Hip and hop is more than music.
Hip is the knowledge. Hop is the movement.
Hip and hop is intelligent movement
Or relevant movement.

Comparative Adjectives

Every year I get newer.
I’m the dust on the moon.
I’m the trash in the sewer. Let’s go.
I come back.
Every year I get brighter.
If you think hip-hop is alive hold up your lighter.

Use comparative adjectives when you want to compare two people, places or things. Comparative adjectives describe the differences between nouns.

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add r or er.

• old – older
• fast – faster
• late – later
• nice – nicer
• big – bigger
  • If the adjective ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant, then double the final consonant.

If the adjective has two syllables AND ends with ~y, then omit ‘y’ and add ~ier.

• pretty – prettier
• happy – happier
• busy – busier

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, add more and do not add ~er.

• modern – more modern
• expensive – more expensive
• beautiful – more beautiful

Some adjectives are irregular and have special comparative forms. You must memorize these special irregular adjectives.

• good – better
• bad – worse
• far – farther
• more

Superlative Adjectives

I come back.
Every year I’m the strongest.
KRS, Marley Marl.
Yup, we last the longest. Let’s go.

Use superlative adjectives when you want to compare three or more people places or things.

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add ~st or ~est

• old – older – oldest
• fast – faster – fastest
• late – later – latest
• nice – nicer- nicest
• big – bigger – biggest

If the adjective has two syllables AND ends with ~y, then omit Y and add ~est.

• pretty – prettier – prettiest
• happy – happier – happiest
• busy – busier – busiest

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, add most and do not add ~est.

• modern – more modern – most modern
• expensive – more expensive – most expensive
• beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful

Some adjectives are irregular and have special forms. You must memorize these special irregular adjectives.

• good – better – best
• bad – worse – worst
• far – farther – farthest
• more – most

Writing Task

Let’s talk about the best things in the world. Answer the following questions and explain why:

• Who is the best hip-hop artist?
• What is the best city in the world?
• What is your least favorite thing to do?
• Where can you buy the most delicious food?
• Who is the funniest person alive?

The post Comparative and Superlative Adjectives with KRS-One appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Grammar: Negative Questions

I can’t work at no fast-food joint.
I got some talent, so don’t you get my point?
I’ll organize some brothers and get some crazy loot.

The Meaning of Negative Questions

Negative questions have a different meaning than regular questions. Use negative questions to confirm information you already know or to express an opinion. Compare:

• Is San Francisco a nice city? I do not know the answer. I have never been to San Francisco. I need more information.
• Isn’t San Francisco a nice city? I have been to San Francisco. I had a great time. In my opinion, I think it’s a great city.
• Are you late for work? I do not know if you are late for work. I don’t know when you must arrive. 
• Aren’t you late for work? I think you are late. You usually leave at 7:45, and it’s 8:20. I am confirming information with you.
  

The Form

Making negative questions is easy. Simply add n’t to the end of the helping verb.

Helping verb + n’t + Subject + Verb

• Doesn’t she look beautiful?
• Aren’t you late for work?
• Isn’t he living with his parents?
• Shouldn’t you be studying right now?

Helping verb + Subject + not + Verb (less common, more formal)

• Does she not look beautiful?
• Are you not late for work?
• Is he not living with his parents?
• Should you not be studying right now?

An Exception to the Rule!

• Am I late for work?
• Aren’t I late for work?

That’s right! Use Am I for regular questions and Aren’t I for negative questions. Don’t blame me! I did not write the rules of English grammar.

How to Answer Negative Questions?

Answer negative questions the same way as regular questions.

• Is she late for work?
  • Yes, she is. She is late for work.
  • No, she isn’t. She is not late for work.
• Isn’t she late for work?
  • Yes, she is. She is late for work.
  • No, she isn’t. She is not late for work.

The post Learn English Grammar: Negative Questions with Gang Starr appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Ain’t nothing but a G thang, baby.
Two loced out Gs, so we’re crazy.
Death Row is the label that pays me.

Grammar: The Verb ‘Think’ and Transferred Negation

Yeah, and it don’t quit.
I think they (are) in the mood for another one of those G hits.
Hell yeah!

In the above lyrics, Snoop Dogg uses think to introduce a positive clause.

Subject + think/thinks/thought* + main clause

*When think means believe, we don’t use it in the progressive/continuous tense.

• I think you look beautiful!
• I think it will rain tomorrow.
• I think they’re in the mood for some G-funk!

However, when you want to introduce a negative clause with think, we normally put not with think and not with the main clause.*

• I don’t think you look beautiful. I think you don’t look beautiful.
• I don’t think it will rain tomorrow. I think it won’t rain tomorrow.
• I don’t think they’re in the mood. I think they’re not in the mood.

But, it’s possible and natural to express surprise with thought…not

• I didn’t think you were coming to the concert. = I thought you weren’t coming to the concert.

Writing Task

Do you think Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are great rappers? Why or why not? Which one is better? Explain your reasons with I think and I don’t think.

The post The Verb ‘Think’ with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

16 in the clip, and one in the hole.
Nate Dogg is about to make some bodies turn cold.
Now they dropping and yelling.
It’s a tad bit late.
Nate Dogg and Warren G had to regulate.

What is a collocation?

If you want to grow your vocabulary and learn more words quickly, then start studying collocations instead of one word at a time. What is a collocation? According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, it is:

a combination of words in a language that happens very often and more frequently than chance.

For example, think of the word traffic.

There are several combinations that are very common in English:

• traffic light
• traffic police
• traffic jam
• traffic report
• traffic accident

Collocations with ‘On’ in Warren G’s “Regulate”

On is a common preposition of time and place, but it is also used in many everyday expressions and phrases. Here are some collocations with on that are in Warren G and Nate Dogg’s classic “Regulate.”

• to be on the streets – If you are on the streets, it means you are outside in the public spaces of a city. If you are walking on a sidewalk, standing on a corner, or crossing an intersection, then you are on the streets. The English you hear on the streets is very different than the English in books. If you grew up on the streets of New York City/Philadelphia/San Francisco/etc, it means you grew up in that city.
• to be on a mission – If you are on a mission to do something, it means you are very determined to do it.
• to make a left/right on… When we ask for and give directions, we usually discuss making turns. When we describe turns, we normally use the preposition on.
• to be on to bigger and better things – If you are on to bigger and better things, it means you have found new, exciting opportunities. We normally use this expression when we leave an undesirable or uncomfortable situation, especially when leaving a job we dislike. Some people say off to bigger and better things.
  
• to be on the same track/page – If two or more people are on the same track/page, it means they agree about their goals and objectives.
• It’s on! – Use this phrase when you want to declare and acknowledge a competition between yourself and another person. You may also use this phrase when you want to state that something planned and expected is going to happen.
• to be on a whole new/other level – If something is on a whole new level, it means it is much better and higher in quality than something else. Lil Wayne is a very good rapper, but many people might agree that Kendrick Lamar is on a whole other level, especially because he’s a very talented songwriter.

Writing Task

1. Are you on a mission in life?
2. Do you want to go on to bigger and better things?
3. How can you improve yourself personally and professionally?

The post The Preposition ‘On’: Collocations with Warren G appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Phrase

You got to fight for your right to party!

GOT TO

This expression has the same meaning has must or have to, and it is often used for recommendations and suggestions. We normally do not use it in negative statements or questions, so use got to in positive statements only. For example:

• I got to study tonight, so I can’t hang out with you. I have a very important test tomorrow morning.
• You got to listen to this song. It’s amazing!

Many people pronounce this expression like gotta /ˈɡɑːtə/.

FIGHT FOR

There are many collocations containing the word fight. If you fight for something, it means you try hard to get something or acheive a goal. Other collocations include:

• fight back – to resist something; to attack something that has already attacked you.
• fight something out  – to fight or have an argument until it has been resolved.

RIGHT TO PARTY

Right can be both a countable or uncountable noun, and it is usually followed by an infinitive or noun phrase. 

• right to something
  • Stop reading my e-mail messages! You are invading my right to privacy!
  • Everybody has the right to a happy and healty life.
• right to do something
  • You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you.
  • Do you think same-sex couples should have the right to get married?

Discussion Questions

Did you have strict parents when you were growing up? What were they like? Did they allow you to have parties at home? Did they allow you to go to parties at another place? Please write your comments below! 

The post Hip-Hop for Beginners: “You got to fight for your right to party!” appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

I don’t want to live no more.
Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door.
I’m living every day like a hustle.
Another drug to juggle. Another day. Another struggle.

Grammar: no more

No more is an adjective. Use no more with nouns to talk about quantity.

no more + noun

• There is no more bread in the pantry. We don’t have any bread. 
• There are no more tickets for the concert. They are sold out.
• I have no more energy. I cannot work now.

Tip: Use no more with positive verbs only. Use any more with negative verbs.

• There isn’t no more bread. There isn’t any more bread.
• There aren’t no more tickets. There aren’t any more tickets.
• I don’t have no more energy. I don’t have any more energy.

Grammar: any more & anymore

Any more is an adverb that means an action has stopped. Use any more at the end of negative sentences.

Subject + verb + not + any more. 

• She doesn’t smoke any more. She used to smoke. 
  
• He doesn’t live in New York any more. He moved to Chicago last month.
• She doesn’t love him any more. The romance has died.

It is becoming acceptable in American English to write anymore as one word.

In informal speech, especially hip-hop music, people say no more instead of any more. 

• I don’t want to live no more. = I don’t want to live any more. Same meaning.

Vocabulary

• hustle (verb) – selling something or making money illegally. He cannot get a legitimate job because he is always hustling on the street corner.
  • also a noun. What hustle do you have going on? 
• struggle (noun) – something that is difficult to do or achieve. It was a real struggle to stay awake during the movie. It was so boring!
  • also a verb. He struggled to stay awake during the movie.
• wake up (phrasal verb) – to finish sleeping and become awake. I can’t go to the party tonight because I have to wake up very early tomorrow. 
• broke (adjective) – to have no money. I am so broke right now, so I shouldn’t go out to the bar tonight. 
  • broke as hell = very broke
• mad (adverb) – very; really. It’s mad hot today. The sun is cooking me!
• kick out (phrasal verb) – to make somebody leave or go away. My roommate never paid rent, so I had to kick him out. 
• pack up (phrasal verb) – to stop doing something; to put your things in a bag before leaving a place. We were late to the concert. The DJs were packing up the sound equipment when we arrived. 
  
• take over (phrasal verb) – to begin to control or take responsibility for something, especially in place of someone else.
• snitch (verb) – to tell a parent, teacher, boss, etc. about something wrong another person has done. I can’t believe that she snitched on her colleague. 
  • also a noun. I don’t want to invite that nasally snitch to the BBQ! 

Discussion Questions

Have you ever had struggles? Have you ever been broke? Do you still have struggles today? If you or your friends are struggling, what do you do to get by? What gives you strength to live another day? Please write your comments below!

The post Learn Adverbs and Vocabulary with The Notorious B.I.G. appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

We’ve been spending most our lives
Living in the gangster’s paradise.
We keep spending most our lives
Living in the gangster’s paradise.

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

Use the present perfect progressive for actions that started in the past and continue to the present. 

Subject + has/have + been + ~ing verb

Subject + has/have + not + been + ~ing verb

Has/Have + subject + been + ~ing verb?

• I have been studying for two hours. It is 2pm now, and I started studying at 12pm. 
• You have been listening to the same song all day. I think you should listen to something different.
• He has not been exercising. He looks flabby, and he is sweating.
• How long have you been watching TV? I think you have been watching TV for too long. You should go outside and get some fresh air.

Parody of “Gangster Paradise”

At one time, there was controversy surrounding Coolio’s song. He claimed that Weird Al Yankovic did not ask for permission to parody it, and there was a brief dispute between the two artists. Eventually, Coolio and Weird Al made up and became friends again, and “Amish Paradise” is as equally as famous as the original. 

Discussion Questions

Tell us about your personal life. How long have you been studying English? How have you been studying English? What have you been doing for the last two years? Where have you been living? Please write your comments below!

The post Present Perfect Progressive with Coolio appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Instinct leads me to another flow
Everytime I hear a brother call a girl a bitch or a ho
Trying to make a sister feel low
You know all of that gots to go

In this verse, Queen Latifah is disgusted by the disrespectful treatment of women.

I hit the bottom. There ain’t nowhere else to go but up
Bad days at work give you an attitude and you erupt
And take it out on me but that’s about enough
If you put your hands on me again, I’ll put your ass in handcuffs

In this verse, she opposes all violence against women. In other words, she says, “If you touch or hurt me again, I will call the police.”

Grammar

This grammar is called the first conditional. Use the first conditional to talk about future events that will likely happen. You may not know the future, but you are certain that something will happen. 

If + subject + simple present verb, subject + will + base verb

Subject + will + base verb + if + subject + simple present verb

Wh~ will + subject + base verb + if + subject + simple present verb?

Use a comma (,) when the if clause is first. Do not use a comma when the if clause is second.

• If you practice English every day, you will improve. I am a teacher, and I meet many English learners. Hard-working students usually do well and improve. Lazy students will not be successful. 
• You will lose weight if you exercise and eat healthy food. This is not a secret. If you are healthy, you will probably lose a few pounds or kilos. Magic pills usually do not work. 
• What will happen if you drop the glass? It will probably break into small pieces if you drop the glass on the hard floor. 

Vocabulary

• hit the bottom (idiom) – to reach an extremely low level. When his father died, he hit the bottom. He has been depressed for a long time.
• take it out on somebody (phrasal verb) – to treat a person badly because you are angry or upset, even if they have done nothing wrong. After he lost his job, he took it out on all his friends. 
• can’t take something (idiom) – unable to handle an unpleasant or difficult situation. My boss keeps giving me extra work, but he gave his secretary a bonus. I can’t take it any more! I want to quit this job. 
• fall in love (idiom) – to be very attracted to someone and begin to love them. My wife did not like me when we first met, but we quickly fell in love. Today, we are  happily married!
• That’s enough! (phrase) – say this to tell a person to stop behaving badly. That’s enough! You are a very bad roommate, and I want you to stop playing loud music at midnight!

Discussion Questions

Do you think women are often disrespected? Are all men and women treated equally? Does sexism exist in your school, company or country? If a person insults your mother or sister, how will you feel? Please write your comments below!

The post First Conditional with Queen Latifah appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

It’s been twenty-two long hard years of still struggling
Survival got me bugging, but I’m alive on arrival
I peep at the shape of the streets
And stay awake to the ways of the world cause shit is deep

-Inspectah Deck

Inspectah Deck was 22 years-old when he wrote this song. He has had a hard life since he was born. Living on the city streets is very difficult because it involves a life of crime and drugs. This way of living is freaking him out, but he tries his best to live another day.

Grammar: The Present Perfect

The present perfect has several meanings and uses in English. Use the present perfect:

• with an unknown past time
  • He has visited Europe. I don’t know when he visited Europe. He visited Europe before now, but I do not know the exact time. 
• for repeated past actions
  • I have listened to that album many times. This is not the first time I have listened to the album. I have listened to it many times before, and I will probably continue listening to it in the future.
• for actions that start in the past and continues to the present.
  • It has been 22 long hard years of still struggling. I am 22 years-old. My life was tough when I was born, and my life is still tough today. 
    

Subject + has/have + past participle

• Inspectah Deck has been a rapper for many years.
• The Wu-Tang Clan have recorded several albums.

Subject + has/have + not + part participle

• I have not listened to a bad Wu-Tang Clan track. It doesn’t exist!
• You have not lived until you see the Wu-Tang Clan live in concert.

Has/Have + subject + past participle?

• Have you been to Staten Island before? It’s where most members of the Wu-Tang come from.
  
• Have you ever met Ghostface Killah? He’s a really nice guy!

Wh~ + has/have + subject + past participle?

• What rap albums have you listened to? 
  
• How many times have you been to New York City?

Discussion Questions

What is the most important thing in your life: people or objects? Why are so many people obsessed with money and material things? Do you think a materialistic world is a good thing or a bad thing? Have you ever experienced poverty? Have you ever struggled to survive in the “rat race”? Please write your comments below!

The post The Best Hip-Hop Song for the Present Perfect appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Don’t I look stupendous?
My shine is so endless
Ain’t shit you can do to end this
Even when I’m dead, niggas still gon’ bump that Chip shit

very great in size or amount

-Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

The Meaning of Negative Questions 

Negative questions have a different meaning than regular questions. Use negative questions to confirm information you already know or to express an opinion. Compare:

• Is San Francisco a nice city? I do not know the answer. I have never been to San Francisco. I need more information.
• Isn’t San Francisco a nice city? I have been to San Francisco. I had a great time. In my opinion, I think it’s a great city.
• Are you late for work? I do not know if you are late for work. I don’t know when you must arrive. 
• Aren’t you late for work? I think you are late. You usually leave at 7:45, and it’s 8:20. I am confirming information with you.
  

The Form

Making negative questions is easy. Simply add n’t to the end of the helping verb. 

Helping verb + n’t + Subject + Verb

• Doesn’t she look beautiful?
• Aren’t you late for work?
• Isn’t he living with his parents?
• Shouldn’t you be studying right now?

Helping verb + Subject + not + Verb (less common, more formal)

• Does she not look beautiful?
• Are you not late for work?
• Is he not living with his parents?
• Should you not be studying right now?

An Exception to the Rule!

• Am I late for work? 
• Aren’t I late for work?

That’s right! Use Am I for regular questions and Aren’t I for negative questions. Don’t blame me! I did not write the rules of English grammar.

How to Answer Negative Questions?

Answer negative questions the same way as regular questions.

• Is she late for work?
  • Yes, she is. She is late for work.
  • No, she isn’t. She is not late for work.
• Isn’t she late for work?
  • Yes, she is. She is late for work.
  • No, she isn’t. She is not late for work.

What do you think about King Chip? Doesn’t he look stupendous? Isn’t he a great rapper? Don’t you love learning English with hip-hop?! Please write your comments below. 

The post Negative Questions with “Feel Good” appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.