homework word rhymes

Hip-Hop: The World’s Most Popular Poetry (And How It Works)

• Verse, Bar, Stanza
• Rhyme Scheme
• Beginning Rhyme
• Internal Rhyme
• Cadence, Flow
• Double Entendre

When we think of poetry lessons in school, we tend to think about flowery old sonnets (which can be great!). But poetry can also be powerful and modern. And no poetry is as powerful and popular as the poetry that’s at the core of the global phenomenon known as hip-hop . 

Rappers’ rhymes push poetry to new limits, but they are rooted in the same principles. 

In this lesson on the poetry of hip-hop, we’ll cover essential poetry terminology like meter and cadence as well as hip-hop specific terms like bars and flow —along with explanations of how they work and examples from hip-hop lyrics.  

By the final rhyme, you’ll have the knowledge and vocabulary to more deeply appreciate the poetry of hip-hop—and poetry in general! 

verse, bar, stanza

In poetry, the word verse can be used to refer to a single line of a poem. 

In hip-hop, the word bar is often used similarly to mean a single line of lyrics. 

Here’s an example of a bar from André 3000 in “Ms. Jackson” by Outkast:

“Forever never seems that long until you’re grown.”

A stanza is a set of lines of poetry—usually around four. Typically, the lines of a stanza have something in common or are about the same thought. 

Here is an example from “It’s Tricky” by Run DMC:

“In New York, the people talk and try to make us rhyme They really hawk, but we just walk because we have no time And in the city, it’s a pity ’cause we just can’t hide Tinted windows don’t mean nothin’, they know who’s inside”

In hip-hop, a stanza is most commonly called a verse . Hip-hop verses vary in length but commonly consist of 16 bars (lines), often made up of four sections with four bars each.  

rhyme scheme

A poem’s rhyme scheme is its rhyming pattern—how each line rhymes (or doesn’t rhyme) with another. For example, if a poem has an ABBA rhyme scheme, it means that its first and fourth lines rhyme and that its second and third lines rhyme. One of the most popular rhyme schemes is one in which lines rhyme in pairs: AABBCCDD. But rhyme schemes can get incredibly complex, including through the use of internal rhymes, which we’ll cover soon. 

Remember, in hip-hop and poetry in general, poets often take poetic license with the words they rhyme—the words may not always rhyme exactly , but this often produces the most interesting rhymes. 

Here is an example of an AABB rhyme scheme from “Ladies First” by Queen Latifah:

“I break into a lyrical freestyle (A) Grab the mic, look into the crowd and see smiles (A) Cause they see a woman standing up on her own two (B) Sloppy slouching is something I won’t do (B)”

Here is an example of an ABBA rhyme scheme from “One Dance” by Drake:

“Strength and guidance (A) All that I’m wishing for my friends (B) Nobody makes it from my ends (B) I had to bust up the silence (A)”   

Learning about verse and rhyme doesn’t have to feel like homework. Explore ways to get your kids engaged about poetry.

An end rhyme is a rhyme of the last syllables of separate lines. This type of rhyme is extremely common in poetry (and hip-hop).

Here are examples of end rhymes from “Can I Kick It?” by A Tribe Called Quest:

“A rhythm recipe that you’ll savor Doesn’t matter if you’re minor or major Yes, the Tribe of the game we’re the player As you inhale like a breath of fresh air”

Here is another example of end rhyme from “Black Friday” by Lil’ Kim:

“I’m the blueprint, you ain’t nothin’ brand new Check your posters and videos, you’ll always be number two”

beginning rhyme

The term beginning rhyme (also called head rhyme or initial rhyme ) refers to the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. This is more commonly known as alliteration .  

Here is an example of a beginning rhyme from “Alphabet Aerobics” by Blackalicious: 

“My mind makes marvelous moves, masses Marvel and move, many mock what I’ve mastered”

internal rhyme

An internal rhyme is a rhyme that happens in the middle of a line of poetry. An internal rhyme can happen within a single line or over multiple lines.  

Here is an example of internal rhyme from “The Fire (feat. John Legend)” by The Roots:

“One love, one game , one desire One flame , one bonfire, let it burn higher” 

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Assonance is the repetition of the same or similar vowel sounds. Rhyming often involves assonance, but examples of assonance don’t necessarily need to fully rhyme, since they often rely on internal vowel sounds. 

Here is an example of assonance from “Lose Yourself” by Eminem. Notice how all of the bolded words don’t fully rhyme, but all have the same vowel sounds:

“His palms are sweaty , knees weak, arms are heavy There’s vomit on his sweater already , mom’s spaghetti ”  

Here is another example of assonance from “Lost Ones” by Lauryn Hill:

“Some wan’ play young Lauryn like she dumb But remember not a game new under the sun Everything you did has already been done I know all the tricks from Bricks to Kingston ” 

Consonance is the repetition of the same or similar consonant sounds.

Here is an example of consonance from “How Ya Like Me Now” by Kool Moe Dee. Notice how the endings of the bolded words all have the same consonants:

“Again, respect , I come correct The rhymes I select are nothing short of perfect ” 

In poetry, meter refers to the structure, rhythm, and length of lines. Typically, meter involves arranging stressed and unstressed syllables in a certain order to create a desired rhythm. For example, iambic tetrameter typically consists of a line of eight syllables that alternates between unstressed and stressed syllables.  

Looking at “How Ya Like Me Now” by Kool Moe Dee again, the lyrics have an example of iambic tetrameter: 

“A gain , re spect , I come cor rect ”

Get to know some of the key elements of poetic foot and meter.

cadence, flow

Cadence refers to changing rhythm and voice when reading poetry. Often, a poet sets the cadence by using specific words or rhymes. 

In hip-hop, the word flow is used similarly to refer to how the performer specifically changes their voice to fit with a musical beat through lyrics, speed, and pitch. 

Let’s look at example of cadence and flow from “Rapper’s Delight” by Sugarhill Gang:

“I said a hip-hop, the hippie, the hippie To the hip, hip-hop and you don’t stop the rockin’ To the bang-bang boogie, say up jump the boogie To the rhythm of the boogie, the beat”

All of these lines are around the same number of syllables (10-12). Additionally, this section uses specific words and repetitions to match the rhythm of the accompanying music. When these lyrics are rapped, the speed and pitch are adjusted to make the lyrics flow with the rhythm of the music. 

double entendre

A double entendre is a word, phrase, or line that can be interpreted in two ways simultaneously. Poetry frequently relies on multiple meanings and interpretations to express complex ideas. 

Here is an example of a double entendre from “Return of Simba” by J. Cole: 

“Cause I only made classics, now what that take? Timing Cole under pressure, what that make? Diamonds” 

When coal is put under pressure by natural forces, it produces diamonds. That’s one meaning. But J. Cole is using his name (a homophone of coal ) to produce another meaning: when under pressure—working at the top of his game—he produces great songs featuring lyrical gems (diamonds). 

But wait. He’s also saying his artistry produces wealth (diamonds and the money to buy them). And there’s even more: he’s also implying that the albums he produces will be certified as “diamond” (more than 10 million in sales). That’s a quadruple entendre, folks. 

Here’s a final poetic thought from Jay-Z, who’s also known for packing multiple meanings into his verses: “A poet’s mission is to make words do more work than they normally do, to make them work on more than one level.”

Read more quotes from hip-hop artists about their love of words.

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Texas man details wife's devastating miscarriage amid state's strict abortion laws: "Nobody uses the word abortion"

By Omar Villafranca , Jennifer Earl , Rachel Bailey

Updated on: June 4, 2024 / 10:52 AM EDT / CBS News

Texas radio host Ryan Hamilton's world was shattered last month when his wife told him she was suffering a miscarriage at nearly 13 weeks pregnant and the fetus no longer had a heartbeat.

But for Hamilton and his wife, the nightmare was just beginning.

Medical records reviewed by CBS News show Hamilton's wife, who asked not to be named, was treated at a Surepoint Emergency Center branch near their home in North Texas. There, doctors confirmed the fetus — their second child — had no heartbeat, according to the records. His wife was prescribed the drug misoprostol , which induces labor and is used for both miscarriages and abortions. Hamilton says doctors told them the medication may need to be repeated, so they were prescribed one refill.

Starting treatment for miscarriage

"We were told she could take a medication that would start the process to finish…to finish what had already started at home," an emotional Hamilton told CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca in an interview for "CBS Mornings" that aired on Tuesday.

Hamilton said doctors referred to it as terminating the pregnancy.

"Nobody uses the word abortion at this point," he said. "No one has said that word."

Misoprostol is often prescribed after a miscarriage to help a woman's body expel the fetal tissue from the uterus, which could otherwise cause a potentially life-threatening infection.

Hamilton said after his wife took the first round of misoprostol, it was clear the dose of medication wasn't working, so he went to the pharmacy to get the refill so she could begin the next round of the drug.

When the second round failed, Hamilton called the Surepoint Emergency Center and explained that the medication wasn't working. His wife returned to the medical center, where Hamilton says a different doctor told her they couldn't give her another refill to continue the process.

"She goes back in and that doctor says, 'Due to the current stance, I cannot prescribe this medicine for you,'" said Hamilton, adding the only word to describe what he was feeling at that moment was "fury."

Texas abortion laws

The only explanation Hamilton could think of was that this doctor thought the current state laws in Texas prevented it. Texas bans abortions at about six weeks unless there's a medical exception for a pregnancy that threatens the mother's life or health in a way that would result in "substantial impairment of a major bodily function," according to the law .

The Texas Supreme Court recently rejected a challenge to the state's abortion ban over medical exemptions, ruling that "Texas law permits a physician to address the risk that a life-threatening condition poses before a woman suffers the consequences of that risk." Doctors convicted of providing an illegal abortion could face fines of up to $100,000 and even jail time.

Surepoint Emergency Center declined CBS News' request for comment on Hamilton's situation, citing patient confidentiality and HIPAA laws.

The couple was left devastated and confused.

"You start thinking about the women that have to drive across state lines. We've heard these stories. And you — just as a husband, you go, 'Is that what we're gonna have to do?'" Hamilton wondered.

"The doctors feel scared"

Hamilton tried to keep his composure for his wife.

"You want to panic, but you can't," he told Villafranca. "What are we going to do? Leave the baby inside her so she can get an infection? Get sepsis that can kill her?"

The pair left the Surepoint Emergency Center and drove to another hospital about an hour away, where she was evaluated for about four hours. The doctors again confirmed the tragic news that there was no fetal heartbeat. Hamilton asked CBS News to not name the second hospital.

"I think the delay is their confusion on what they're allowed to do. That's what it feels like. They feel scared. The doctors feel scared," explained Hamilton about the hours-long visit. 

Doctors told Hamilton that it wasn't enough of an emergency to perform a D&C, also known as dilation and curettage —  a surgical procedure to remove fetal tissue inside the uterus, used for both miscarriages and abortions.

According to Texas law, abortions are illegal once a fetal heartbeat is detected with exceptions for medical emergencies. The law doesn't require there to be a medical emergency to perform a D&C if there's no cardiac activity, like in Hamilton's case.

"The conversation is not what's best for my wife. The conversation is on the hospital side, 'What should we do?'" Hamilton said.

"This really happens"

The doctors opted to give Hamilton's wife a higher dose of misoprostol and sent her home for a third time. 

"People are not aware of how common miscarriages are. One out of every five pregnancies end in miscarriage. This is a common experience for women, and so it's really scary that here you have a woman going through something that's actually quite common and having such a frustrating time getting the care that she needed," CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder, editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings."

In a statement, the hospital told CBS News it follows state and federal laws in accordance with national standards of care.

"We provide training and education to our employed providers to ensure they understand any changes to applicable laws related to patient care. Medical care for all patients is determined by the attending physician based on clinical indications. D&Cs and medications are treatments providers can use based on the patient's condition and the provider's clinical judgment. Care for miscarriage generally does not require Ethics Committee review," the hospital's statement read, in part.

Shortly after returning home, Hamilton recalled playing with his 9-month-old daughter when he noticed a missed call from his wife. He found her unconscious in the bathroom surrounded by blood. He carried her to the car and rushed to the emergency room.

"I got to the hospital, ran inside, told them what was happening. And they took her in. And you know what they said? 'Thank God, you brought her,'" he recalled angrily, adding that at one point he thought he might lose his wife.

The doctors told the couple that the third round of misoprostol was successful. Eventually, she was stable and the pair was able to return home. But the painful process of losing their child is something that will stick with them forever. 

"I want people to know that this really happens. My fear is that stories like ours will continue to get told and not believed," Hamilton said. "Everything in her life right now that she's having to do to get better is not just a reminder of the baby that we lost, it's a reminder of what they put her through, and she has to do it every day."

Omar Villafranca is a CBS News correspondent based in Dallas. He joined CBS News in 2014 as a correspondent for Newspath. Before CBS, Villafranca worked at KXAS-TV Dallas-Fort Worth, at KOTV-TV the CBS affiliate in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and at KSWO-TV in Lawton, Oklahoma.

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