I also think that this could use an analysis of rebound phonetics in it as well -- often what feels good and easy to say is so because the 'release' of each phoneme is the same as the 'start' of the next phoneme. Especially once you start to go 'far' from the original phoneme in terms of where/how it is produced from the mouth, these sorts of considerations start to dominate how pleasant the flow is over strict rhyming and distance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M34OelgSlKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI8A14Qcv68
It really seems like most of this lyrical talent exited rap by the early 2000s, not that I listen much anymore. There's some decent artists these days but it seems like the raw peak talent is gone because you don't need it anymore to make top dollar.
Mindboggling demonstrating of the sort of phonological rhyming described in the article, but also with an impeccable sense of rhythm in terms of where to place the rhyme.
"No herb in the record bin / Called before a random search for curbside checkin' in."
Edit: Speaking of which, Black Thought still puts stuff out and is another extremely creative and versatile lyricist. For example I still revisit this freestyle quite frequently[0]
"Six Foot Seven Foot" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcRBUd_gJBg
"Sportcenter" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiOfOnTFA_M
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral
I am the very model of a modern Major-General
