14 Shots to the Dome

Shot Down in Cold Blood

LL Cool J

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

End

193

Internal

Multi

235

Slant

Chain

Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight

[Chorus]

Keep on (To the break of dawn)

Yeah (To the break of dawn)

Keep on (To the break of dawn, rock that shit)

Ayo, that's kinda^✦ funky,^✦ but check this out here (To the break of dawn), yeah

[Verse 2]

Immaculate styles^✦ I use to abuse^✦ MCs

So light the fuse and spread the news, you lose

To the damager,^✦ microphone^✦ manager^✦

Cold crush and bruise and bandage a amateur^✦

That amateur^✦ swingin' a hammer^✦

From a body^✦ bag, so run and get your camera^✦

Get a flick of the stiff, dead, shot to get swift

But I'm the wrong brother^✦ to dance with

'Cause I don't need a partner to swing

Keep your eyes on the Cool J ring

Shootin' the gift, but you just don't shoot it right

You couldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight

Wouldn't throw a rock in a ghost town

So don't try to play post, clown

You know that LL's back in town

And all the wanna-be sheriffs is gettin'^✦ shot down

Gimme that microphone^✦

I'ma^✦ show you the real meaning of the danger^✦ zone

Stop dancin',^✦ get to walkin'^✦

Shut your old mouth when young folks is talkin'^✦

Huh, you little snake in the grass

You swing a hammer,^✦ but you couldn't break a glass

Gimme a lighter, woof

Now you're cut loose from that Jheri^✦ curl juice

Cool J is back on the map

And when I see ya, I'ma^✦ give you a slap

That's right, a little kick for that crap

'Cause my old gym teacher ain't supposed to rap

[Chorus]

Keep on (To the break of dawn)

Yeah (To the break of dawn), pump it up

I said keep on (To the break of dawn, rock that shit)

Check this out (To the break of dawn), yeah

[Verse 3]

How dare you stand beside^✦ me

I'm cool, I freeze I-C-E

On your trail and I'ma^✦ cut that ponytail

You're disobedient with the wrong ingredients

But I'ma^✦ drink you down over^✦ the rocks

While the freak on your album cover^✦ jocks

You're gonna^✦ hear a real ill paragraph soon

I took the cover^✦ right home to the bathroom

In the immortal words of LL, "Hard as hell"

Your broad wears it well

She's the reason^✦ that your record sold a few copies^✦

But your rhymes^✦ are sloppy^✦

Like Oscar,^✦ and you're bound to get dropped^✦

And stopped,^✦ I ain't Murray^✦ the cop

Nor am I Felix,^✦ but I got a bag of tricks

Mr. Pusherman, gimme a fix

So I can show you I'm immune^✦ to them romper^✦ room tunes^✦

You little hip-hop^✦ raccoon

I'm not Scarface, but I want more beef

Before^✦ you rapped,^✦ you was a downtown car thief

Workin'^✦ in a parking lot

A brother^✦ with a perm deserves to get burned^✦

So tell me how you like your cold cream

On a cone, in a bowl or in a wet dream?

With your TV on channel fuzz

Uncle L, that's how much damage^✦ he does

Here's^✦ five dollars, catch a taxi^✦ cab

Take your rhymes^✦ around^✦ the corner^✦ to the rap rehab^✦

[Chorus]

Keep on (To the break of dawn)

Yeah (To the break of dawn)

I said keep on (To the break of dawn)

[Outro]

Just wanted^✦ to funk it up a little bit

My man Pete Rock just walked^✦ up in the crib, you know what I'm sayin'?

Over^✦ here at Marley^✦ Marl house just coolin'^✦ out, my man Clash in the house

Sippin'^✦ on this Bartles & Jaymes^✦ premium peach-flavored wine cooler^✦

Loungin' back, keep on

Peace

Yeah, that's funky^✦

Technical Breakdown

8.7

Multisyllabic Rhymes7.5

Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)

Internal Rhymes9.5

Rhymes within a line (data-driven)

Wordplay / Double Entendres6.5

Clever language, metaphors, punchlines

Cadence / Rhythm10.0

Flow variation and timing (data-driven)

Vocabulary Complexity7.0

Range and depth of words used (data-driven)

Delivery / Breath Control8.5

Performance and control

Computed Score8.65

Production

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Critic Analysis

RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™

LL Cool J utilizes a high-octane, aggressive cadence that serves as a masterclass in 90s-era battle rap posturing, balancing internal rhythm with iconic, though occasionally dated, hyperbolic threats.

7.5

Multisyllabic

9.5

Internal Rhymes

Cadence / Flow

Vocabulary

6.5

Wordplay

8.5

Delivery

Internal rhyme stackingMultisyllabic chain-linkingRhythmic syncopationAggressive persona projection

Rhyme Architecture: The verse relies on a dense AAAA-style multi-syllabic foundation (e.g., manager/bandage a amateur/hammer/camera) that keeps a consistent, rapid-fire forward momentum.

Verified Doubles & Entendres

"You couldn't bust a grape in a fruit fight"

① A literal description of a pathetic opponent unable to perform a simple task② A metaphor for the opponent's total lack of physical or lyrical impact in a violent confrontation

"Shootin' the gift"

① A play on the phrase 'shooting the gift' as in rhyming or rapping② A double entendre referencing actual firearm violence consistent with the song's 'cold blood' theme

Excellent rhythmic pocket and internal rhyme density

Confident, high-energy delivery that dictates the track's intensity

Effective use of multi-syllabic patterns to drive the flow

Imagery relies on classic battle-rap tropes that feel slightly derivative

Some punchlines rely on hyperbole that borders on the cartoonish

Shot Down in Cold Blood

Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis

Technical Breakdown

Production

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