Todd Smith
Control Myself
LL Cool J
Lyrics & Rhyme Analysis
25
End
139
Internal
97
Multi
151
Slant
6
Chain
Rhyme Groups — hover to spotlight
[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez & LL Cool J]
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make me leave my man
It's hard to control✦ myself✦ (Aww!)
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make this boy be bad
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard for me to control✦ myself✦ (Me too)
And to hold myself✦ back from jumpin'✦ on ya
Like I wanna,✦ like I wanna,✦ wanna✦
[Verse 2: LL Cool J with Jennifer Lopez]
Temptation✦ is a mother✦
How we lust for one another (Yeah)
We barely✦ know each other✦
Yet we're wilding like we're lovers
The air is full of passion✦
The strobe lights are flashin'✦
The hustlers throw cashin'✦
The bartender keeps splashin'✦
Her moves✦ were so erotic
Her gaze was so hypnotic
I begged✦ this girl to stop it
But she continued to pop it
You know I know you like it
Let me hit you on your Sidekick
Because the after✦ party✦ is at my body✦
Meet me you're invited
She said
[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez & LL Cool J]
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make me leave my man
It's hard to control✦ myself✦ (Aww!)
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make this boy be bad
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard for me to control✦ myself✦ (Me too)
And to hold myself✦ back from jumpin'✦ on ya
Like I wanna,✦ like I wanna,✦ wanna✦
[Verse 3: LL Cool J, Jermaine Dupri]
She licked,✦ off, her lip, gloss
Her hips, tossed,✦ back, and forth
Side, to side, and up, and down
She touched, the ground, it turned,✦ me out
I'm battling desire✦
Lord help me douse this fire
This internal inferno
Hotter✦ than a shot of Cuervo✦
Her top was short and purple
Belly✦ dancing in a circle
When I feel like this I can't resist
Stop it don't make me hurt you
She said
[Chorus: Jennifer Lopez & LL Cool J]
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make me leave my man
It's hard to control✦ myself✦ (Aww!)
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
You got, you got, you got
What it takes✦ to make this boy be bad
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard to control✦ myself✦
It's hard for me to control✦ myself✦ (Me too)
And to hold myself✦ back from jumpin'✦ on ya
Like I wanna,✦ like I wanna,✦ wanna✦
[LL Cool J]
ZihZih✦ ZihZihZih✦
ZihZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZihZihZihZih✦
ZihZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦
[Jennifer Lopez & LL Cool J]
ZihZih✦ ZihZihZih✦
ZihZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZihZihZihZih✦
ZihZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦ ZihZih✦
[Jermaine Dupri]
Uh, yeah, I need everybody to report✦ to the dance floor
Right...now!
[LL Cool J]
Shake it, shake it, shake it
[Jermaine Dupri]
Haha,✦ you know what this is
Technical Breakdown
7.0
Multisyllabic Rhymes9.5
Complexity of rhyme schemes (data-driven)
Internal Rhymes8.5
Rhymes within a line (data-driven)
Wordplay / Double Entendres3.0
Clever language, metaphors, punchlines
Cadence / Rhythm7.5
Flow variation and timing (data-driven)
Vocabulary Complexity6.0
Range and depth of words used (data-driven)
Delivery / Breath Control6.5
Performance and control
Computed Score6.95
Production
— Jermaine Dupri, LRocBe the first to rate the production
Critic Analysis
RAPLEDGER BAROMETER™
The verse prioritizes rhythmic consistency and dance-floor atmosphere over linguistic complexity, utilizing a simple AAAA rhyme scheme structure that functions as a rhythmic pulse.
B
9.5
Multisyllabic
8.5
Internal Rhymes
7.5
Cadence / Flow
6
Vocabulary
3
Wordplay
6.5
Delivery
Monorhyme schemeStaccato deliveryRhythmic repetition
Rhyme Architecture: The verse employs a consistent AAAA monorhyme scheme throughout the section ('-er' and '-ic' endings), creating a hypnotic, driving cadence that matches the club-oriented production.
Verified Doubles & Entendres
"Temptation is a mother"
① A reference to the common idiom 'a motherf***er' signifying something intense or overwhelming.② A literal statement about the allure being so strong it acts as a central, 'mother' force of the situation.
Excellent rhythmic placement on the beat
Effective use of repetitive structures to build tension
High level of technical consistency in rhyme endings
Lack of depth or multi-layered metaphors
Over-reliance on predictable rhyming patterns
Limited vocabulary usage beyond scene-setting