Damn

FEAR.

Kendrick Lamar

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

413

Internal

194

Multi

450

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Verse 1: Kendrick Lamar, The 24-Carat BlackDale Warren]

I beat yo' ass, keep talkin'^✦ back

I beat yo' ass, who bought you that?

You stole it, I beat yo' ass if you say that game is broken^✦

I beat yo' ass if you jump on my couch

I beat yo' ass if you walk in this house

With tears in your eyes, runnin'^✦ from Poo Poo and Prentice

Go back outside, I beat yo' ass, lil' nigga^✦

That homework better^✦ be finished, I beat yo' ass (Poverty's)^✦

Your teachers better^✦ not be bitchin'^✦ 'bout you in class

That pizza^✦ better^✦ not be wasted,^✦ you eat it all (Paradise)^✦

That TV better^✦ not be loud if you got it on

(I don't think I could find a way, to make it on this earth)

Them Jordans better^✦ not get dirty^✦ when I just bought 'em

Better^✦ not hear 'bout you humpin'^✦ on Keisha's daughter

Better^✦ not hear you got caught up

I beat yo' ass, you better^✦ not run to your father^✦

I beat yo' ass, you know my patience^✦ runnin'^✦ thin

I got buku^✦ payments to make (I been hungry^✦ all my life)

County^✦ building's on my ass, tryna^✦ take my food stamps away^✦

I beat yo' ass if you tell them social^✦ workers he live here

I beat yo' ass if I beat yo' ass twice and you still here

Seven^✦ years old, think you run this house by yourself?

Nigga,^✦ you gon' fear me if you don't fear no one else

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar, The 24-Carat BlackDale Warren]

If I could smoke fear away,^✦ I'd roll that mothafucker^✦ up

And then I'd take two puffs

I'm high now (High), I'm high now (High)

I'm high now (Poverty's—,^✦ high), I'm high now (High)

Life's^✦ a bitch, pull them panties^✦ to the side now

(Pull them panties^✦ to the side now)

Paradise—,^✦ I don't think I could find a way to make it on this earth

[Verse 2: Kendrick Lamar, The 24-Carat BlackDale Warren]

I'll prolly^✦ die anonymous, I'll prolly^✦ die with promises

I'll prolly^✦ die walkin'^✦ back home from the candy^✦ house (Yeah)

I'll prolly^✦ die because^✦ these colors are standin' out

I'll prolly^✦ die because^✦ I ain't know Demarcus was snitchin'^✦ (I've been hungry^✦ all my life<, yeah)

I'll prolly^✦ die at these house parties,^✦ fuckin'^✦ with bitches

I'll prolly^✦ die from witnesses leavin'^✦ me falsed^✦ accused

I'll prolly^✦ die from thinkin' that me and your hood was cool (Yeah)

Or maybe die from pressin'^✦ the line, actin'^✦ too extra^✦

Or maybe die because^✦ these smokers are more than desperate

I'll prolly^✦ die from one of these bats and blue badges^✦

Body-slammed on black and white paint, my bones^✦ snappin'

Or maybe die from panic or die from bein' too lax

Or die from waitin'^✦ on it, die 'cause I'm movin'^✦ too fast

I'll prolly^✦ die tryna^✦ buy weed at the apartments (Poverty's)^✦

I'll prolly^✦ die tryna^✦ defuse^✦ two homies^✦ arguin'^✦ (Paradise)^✦

I'll prolly^✦ die 'cause that's what you do when you're seventeen^✦

(I don't think I could find a way, to make it on this earth)

All worries^✦ in a hurry,^✦ I wish I controlled things

[Chorus: Kendrick Lamar]

If I could smoke fear away,^✦ I'd roll that mothafucker^✦ up

And then I'd take two puffs

(I've been hungry^✦ all my life (Yeah))

I'm high now (High), I'm high now (High)

Life's^✦ a bitch, pull them panties^✦ to the side now

(Pull them panties^✦ to the side now)

Now

[Verse 3: Kendrick Lamar]

When I was twenty-seven,^✦ I grew accustomed to more fear

Accumulated ten times^✦ over^✦ throughout the years

My newfound life made all of me magnified^✦

How many^✦ accolades do I need to block denial?^✦

The shock value of my success put bolts in me

All this money,^✦ is God playin' a joke on me?

Is it for the moment, and will he see me as Job?

Take it from me and leave me worse than I was before?^✦

At twenty-seven,^✦ my biggest^✦ fear was losin'^✦ it all

Scared^✦ to spend money,^✦ had me sleepin' from hall to hall

Scared^✦ to go back to Section^✦ 8 with my mama^✦ stressin'^✦

Thirty^✦ shows a month and I still won't buy me no Lexus

What is an advisor? Somebody^✦ that's holdin'^✦ my checks

Just to fuck me over^✦ and put my finances in debt?

I read a case about^✦ Rihanna's accountant and wondered

How did the Bad Girl feel when she looked^✦ at them numbers?

The type of shit'll make me flip out and just kill somethin'^✦

Drill somethin',^✦ get ill and fill ratchets with a lil' somethin'^✦

I practiced runnin'^✦ from fear, guess I had some good luck

At twenty-seven^✦ years old, my biggest^✦ fear was bein' judged^✦

How they look at me reflect on myself, my family,^✦ my city^✦

What they say 'bout me reveal^✦ if my reputation^✦ would miss me

What they see from me would trickle down generations^✦ in time

What they hear from me would make 'em highlight my simplest lines^✦

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear of losin'^✦ creativity

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear of missin'^✦ out on you and me

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear of losin'^✦ loyalty from pride

'Cause my DNA won't let me involve in the light of God

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear that my humbleness is gone

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear that love ain't livin'^✦ here no more

I'm talkin'^✦ fear, fear that it's wickedness or weakness

Fear, whatever it is, both is distinctive

Fear, what happens^✦ on Earth stays on Earth

And I can't take these feelings^✦ with me, so hopefully,^✦ they disperse^✦

Within^✦ fourteen^✦ tracks, carried^✦ out over^✦ wax

Searchin' for resolutions^✦ until^✦ somebody^✦ get back

Fear, what happens^✦ on Earth stays on Earth

And I can't take these feelings^✦ with me, so hopefully^✦ they disperse^✦

Within^✦ fourteen^✦ tracks, carried^✦ out over^✦ wax

Wonderin' if I'm livin'^✦ through fear or livin'^✦ through rap

Damn

[Bridge 2: Bēkon]

God damn you, God damn me

God damn us, God damn we

God damn us all

[Outro: Carl Duckworth]

Verse 2 says, "You only^✦ have I known of all the families^✦ of the Earth, therefore I will punish^✦ you for all your iniquities"^✦

So until^✦ we come back to these commandments^✦

Until^✦ you come back to these commandments^✦

We gonna^✦ feel this way, we gonna^✦ be under^✦ this curse

Because^✦ He said He's gonna^✦ punish^✦ us

The so-called Blacks, Hispanics, and Native^✦ American Indians

Are the true children^✦ of Israel^✦

We are the Israelites, according to the Bible

The children^✦ of Israel^✦

He's gonna^✦ punish^✦ us for our iniquities,^✦ for our disobedience^✦

Because^✦ we chose to follow^✦ other^✦ gods

That man chastens his son, so the Lord, thy God, chasten^✦ thee

So, just like you chasten^✦ your own son, He's gonna^✦ chasten^✦ you

Because^✦ He loves^✦ you, so that's why we get chastised

That's why we're in the position^✦ that we're in

Until^✦ we come back to these laws, statutes, and commandments^✦

And do what the Lord says, these curses^✦ is gonna^✦ be upon^✦ us

We gonna^✦ be at a lower^✦ state in this life that we live

Here, in today,^✦ in the United^✦ States^✦ of America

I love you, family,^✦ and I pray for you

God bless you

Shalom

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

— The Alchemist, Bēkon

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

The verse utilizes repetitive, percussive syntax to simulate the cyclical, volatile nature of domestic trauma, effectively mirroring the 'fear' theme through rhythmic entrapment.

A+

9.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

7.5

Wordplay

9.5

Delivery

anaphorarhythmic entrapmentdomestic hyper-realismdynamic tension through repetitiondiegetic integration of vocal samples

Rhyme Architecture: Kendrick utilizes an insistent, relentless AAAA-style anaphoric repetition ('I beat yo' ass') which serves as the rhythmic pulse, while nesting complex internal rhyme chains and slant rhymes (Prentice/finished/business/Jordans/daughter) within the sub-clauses.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"I beat yo' ass if I beat yo' ass twice and you still here"

① A literal threat of physical discipline for the child's continued defiance.② A meta-commentary on the cycle of generational trauma—that despite the punishment, the child remains trapped in the same volatile environment.

"Nigga, you gon' fear me if you don't fear no one else"

① An authoritarian parenting threat demanding respect/obedience from the child.② The transfer of the protagonist's survival-based 'fear' onto the child, illustrating how trauma is inherited as a defense mechanism.

Visceral portrayal of poverty-stricken parental anxiety

Exceptional rhythmic cadence that mimics the erratic heartbeat of a stressed guardian

Structural brilliance in using repetition to build psychological pressure rather than boredom

Relies heavily on situational narrative rather than dense lyrical abstraction

The simplicity of the repeating phrase could be mistaken for lack of vocabulary if the context is ignored

FEAR.

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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