14 Shots to the Dome

Buckin' Em Down'

LL Cool J

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

38

End

133

Internal

89

Multi

204

Slant

29

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Verse 2]
Yeah, what a scene, pullin'✦ a Tec
With an extra✦ magazine out the baggy-ass jeans
Wettin'✦ up the block with mad Tec shots
Drop the Glock, puttin'✦ crackheads in headlocks
Like a cheetah with my dig-beaters
Ten millimeter, buck, buckin'✦ you down from my two-seater
Rippin'✦ shit for the brothers who ain't here
Killin'✦ bears and kickin'✦ snitches right off the pier
Glock full of guts, steady✦ buckin'✦ butts
Lettin'✦ moonlight in your head-pull-puds
Def Jam in your ass for the jams
You've got posse, but are you nice with your hands?
[Chorus]
(Politicians)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (punks), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Landlords)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (chumps), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Taxes)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (bills), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Beggers)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (we still), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
[Bridge]
Biggin'✦ them up and the rippin'✦ them up and the
Shakin'✦ them up and the pickin'✦ them up and the
Biggin'✦ them up and the rippin'✦ them up and the
Shakin'✦ them up and the pickin'✦ them up and the
Biggin'✦ them up and the rippin'✦ them up and the
Shakin'✦ them up and the pickin'✦ them up and the
Biggin'✦ them up and the rippin'✦ them up and the
Shakin'✦ them up and the pickin'✦ them up and the
[Chorus]
(Politicians)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (punks), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Landlords)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (chumps), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Taxes)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (bills), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
(Beggers)✦ Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down (we still), buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
[Verse 3]
Draggin' you flower-ass rappers outta✦ clubs
Thinkin' it pay too much, wet 'em like a tub
But in the slang, in the speech, in the style
Connect, can never✦ be ripped by a suburban child
Gunsmoke, bonanza on the block yeah
When all the shit was dead, coulda✦ did a bid
Conferring emcee scramble, dismantle
Never✦ gamble and try to handle a vandal✦
You'll catch a forty✦ upside✦ ya head with ya fake dreads
Tryin' to front like you're packin'✦ lead
Dum-Dums are flying in a spiral✦
And now you got more beef than a gyro✦
Peep the ballistic, kick, slick, quick
Flip a script-a-slips, but that ain't new shit
Burnin'✦ ya crib down
I'm frontin' personal, he's hearin'✦ how a nine sounds
Busy-quizick, the diz-r is in
Fizz up his li-life,✦ the visits was borin'✦
[Chorus]
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down, buck, buckin'✦ 'em down
Buck, buckin'✦ 'em down. buck, buckin'✦ 'em down

Technical Breakdown

8.6
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres5.0

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity6.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.60

Production

— QD III[5]

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Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

LL Cool J utilizes a high-octane, aggressive cadence that serves as a masterclass in rhythm-forward performance, though the lyrical content relies more on period-specific bravado than complex metaphorical layering.

A
9.5
Multisyllabic
9.5
Internal Rhymes
10
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
5
Wordplay
8.5
Delivery
internal rhyme densitymultisyllabic chainsrhythmic syncopationrepetition as rhythmic propulsion
Rhyme Architecture: The verse employs a high-density AABB and AAAA internal structure, utilizing forced multisyllabic end rhymes to maintain a propulsive, rapid-fire groove throughout the stanza.
Verified Doubles & Entendres

"Def Jam in your ass for the jams"

① A reference to his record label, Def Jam, implying they are a force being exerted onto the competition.② A literal play on the phrase 'jammed' or 'stuck' in a physical sense, equating his label affiliation with a painful, inescapable physical encounter.

"Ten millimeter, buck, buckin' you down from my two-seater"

① A literal description of a firearm and the act of shooting from a vehicle.② A rhythmic play on 'buck' that mimics the repetitive percussive sound of gunfire, bridging the gap between sound effect and action.

exceptional rhythmic pocket control

consistent internal rhyme scheme

authoritative and menacing vocal presence

effective use of repetitive rhythmic building in the bridge

occasional reliance on filler phrasing to maintain the rhyme scheme

limited metaphorical depth beyond aggressive posturing

some lines prioritize cadence over narrative cohesion

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