From the simple nursery rhyme–like bars of Kurtis Blow’s “The Breaks” to the smooth East Coast flow of Notorious B.I.G.’s hit song “Hypnotize” to the speedy delivery of Kendrick Lamar’s “Rigamortis,” rhyming in rap music has not only evolved, it’s gotten better.

The video above explores how some of the greatest rappers of all time create memorable, lyrically dense rhymes.

[via vox]