I Pledge Allegiance to the Grind

Pledge Allegiance

Killer Mike

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

306

Internal

328

Multi

219

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

March

Aesop^✦ Rock - Spirit World Field Guide (2020, N)

Killer^✦ Mike - BANGx3 (2011, N)

Miz Korona^✦ - The Injection^✦ (2010, N)

EL-P - Cancer^✦ 4 Cure (2012, O)

Na-kel^✦ Smith - Twothousand Nakteen (2019, N)

Drake - Scary^✦ Hours (2018, O)

Drake - Scary^✦ Hours 2 (2021, N)

Killer^✦ Mike - R.A.P. Music^✦ (2012, N) [x2]

Miz Korona^✦ - Dope Muzik^✦ (2010, N)

Decay^✦ The Llama^✦ - D.II (2020, N)

Killer^✦ Mike - Sunday^✦ Morning Massacres (2014, O)

Curren$y^✦ & Harry^✦ Fraud - The OutRunners^✦ (2020, N)

Jim Jones^✦ & Harry^✦ Fraud - The Fraud Department (2021, N)

Run the Jewels^✦ - Run the Jewels^✦ (2013, O)

Bodega^✦ Bamz - El Camino^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Run the Jewels^✦ - Run the Jewels^✦ 2 (2014, O)

Gudda^✦ Gudda^✦ - Nina^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Drake - Care Package^✦ (2019, N)

Denzel^✦ Curry^✦ & Kenny^✦ Beats - Unlocked (2020, N) [x2]

Lil Wayne - FWA (2015, N)

Backxwash^✦ - God Has Nothing^✦ to Do With This Leave Him Out of It (2020, N) [x2]

Run the Jewels^✦ - Run the Jewels^✦ 3 (2016, O)

April^✦

K.A.A.N. - Vivid^✦ Canvas^✦ (2020, N)

blackbear - everything^✦ means nothing^✦ (2020, N)

Black Noi$e - OBLIVION^✦ (2020, N)

Trippie Redd - ! (2019, N) [x2]

Yelawolf^✦ & Caskey^✦ - Yelawolf^✦ Blacksheep (2021, O)

Boldy^✦ James^✦ & Sterling Toles^✦ - Manger^✦ on McNichols (2020, N)

Riff Raff & Yelawolf^✦ - TURQUOiSE^✦ TORNADO^✦ (2021, N)

2 Chainz - So Help Me God! (2020, N)

Run the Jewels^✦ - Meow the Jewels^✦ (2015, O)

Trippie Redd - A Love Letter^✦ to You (2017, N)

Various^✦ Artists^✦ - Judas^✦ and the Black Messiah: The Inspired Album^✦ (2021, N)

Curren$y^✦ & Harry^✦ Fraud - The OutRunners^✦ (2020, O)

SwuM - Swum (2018, N) [x2]

Yelawolf^✦ & DJ Paul - Slumafia (2021, N) [x2]

Drake - Scary^✦ Hours 2 (2021, O)

omniboi - Nice Dream (2016, N)

Yelawolf^✦ & DJ Muggs - Mile Zero^✦ (2021, N)

Cordae - Just Until...^✦ (2021, N)

Run the Jewels^✦ - RTJ4 (2020, O)

May

Shelley^✦ FKA DRAM - Shelly^✦ FKA DRAM (2021, N)

Flying Lotus^✦ - Yasuke^✦ (2021, N)

DJ Khaled^✦ - KHALED^✦ KHALED^✦ (2021, N)

Yelawolf^✦ - Mud Mouth (2021, N) [x3]

Riff Raff & Yelawolf^✦ - TURQUOiSE^✦ TORNADO^✦ (2021, O)

Yelawolf^✦ & DJ Muggs - Mile Zero^✦ (2021, O)

Trippie Redd - A Love Letter^✦ to You 4 [Deluxe]^✦ (2020, N)

BROCKHAMPTON - ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE^✦ (2021, N)

J. Cole - The Off-Season (2021, N) [x2]

Bodega^✦ Bamz - La Chasse (2021, N)

Bodega^✦ Bamz - El Camino^✦ (2021, O) [x2]

Vinnie Paz - Burn Everything^✦ That Bears Your Name (2021, N)

Meek Mill - Quarantine^✦ Pack (2020, N) [x2]

Caskey^✦ - Fine Art (2021, N) [x3]

Cordae - Just Until...^✦ (2021, O)

June

SupaHotBeats - Free Game (2015, N)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - D.R.U.G.S. (2012, O)

Curren$y^✦ & The Alchemist^✦ - Covert Coup (2011, N)

The Alchemist^✦ - This Thing of Ours (2021, N)

Trippie Redd - Pegasus [Neon Shark Deluxe]^✦ (2021, N)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - BetterOffDEAD (2013, O)

Armand Hammer^✦ & The Alchemist^✦ - Haram^✦ (2021, N)

Denaun^✦ - Stuff In My Back Pack (2015, N)

Doctor^✦ Destruction^✦ - Planetory Destruction^✦ (2021, N)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - Day of the Dead (2014/15, N)

Dave East & Millyz^✦ - Pablo^✦ & Blanco^✦ (2021, N)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - 3001: A Laced^✦ Odyssey^✦ (2016, O)

Tyler,^✦ The Creator - CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST (2021, N) [x2]

Flying Lotus^✦ - Yasuke^✦ (2021, O)

Caskey^✦ - Fine Art [Deluxe]^✦ (2021, N)

Public^✦ Enemy^✦ - Apocalypse 91… The Enemy^✦ Strikes Black (1991, N)

July^✦

G Herbo^✦ - 25 (2021, N) [x2]

Ski Mask the Slump God - Sin City^✦ The Mixtape^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Lil Peep & Lil Tracy^✦ - castles^✦ (2016, N)

Lil Peep & Lil Tracy^✦ - CASTLES^✦ II (2017, N)

Terry^✦ Mak - Spider^✦ Tales^✦ (2021, N)

Clockwork^✦ Indigo^✦ - Clockwork^✦ Indigo^✦ (2014, O)

IDK - USEE4YOURSELF^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Vince Staples^✦ - Vince Staples^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Issa^✦ Gold - Tempus^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

DaniLeigh^✦ - Summer^✦ With Friends (2017, N) [x2]

DaniLeigh^✦ - The Plan (2018, N)

Pop Smoke - Faith (2021, N)

Migos - Culture III [Deluxe]^✦ (2021, N)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - Vacation^✦ In Hell (2018, O)

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - 3001: A Laced^✦ Odyssey^✦ (2016, O)

Caskey^✦ - No Complaints (2012, O)

Caskey^✦ - Transient Classics (2013, O)

Young Stoner^✦ Life - Slime Language^✦ 2 (2021, N)

Logic^✦ - Bobby^✦ Tarantino III (2021, N)

August^✦

Caskey^✦ - Black Sheep 2 (2015, O)

Beast Coast - Escape^✦ From New York (2019, N)

Nas - King's Disease II (2021, N) [x2]

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ - now, more than ever^✦ (2020, N) [x2]

Dave East & Harry^✦ Fraud - HOFFA^✦ (2021, N)

Various^✦ Artists^✦ - Pokémon^✦ 25: The Red EP (2021, N)

42 Dugg - Free Dem Boyz [Deluxe]^✦ (2021, N)

IDK - IDK & FRIENDS 2 (Basketball County^✦ Soundtrack) (2020, N)

A$AP Ferg - Floor Seats II (2020, N)

Polo^✦ G - Hall of Fame (2021, N)

Various^✦ Artists^✦ - Pokémon^✦ 25: The Blue EP (2021, N)

September^✦

Kanye West - Donda^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Drake - Certified^✦ Lover^✦ Boy (2021, N) [x2]

Trippie Redd - Trip At Knight (2021, N) [x2]

The Weeknd - My Dear Melancholy, (2018, N)

wifisfuneral - 19 (2016, N)

Caskey^✦ - Wish U Were Here (2016, O)

Caskey^✦ - Music^✦ to Die to (2018, O)

Caskey^✦ - The $100 Mixtape^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Dave East & Harry^✦ Fraud - HOFFA^✦ (2021, O)

Dave Gutter^✦ - I've Been Here Awhile^✦ (2021, N)

October

Caskey^✦ - The $100 Mixtape^✦ (2021, O)

Meek Mill - Expensive Pain (2021, N) [x2]

Joey Fatts - Joey the Album^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Lil Wayne & Rich The Kid - Trust Fund Babies^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Leeky^✦ Bandz - The Ifa^✦ (2021, N)

YoungBoy^✦ Never^✦ Broke Again^✦ - Sincerely, Kentrell (2021, N) [x2]

DreamTeam - DYNASTY (2013, N)

G-Eazy^✦ - These Things Happen^✦ (2014, N) [x2]

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - CG5 (2021, N) [x2]

Logic^✦ - Supermarket (2019, O)

Spose - Get Rich Or Die Ryan (2021, N) [x2]

Baby^✦ Keem - The Melodic^✦ Blue (2021, N)

Mike G - Verses^✦ (2015, N)

Fetty^✦ Wap - The Butterfly Effect^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Young Thug - Punk (2021, N)

November^✦

Yung Simmie - Simmie World (2021, N) [x2]

Mike G - Verses^✦ [Streaming^✦ EP] (2015, O)

A$AP Rocky^✦ - LIVE.LOVE.A$AP (2011, O)

Vince Staples^✦ & Joey Fatts - Inner^✦ City^✦ Life (2015, N)

Big Sean & Hit-Boy^✦ - What You Expect^✦ (2021, N)

Vince Staples^✦ - Generic (2013, N)

Mike G - Mike Check (2009, N) [x2]

Wale - Folarin II (2021, N) [x2]

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - Customized^✦ Greatly,^✦ Vol. 1 (2008, N)

Baby^✦ Keem - The Melodic^✦ Blue (2021, O)

IDK - USEE4YOURSELF^✦ [Deluxe]^✦ (2021, N)

Wiki^✦ - Half God (2021, N) [x2]

Mike G - Verses^✦ [Non-streaming^✦ mixtape]^✦ (2013, N) [x2]

Raekwon^✦ - Only^✦ Built 4 Cuban^✦ Linx, Pt. 2 (2009, N)

GZA - Liquid^✦ Swords (1995, O)

Raekwon^✦ - Only^✦ Built 4 Cuban^✦ Linx (1995, O)

Ghostface^✦ Killah^✦ - Ironman (1996, O)

Raekwon,^✦ Ghostface^✦ Killah,^✦ GZA - The 3 Chambers^✦ Tour

Wu-Tang^✦ Clan - Enter^✦ the Wu-Tang:^✦ 36 Chambers^✦ (1993, O)

Zelly^✦ Ocho^✦ - Vlamily^✦ (2021, N)

December^✦

Spose - Get Rich Or Die Ryan (2021, O)

Drake - Certified^✦ Lover^✦ Boy (2021, O)

Zelly^✦ Ocho^✦ - Vlamily^✦ (2021, O)

Da$h - Skrewface^✦ (2015, N) [x2]

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - Customized^✦ Greatly,^✦ Vol. 1 (2008, O)

IDK - USEE4YOURSELF^✦ [Deluxe]^✦ (2021, O)

Raekwon^✦ - Only^✦ Built 4 Cuban^✦ Linx, Pt. 2 (2009, O)

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - Customized^✦ Greatly,^✦ Vol. 2 (2009, N) [x2]

Mike G - Verses^✦ II (2015, N) [x2]

Lloyd Banks - The Course of the Inevitable (2021, N) [x2]

Spose & The Humans^✦ - P. Dank Xmas 7 Concert

Raekwon^✦ - Only^✦ Built 4 Cuban^✦ Linx (1995, O)

Eyenine^✦ - Dissembler (2013, N) [x2]

GZA - Words From the Genius^✦ (1990, N) [x2]

Nas - Magic^✦ (2021, N) [x2]

Statik^✦ Selektah & A3C - The Best of A3C (2016, N) [x2]

Rick Ross - Richer^✦ Than I Ever^✦ Been (2021, N)

GZA & DJ Muggs - Grandmasters (2005, N)

Cameron Airborne & Caskey^✦ - Calligraphy^✦ (2021, N)

To Do List

Backxwash^✦ - F.R.E.A.K.S (2018, N)

Belly^✦ - See You Next Wednesday (2021, N)

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - Live & Grow (2015, N)

Casey^✦ Veggies^✦ - Sleeping In Class (2011, N)

Grip - I Died For This!? (2021, N)

GZA - Pro Tools (2008, N)

Mike G - Chase Clouds (2018, N)

Mike G - Exile^✦ (2019, N)

Mike G - Mike Check, Vol. II (2016, N)

Sleepy^✦ Hallow^✦ - Still Sleep? (2021, N)

Spose - Spose Raps Over^✦ The Jaw Gems Album^✦ (2018, O)

Styles^✦ P - Ghosting (2021, N)

N = New to me

O = Old to me (at least one prior listen)^✦

Quests

Pusha^✦ T discography^✦

Run the Jewels^✦ / EL-P / Killer^✦ Mike discographies^✦ ✅

Flatbush^✦ Zombies^✦ discography^✦ ✅

Kendrick Lamar^✦ discography^✦

Ab-Soul^✦ discography^✦

ScHoolboy^✦ Q discography^✦

Jay Rock discography^✦

Joey Bada$$^✦ discography^✦

Chris Webby^✦ discography^✦

Stro discography^✦

Public^✦ Enemy^✦ discography^✦

IDK discography^✦

Lil Wayne discography^✦

J. Cole discography^✦

Rotating Playlists

Shuffle3: 12/16/18 - present;^✦ about^✦ 7,800 songs to start

Gym4: 07/15/20 - 07/08/21; 1,002 songs to start

Gym5: 07/11/21 - present;^✦ 1,148 songs to start

Technical Breakdown

7.3

Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes8.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres7.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm5.3

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.5

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.2

Performance and control

Computed Score7.33

Production

— The Beat Bullies, Smiff&Cash

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Killer Mike demonstrates a masterclass in socio-political narrative structure, leveraging a sermon-like cadence to elevate dense, polysyllabic rhyme schemes.

B+

9.5

Multisyllabic

8.5

Internal Rhymes

5.3

Cadence / Flow

8.5

Vocabulary

7.5

Wordplay

8.2

Delivery

Polysyllabic internal rhymeSermonic delivery stylePolitical allegoryStaccato flow shifts

Rhyme Architecture: Dense, multi-syllabic end-rhyme chains intertwined with rapid-fire internal triplets that emphasize Mike's authoritative, aggressive vocal pocket.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Pledge allegiance"

① The literal, patriotic act of promising loyalty to the flag.② A subversive call to question institutional loyalties and systemic corruption.

"Massacre"

① A violent, physical act of destruction.② A metaphorical dismantling of industry standards and mainstream rap tropes.

Commanding vocal presence

Sophisticated use of multi-syllabic internal rhyme

Coherent thematic progression

Effective use of dynamic intensity shifts

Occasional tendency to prioritize density over listener accessibility

Rhythmic rigidity during high-speed sections

Pledge Allegiance

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

User Scores