Beats, Rhymes and Life

Word Play

A Tribe Called Quest

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

19

End

98

Internal

42

Multi

111

Slant

4

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
Q-Tip:
Sex(sex). Either✦ a man or a woman✦
It's a gender,✦ or when lovers get down
Froggin. When niggas✦ try to play roles✦
But when they really✦ need to put that shit background
Phife:
Miserable(miserable) is what your whole crew will be
If you're not original and you show no strategy
Heavenly...is how the track tends to flow
And if you don't know, tell em diggy✦ said so
Q-Tip:
We livin✦ this cuz it's deep in our bones✦
A Tribe Called✦ Quest with this hip hop jones✦
So sit and analyze✦ the lyrical✦ spray
Cuz all it really✦ is is word play(word✦ play)(word)✦
Consequence:✦
Willie. That's what I kick to get this Millie on a lilly✦
Now, I'm baggin✦ dimes✦ like Chilli
Stress(stress). That's what I always go through
Cuz it's survival of the fittest on the 192
Q-Tip:
Knowledge.✦ When the mind accept facts
On this plane of livin,✦ knowledge✦ be the key, black
Understanding.✦ Gettin✦ a grip on what's revealed
When shit be real, can't give understanding✦ back
Phife:
Analyze.✦ That's what I do to MCs
That be talkin✦ bout they this and that, money✦ please
Ego.✦ I'm on my own jock skill
Cuz if I don't say I'm the best, tell me who the hell will
Consequence:✦
Cheeba smoke y'all. That's what I use to get high
When I'm in a rut and I don't know why
Try. Yo try again✦ my friend
Cuz you can't see this MC representin Linden✦
Q-Tip:
Freestyle(freestyle). A true MC trait
And when you do it ill, niggas✦ respect it as great
Yo, I gotta...(laughing)
Phife:
We livin✦ this cuz it's deep in our bones✦
A Tribe Called✦ Quest with the hip-hop✦ jawns
So sit and analyze✦ the lyrical✦ spray
Cuz all it really✦ is is word play(word✦ play)

Technical Breakdown

7.5
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 / Rhythm7.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity8.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.0

Performance and control

Computed Score7.47

Production

— J Dilla

Be the first to rate the production

Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

The verse functions as a linguistic tutorial rather than a narrative, utilizing academic definitions to anchor a playful, rhythmic exploration of hip-hop lexicon, with Phife and Consequence providing the most technically rigid bars.

B+
8.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
7
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
6.5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Lexical decompositionCall-and-response vocal layeringMultisyllabic enjambmentInternal rhyme concatenation
Rhyme Architecture: A mix of AABB and AAAA structures, heavily reliant on internal rhyming within each line to bridge the gaps between the ends of the bars.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Sex. Either a man or a woman. It's a gender, or when lovers get down"

① The biological or social classification of an individual.② The act of sexual intercourse between partners.

"Willie. That's what I kick to get this Millie on a lilly"

① Reference to the rapper Willie (or the act of kicking style).② A play on 'million' (Millie) and the act of 'getting' or acquiring assets (lilly referring to a metaphorical flowery lifestyle).

"baggin dimes like Chilli"

① Collecting beautiful women (dimes).② Reference to Chilli from the group TLC, incorporating a pop-culture signifier of the era.

Exceptional rhythmic integration of definitions

Strong vocal interplay between Q-Tip, Phife, and Consequence

Cohesive conceptual framework centered on wordplay

Polished, era-appropriate flow control

Occasional reliance on simplistic definitions that lack deep metaphorical resonance

Some forced forced rhymes to accommodate the 'definition' format

Limited emotional range due to the instructional nature of the lyrics

User Scores