Donda 2

City of Gods

Kanye West

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

28

End

146

Internal

75

Multi

222

Slant

13

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: Alicia Keys]
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on me tonight✦
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on this heart of mine
'Cause I'm losing✦ my lover✦ to the arms of another✦
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on me
[Verse 3: Kanye West & Playboi Carti]
We went off the grid (What?)
We ain't watch the throne, we took it
We went viral✦ on 'em, they lookin'✦
It's a Sunday✦ Service in Brooklyn (What?)
It's the city✦ that come with the lights
I'm with the drillers that come with the night
They ain't do four years in college,✦ but they'll do twenty-five to life
We make money✦ every✦ night (What?)
Never✦ too big of a price (What?)
After✦ I buy the Chicago Bulls (What?), I'ma✦ go and link with Mike (What?)
And if I let 'em have my wife, niggas should thank me
With this Balenciaga and Balenci' boots and a new blue Yankee
This is Ye, I'm so focused, throw on a mask, no COVID✦
I'ma✦ turn your life to a meme, let Justin✦ LaBoy✦ post it
You got a album?✦ Postpone it
I drop two and they both going
I got a feeling they in they feelings
They filmin'✦ a show, but won't show it
You gotta✦ watch me in slow motion,✦ I'm in that wide-body Benz
I go back to college,✦ do an album,✦ and then drop out again✦
Took me a minute✦ to get here, my vision✦ is crystal clear
Ayy, Fivi',✦ excuse✦ me, but this the feature of the year
I feel like Sinatra in these streets, me and Drizzy,✦ we at peace
This the backpack with the Polo✦ and the first Jesus✦ piece
I'm from the Chi' but I'm always New York
In the city,✦ they treat me like Jesus✦ is walkin'✦
I been through the pain and all of the torment
I'm sayin' His name, I make that important (What?)
Now it's time to give 'em hell
Ask my staff, I pay 'em well
This afternoon, a hundred goons pullin'✦ up to SNL (What?)
When I pull up, it's dead on arrival
They act like they love you, they don't even✦ like you
They throw a party,✦ won't even✦ invite✦ you
I seen the same thing happen✦ to Michael
When you Black and you rich, they sayin' you psycho✦ (What?)
It's like a cycle
If you text me anything hype, you better✦ text back and say it's a typo✦
The city✦ of Gods, no city✦ is like you
This the new New York, Ye is the GOAT
Fivi'✦ is viral✦ and this is the B.I.B.L.E. (What?)
[Chorus: Alicia Keys & Fivio Foreign]
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on me tonight✦ (What the fuck? The fuck?)
(What the fuck?) New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on this heart of mine
'Cause I'm losing✦ my lover✦ to the arms of another✦
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on me
[Outro: Alicia Keys]
Don't leave me, go easy,✦ go easy,✦ go easy✦
Don't leave me, go easy,✦ go easy,✦ go easy✦
Don't leave me, go easy,✦ go easy,✦ go easy✦
New York City,✦ please go easy✦ on me

Technical Breakdown

8.4
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

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 Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score8.39

Production

— Kanye West, Tweek Tune, AyoAA, Lil Mav, Hemz, Ojivolta, Bordeaux, Non Native

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Kanye utilizes high-density, staccato-driven delivery and cultural self-reference to assert dominance, though the lyrical complexity relies heavily on personal status rather than intricate wordplay.

A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Staccato syncopationInternal rhyme chainsSelf-referential meta-narrativeCultural signalingCall-and-response vocal ad-libs
Rhyme Architecture: A mix of AABB and AAAA mono-rhyme structures with heavy reliance on terminal rhyme-dense couplets and consistent internal echo patterns.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"We ain't watch the throne, we took it"

① A reference to the 'Watch the Throne' album Kanye recorded with Jay-Z.② A literal statement that they did not observe the throne from afar, but seized power physically/metaphorically.

"They ain't do four years in college, but they'll do twenty-five to life"

① A commentary on the lack of formal education in the drill scene.② A dark comparison between the duration of a university degree and the length of a prison sentence for violent crime.

"I'm so focused, throw on a mask, no COVID"

① Refers to the protective health equipment worn during the pandemic.② Refers to Kanye's aesthetic choice of wearing face-covering masks during the Donda era, unrelated to medical necessity.

Exceptional rhythmic placement of rhymes on the beat

Effective use of ad-libs to create a dynamic, conversational flow

High-energy delivery that compensates for thematic simplicity

Relies on repetitive, status-oriented subject matter

Some punchlines lack depth beyond celebrity lifestyle references

Flow structure is predictable despite technical proficiency

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