Bigger and Deffer

.357 – Break It On Down

LL Cool J

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

204

Internal

Multi

254

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

(LL Cool J)

Just like Ali Baba^✦ and the 40 thevz

So nasty^✦ you don't know whether to stay or leave

More feared,^✦ than even^✦ Blue Beard, I serve Primrose

A picture of me, is like one of Michelangelo's

I don't play the banjo^✦ will you ever^✦ understand yo

Servin^✦ I mean the matter^✦ how old I go Rambo^✦

Cock-strong, half a block long

Illy^✦ ill fire starter hittin^✦ harder^✦ than King Kong

Not a battle-axe, not run-of-the-mill

Not easily^✦ knocked out or easily^✦ killed^✦

Cause I'm the hardest^✦ hard rock in the hard rock town

I gotta^✦ .357 and I break it on down

(LL Cool J)

A hundred and ninety^✦ five pounds, punk

More bounce to the ounce and I say what counts

KnowI'msayin?

Now get yourself on the floor

Stop actin^✦ like a sissy^✦

(LL Cool J)

Boy, I'm better^✦ than better^✦ is, badder^✦ than badder^✦ is

I won't scare em or dare em I'll just splatter his

Guts kick his butt while Bob is rockin^✦ the cuts

Wanna^✦ step in the ring with me, you must be nuts

Not Isis^✦ in a crisis,^✦ or Freddy^✦ when he's ready,^✦ or Jason^✦ when he's chasin'^✦

My silhouette, a scene I mean I'm icin'^✦ and acin'^✦

Amateurs who lack it, can't hack it, I attack^✦ it, that's why I wanna^✦ crack it

They're sellin'^✦ the soul of little kids who can't roll

I told em, scold em, teach em and mold em

Get paid ten knots at a time and then I fold em

I remember^✦ the blood and I remember^✦ what told em

I can, can't cause I'm down with E yet you have the audacity

To try and mess with M-E

Hypersonic^✦ is weak and Supersonic^✦ is wack

Sneak around after^✦ midnight, like a Siamese cat

Pellum (1, 2, 3) catch twenty-two I'm H-A-R-D

I'm the hardest^✦ hard rock in the hard rock town

I gotta^✦ .357 and I break it on down

(LL Cool J)

A beatdown can be arranged

Yo baby^✦ you look fine spread em

Yo homeboy get up against the wall, what's this in your pocket^✦

What is this?

Move it, move it, move it

(LL Cool J)

I'm a nappy,^✦ sappy^✦ crappy^✦ imitator of who

If I ever^✦ imitated it wouldn't be you, ooooh

You don't know so many^✦ have died when the LL growl was amplified^✦

Get back better^✦ yet step back get dat

Like Shaft and The Mack, cause I'm mad and I'm black

I'm the perfect blend, a good boyfriend

I'm the reason^✦ rap rules^✦ the country, I'm Cool

J-A-M-E-S;^✦ fresh as a cliche, but soul is my forte

Disco^✦ is out, rhythm and blues is old news

P's and Q's keep me in new shoes

And you're dissin^✦ me because I'm young and I'm strong

And I'm capable of making^✦ a platinum LP

Wrong you was, you assumed I was all in

But boy is for ballin^✦ they'll never^✦ say I'm fallin^✦

Callin^✦ all cars for the brother in black

L-E-L the Mack back bone of this track

The force full of force to put you on your back

Makin'^✦ hit after^✦ hit, while you search for a contract

Hotter^✦ than hot now watch how hot I can get

Leavin'^✦ rappers freeze-dried^✦ and skimmer's^✦ dimmer's^✦ wet

Cause I'm the hardest^✦ hard rock in the hard rock town

I gotta^✦ .357 and I break it on down

(LL Cool J)

Now the LL posse is now handin^✦ out speed knots

To all those who don't want to get busy^✦

That's right baby^✦ get your body^✦ on the floor

Move it, move it

.357 at point blank range ain't nothin^✦ strange

You're havin^✦ a heart attack^✦ is at your back

Now listen^✦ to me bring it, bring it on, on down, down, down, down, down, down

Technical Breakdown

8.1

Multisyllabic Rhymes8.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.2

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm9.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control7.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.14

Production

— L.A. Posse

Be the first to rate the production

Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

LL Cool J utilizes a high-octane, aggressive delivery and dense internal rhyme structures characteristic of mid-80s East Coast boom-bap, relying on forceful cultural allusions rather than complex multi-layered wordplay.

8.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

6.2

Wordplay

7.5

Delivery

Aggressive syncopationEnd-rhyme internal chainingPop-culture historical allusionsPhonetic play

Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB or AAAA couplets with heavy usage of internal multisyllabic clusters (e.g., 'badder is'/'splatter his'), creating a percussive, forward-moving momentum.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"more bounce to the ounce"

① A direct reference to the funk track by Zapp & Roger, evoking the genre's influence.② A boast regarding the density of his lyrical delivery and physical presence per pound of body weight.

"fire starter hittin harder than King Kong"

① A hyperbolic comparison to the legendary cinematic monster's physical power.② A sonic metaphor for the explosive intensity of his flow as a 'fire starter' in the rap game.

Commanding vocal presence typical of 80s legends

Excellent rhythmic placement of end-rhymes to maintain beat lock

High-energy pacing that compensates for simpler lyrical content

Wordplay is largely surface-level and comparative rather than metaphorical

Some forced internal rhymes (e.g., 'banjo'/'understand yo')

Limited thematic depth beyond bravado

.357 – Break It On Down

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

User Scores