Beats, Rhymes and Life

The Hop

A Tribe Called Quest

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

24

End

149

Internal

33

Multi

157

Slant

14

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2: Phife Dawg]
You see you, your career✦ is done like Johnny✦ Carson's
Get me vexed,✦ I do like Left Eye, start an arson✦
Now that I got that out my system
Watch me stab up the track as if my name was OJ Simpson
I packs it in like Van Halen✦
I work for mine, you, you're freeloading like Kato✦ Kaelin
I'm representing with my crew
Mess around,✦ bite my rhymes,✦ I'll beat that ass with my shoe
C'mon, you know I'm crazy✦ nice
Brothers can't deal with the shorty✦ named✦ Phife
You must be mad in the head
I bust his ass and leave 'im bloodclaat for dead
Niggas✦ sound like Das EFX
If it ain't Das EFX then they sounding like Meth
You might as well do Megadeth
Y'all punk MCs better✦ save your freaking breath
You's a corny✦ motherfucker
You must be high smoking✦ dust with Chris Tucker✦
Y'all faggot✦ asses✦ don't want this
I pull more peeps than the peeps at the premier of Pocohantas
Word is bond I am the baddest
And all you honeys out there, word is bond, you know my status✦
So come and pull your panties✦ down
This ain't the Barnum Bailey✦ show, I don't get down with the clowns
So why don't you and your friends get with me and my friends
But don't bring your ass by and you ain't got no ends
Word is bond, it don't stop
Just ease your mind, come along and do the hop
[Chorus: Q-Tip]
You gotta✦ do the hop, you move to the beat, you don't stop
Come on everybody,✦ do the hop
Even✦ if you cop, you gotta✦ come back and do the hop
You move to the beat, you don't stop
You smoking✦ jump rocks, you gotta✦ just stop and do the hop
Then you come back and do the hop
You know we don't stop, we on the ghetto✦ prize on the top
You know we come back and do the hop
Shorties✦ in the place, all the shorty✦ rocks, do the hop
You gotta✦ come back and do the hop
We never✦ go on pop, you know we come back, we do the hop
This is how it is, we do the hop
You move to the beat, then come on everybody,✦ don't...

Technical Breakdown

8.4
Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity5.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.39

Production

— Rashad Smith

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

Phife Dawg utilizes mid-90s pop culture saturation as a narrative device, prioritizing rhythmic impact and cultural immediacy over dense, multi-layered lyricism.

A
7.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
5
Vocabulary
6
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
Pop culture topicalityEnd-rhyme heavy structureAggressive conversational toneDirect address/Insult rap
Rhyme Architecture: A robust AABB/AABB-adjacent structure that relies heavily on end-rhyme chains to maintain momentum, allowing for a conversational, punchy delivery style.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"I packs it in like Van Halen"

① A reference to the band Van Halen 'packing in' the house/selling out arenas.② A literal play on 'packing' (storing or filling) items or lyrics into the track.

"I pull more peeps than the peeps at the premier of Pocohantas"

① Physical gathering of a crowd or group of people.② A play on the candy 'Peeps' (or perhaps the slang 'peeps' for friends), using the specific context of the 1995 film premier to emphasize popularity.

Excellent rhythmic pocket and cadence variation

High-energy delivery that compensates for linguistic simplicity

Effective use of contemporary 90s cultural references to ground the verse

Aggressive, confident persona

Dated references limit longevity

Reliance on shock-value metaphors over complex wordplay

Vocabulary breadth is limited by the conversational tone

User Scores