"The Guidelines" Analysis by Tayla

The Guidelines

Most rappers these days use excessive explicit language or better known as cuss words. I believe rappers use explicit language to be more intimidating and to make sure you know that they are the “best.” Also rappers think it is necessary to have cuss words to make the song better. Can a rapper, rap about being the best without the use of cuss words? Aceyalone’s “The Guidelines” projects his lyrics to indirectly claim he is the best rapper. The making up of words, the cleverly rhyming and his refrain, it is all very fascinating and makes his rap beyond unique.

Throughout Aceyalone’s rap he makes up a few words. At first you don’t notice, but once you read the lyrics and see that they are made up. What makes these made up words unique is that they make sense; you would actually think they are words. In line 66 and 67 it says, “I note the animal kingdom and the phylum WHYLUM style em, until they get to hit the target.” Whylum is not a word, but it goes along with the song and rhymes with phylum, it flows nice so that someone doesn’t think it’s a made up word. Also Aceyalone combines words to make up a word, “architectnique” (70). He combined architecture and unique together. I think he is being daring when he makes up and combines words.

Aceyalone can rhyme so well, it is a struggle to read it, it twists your tongue. Try saying “I don’t contort connect conduct collect console or conceal in full control of the roll of the wheel” (11-13). Also some of his cleverly rhyming lyrics say how he feels about rap. “I love it, learn to live it, then give you my exhibit / always seeking the challenge, to show the world the incredible talents” (38, 61-62). He loves rap, he learns to live through rap and then publicly displays his lyrics to the world. He likes to challenge the rap game and show the world what he can do and is made of. Through his rap, he doesn’t only express is feeling for rap through clever rhymes, there is other ways.  

His lyrics aren’t like most lyrics rappers have today. Aceyalone’s rap doesn’t have the ordinary one repeated verse that’s half the song. He does not cuss nor directly tell you what he means. I feel like it is a rap/poem/story all wrapped in this unique form of a song. The one short verse he repeats in here twice in the middle and once towards the end, “My attempts to redefine your hip-hop guidelines and you can play the sidelines, ride rhymes in your spare time” (40-42, 43-45, 96-98, 99-101). Why is this the only verse repeated? Well his song is called “The Guidelines” and he attempts to “redefine” your outlook on hip-hop, while you take notes from him and practice on your own time.

My favorite lines in these lyrics would have to be, “I square up, select, and rec’d, every tangle I flare up, and you can try, any angle Even Bermuda” (108-110). Why? He talks about shapes, square, rectangle, and triangle. He’s practically saying he can be anything he wants to be. Instead of just saying, “I can be anything I want to be, doesn’t matter what,” he puts a cool twist on it and says it in a different style. Aceyalone’s “The Guidelines” skillfully makes his lyrics to claim he is the best of the best of the best rappers.  
Read "The Guidelines" lyrics here. 
Hear "The Guidelines" here.