Late Registration
Gone
Kanye West
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
45
End
264
Internal
90
Multi
292
Slant
22
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus 2: Cam'ron and Otis Redding]
We striving✦ home, gone
I ride on chrome, gone
We striving✦ home
We striving✦ home, gone (Killa)✦
I ride on chrome
[Verse 3: Cam'ron]
Knock knock, who's there? Killa✦ Cam, Killa✦ who?
Killa✦ Cam, hustler, grinder, guerilla✦ troop
Oh, my chinchilla✦ blue, blue, you ever✦ dealt with a dealer✦
Well, here's✦ the deal, ma, we going to the dealer,✦ woo
No concealing, no ceiling I don't need a roof
Act up, get out, I don't need you, poof!
Poof, be gone, damn, tough luck, dag (Dag)
Niggas✦ still doing puff-puff-pass (Puff, pass)
Pull the truck up fast and I tell 'em
Hey, back in a touched-up Jag, shit
Y'all niggas✦ wanna✦ get in Cam's cerebellum
An old man just gon' tell 'em too late
Then I see how y'all gonna✦ react when I'm gone
My last girl want me back then I'm on
Fine, stay, you got the grind, hey
Came back, read what the sign say (Too late, he's gone)
Yes, I know you wanna✦ see my demise✦
Yeah, you church, boy, acting✦ like a thief in disguise
Ain't even✦ my size, see the greed in my eyes
Ask Abby,✦ I hustle, brought weed to the Chi, chyeah
And that ain't even✦ a lie, please believe✦ me
Gave Weezie a piece of the pie and
You can ask George or Regina✦
The whole West Side I explore with the Bimmer✦ now
[Chorus 3: Cam'ron]
We striving✦ home
I ride on chrome
Listen,✦ homeboy, move on
That's your best bet, why's that, Cons'?
[Verse 4: Consequence]
I been pouring out some liquor✦ for the fact that my pal's gone
And trying to help his mama✦ with the fact that her child gone
And since we used✦ to bubble like a tub full of Calgon✦
Guess it's only✦ right that I should help her from now on
But since they got afoul on what could've gone wrong
Now they asking✦ "Cons, how long has this gone on?"
And maybe all this money✦ might have gone to my head
'Cause they got me thinking money✦ might have gone to the Feds
So I had gone to the dread, but he had gone up to bed
And when I came the next morning, he was gone with my bread
And with that being said, I had gone on my instincts
And goin' to the spots where they go to get mixed✦ drinks
But looking back now, I should've gone to the crib
And rented✦ Gone With the Wind, 'cause I'da✦ gone in by ten
But I had gone with my friend, and we had gone to the bar
And heard a nigga✦ talking shit so I had gone to the car
And now the judge is telling me that I had gone too far
And now we gone for twenty✦ years doing time behind✦ bars
And since I gone to a cell for some petty✦ crimes✦
I guess I gone to the well one too many✦ times,✦ 'cause I'm gone
[Break: Kanye West]
Uh-uh-uh,✦ uh-uh-uh✦ uh uh onnn, uh uh-uh✦ onnn
Uh-uh✦ onnn, uh uh-uh✦
[Verse 5: Kanye West]
I'm ahead✦ of my time, sometimes✦ years out
So the powers that be won't let me get my ideas✦ out
And that make me wanna✦ get my advance✦ out
And move to Oklahoma and just live at my aunt's house
Yeah, I romance✦ the thought of leaving it all behind✦
Kanye step away✦ from the lime
Light like when I was on the grind
In the 1-9-9-9
Before✦ model chicks was bending✦ over✦
Or dealerships asked✦ me "Benz or Rover?"✦
Man, if I could just get one beat on Hova✦
We could get up off this cheap-ass sofa✦
What the summer✦ of the Chi got to offer✦ an eighteen-year-old?
Sell drugs or get a job, you gotta✦ play your role
My dog worked✦ at Taco✦ Bell, hooked✦ us up plural✦
Fired✦ a week later,✦ the manager count the churros
Sometimes✦ I can't believe✦ it when I look up in the mirro'✦
How we out in Europe,✦ spending✦ Euros✦
They claim you never✦ know what you got 'til it's gone
I know I got it, I don't know what y'all on
I'ma✦ open✦ up a store for aspiring MCs
Won't sell 'em no dream, but the inspiration✦ is free
But if they ever✦ flip sides✦ like Anakin✦
You'll sell everything including the mannequin
They got a new bitch, now you Jennifer Aniston
Hold on, I'll handle it, don't start panickin', stay calm
Shorties at the door 'cause they need more
Inspiration✦ for they life, they souls, and they songs
They said, "Sorry,✦ Mr. West is gone"
Technical Breakdown
8.5
Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm10.0
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control8.0
Performance and control
Computed Score8.53
Production
— Kanye WestBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
Cam'ron utilizes his signature erratic, high-energy delivery to compensate for a relatively straightforward lyrical structure, focusing on rhythmic punch and persona-building rather than dense metaphorical complexity.
A
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
8
Delivery
Internal rhyme chainsPhonetic playStaccato phrasingConversational call-and-response
Rhyme Architecture: A complex, multi-syllabic AAAA structure built around the 'illa/ealer' soundscape, transitioning into a rhythmic rapid-fire sequence centered on the 'gone/on/on' assonance.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Well, here's the deal, ma, we going to the dealer"
① The speaker is explaining a proposal or a situation to a woman (a deal).② The speaker is literally taking her to a luxury car dealership.
"No concealing, no ceiling I don't need a roof"
① A literal reference to driving a convertible car.② A metaphorical assertion that his success and wealth have no upper limit.
Exceptional rhythmic cadence
Strong persona projection
Engaging use of conversational ad-libs
Occasional filler phrases to maintain rhyme
Low metaphorical density compared to elite contemporaries
Subject matter remains surface-level