal thoughts, Donald Trump's in office✦
We lost Barack✦ and promised to never✦ doubt him again✦
But is America honest or do we bask in sin?
Pass the gin, I mix it with American✦ blood
Then bash him in, you Crippin' or you married to Blood?
I'll ask again,✦ oops, accident
It's nasty✦ when you set us up then roll the dice, then bet us up
You overnight the big rifles,✦ then tell Fox to be scared of us
Gang members or terrorists, et cetera,✦ et cetera✦
America's reflections of me, that's what a mirror does
[Chorus: Bono]
It's not a place
This country✦ is to me a sound
Of drum and bass
You close your eyes to look aro—

Technical Breakdown

8.0
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres8.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm7.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control9.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.95

Production

— Mike Will Made It, DJ Dahi, Sounwave, Top Dawg, Bēkon

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Kendrick utilizes high-density internal rhyme chains to bridge social commentary and violent imagery, effectively critiquing the American socio-political condition through aggressive, syncopated delivery.

B+
7.5
Multisyllabic
8.5
Internal Rhymes
7
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
8.5
Wordplay
9
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhymingSocio-political juxtapositionDynamic cadence shiftsAggressive phonetic layering
Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on complex, chaining internal rhymes (explosives/disorder/daughters/borders/taught us) that anchor the flow before breaking into aggressive, shorter clauses that emphasize the violence of the imagery.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"you Crippin' or you married to Blood?"

① Reference to the literal street gang affiliations of Crips and Bloods.② A rhetorical question about national identity; 'Blood' as an allusion to the 'American blood' mentioned in the previous bar, questioning allegiance to the country versus allegiance to the streets.

"overnight the big rifles, then tell Fox to be scared of us"

① Refers to the ease of acquiring firearms through legal or illicit channels.② Critiques the media cycle of 'Fox News' creating moral panic about black neighborhoods while simultaneously ignoring the systemic gun violence they help facilitate.

Exceptional rhythmic integration of social critique

High-level structural cohesion between the setup and the payoff

Dynamic vocal presence that elevates the urgency of the text

Nuanced wordplay on gang affiliation and national identity

High density makes certain lyrical passages difficult to parse without multiple listens

The rapid shift from political to personal risks losing the listener's focus

User Scores