Walking with a Panther
Nitro
LL Cool J
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
17
End
148
Internal
93
Multi
194
Slant
5
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
Yo, I got the kick of a kettle drum, guaranteed to overcome
You're just a minimum,✦ messin✦ with the maximum✦
And when I swung my tongue among✦ the high strung
Young MC's, they all got done by the legend
Every✦ second✦ I'm wreckin✦
Not a mistake✦ you'll find, but you can keep checkin✦
Out the sound you'll find that it's genuine✦
Bet that you'll rewind✦ this a thousand times✦
You can taste the bass like it's filet-of-sole
I leave the microphone✦ full of bullet✦ holes✦
I drop the bomb like I'm in 'Nam and go beyond
The normal✦ boundaries of too much harm
To MC's, but as they say please I freeze
Rhymes✦ like these kill like a disease
Tried to fill my shoes, and caught the blues
Because✦ they get bruised by the rhymes✦ I choose
I kill rappers at random, I don't understand em
The ones✦ I didn't get, are on a memorandum
Lines✦ I recite✦ are spontaneous✦
The nursery rhymes✦ you write, are miscellaneous✦
So pass the crown, bow down and give in
I'm the Prince of Rap, that's how we livin✦
Settin✦ milestones on the microphone✦
Empires are overthrown, and I ain't even✦ baritone✦
No joke I spoke then God stroke
As Job tried to sweat the style and got soaked✦
Conquered and killed✦ on the microphone✦
MC's -- don't let me catch you alone✦
LL's nitro!✦
Nitro!✦
Yo, flammable -- like gasoline✦
Threatening -- like a guillotine✦
It's like a bad dream when you battle my team
I go to every✦ extreme to make MC's scream
I'm clever,✦ I last forever,✦ we can do whatever✦
With whoever,✦ whenever,✦ I never✦
Ever✦ got rocked,✦ stopped✦ or dropped✦
They got popped,✦ by the hip-hop✦ rock that I concoct
I'm so nice yo, flowin✦ with the maestro
Murderin✦ and hurtin✦ MC's because✦ I'm nitro✦
The earthquakes'll kill snakes✦ and fakes✦
You can't flake, you made a mistake,✦ give me a break, thanks
Now that we're straight and that's clear
Watch all the big mouths - dissapear
Disintergrate,✦ deteriorate,✦ fall
I demonstrate,✦ and devastate✦ you all
There's✦ no doubt about✦ the fact I turn it out, the wack
Be on the lookout, LL made a comeback
Full of power,✦ I'mma devour
I stand tall as a tower,✦ I won't allow✦ a
MC to C-O-M-E, C-L-O-S-E
Play me long D-I-S-T-A-N-C-E, M-C's
On the microphone,✦ I'm nitro!✦
Nitro!✦
Yo (funky)✦
I daze amaze✦ faze blaze and beat em down
Nowadays they crave and praise, the funky✦ sound I pound
Rhymes✦ I write em in, recite✦ em and then slide em in
Order✦ to slaughter comp and stomp soon as I begin✦
Total✦ domination,✦ across the nation✦
Devestation,✦ cut sensation,✦ it's the invasion✦
Of L the Terrible, devastating rhymin✦ wiz
I cut through through do and chew, you know what time it is
Slick, I kill for kicks, vic you quick
Hard as bricks, rock ya sick over✦ the mix
The L, L, C, O, O -- L J Period✦ now you know bro!
N-I-T-R-O✦ yo, go for what you know
Unless you're dumb cause yo, I'm nitro-glycerin✦
Listenin and takin✦ notes✦
Icin✦ enticin and slicin✦ throats
Technical Breakdown
7.3
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes9.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres5.5
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm6.5
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 Score7.30
Production
— Eric SadlerBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
LL Cool J utilizes a high-density internal rhyme scheme to compensate for a relatively linear, boast-heavy lyrical content typical of late-80s/early-90s boom bap, emphasizing rhythm and presence over complex metaphorical layering.
B+
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
6.5
Cadence / Flow
8
Vocabulary
5.5
Wordplay
7
Delivery
Multisyllabic internal rhyme clustersAssonance-heavy phrasingDynamic cadence variationAggressive projection
Rhyme Architecture: Predominantly AABB or AAAA end-rhyme structure, but heavily reinforced by complex internal rhyme chains such as 'drum/overcome/minimum/maximum' and 'swung/tongue/among/strung'.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"taste the bass like it's filet-of-sole"
① The literal flavor of the music (the bass) is high-quality like a fine dining fish dish.② A play on 'sole/soul', suggesting the music has depth of spirit as well as an appetizing quality.
"you're just a minimum, messin with the maximum"
① A quantitative comparison between a small-time operator and an established, top-tier artist.② A linguistic play on prefix extremes (min vs max) representing the hierarchical imbalance in the rap game.
Exceptional rhythmic consistency
Authoritative vocal delivery
Technical mastery of multisyllabic pocketing
Reliance on generic battle rap tropes
Limited metaphorical depth
Lack of sustained conceptual payoff beyond the self-aggrandizement arc