I was going to clean my room
but then I got high.
I was going to get up and find the broom
but then I got high.
My room is still messed up, and I know why.
Because I got high. Because I got high. Because I got high.

high (adjective) — If you are high or stoned, you have taken drugs and are intoxicated. If you drink too much alcohol, you are drunk.

Grammar: The Future in the Past

Afroman says, “I was going to…” many times in this song. We can say, “I am going to… You are going to… He is going to…” for future plans, but what exactly does “was going to” mean? This is known as the future in the past.

Imagine that you talked to your friend yesterday.

YESTERDAY:

You: “What are you going to do today?”
Your Friend: “I am going to watch a movie in the evening.”

Your friend made future plans. He wanted to watch a movie later that evening.

TODAY:

You: “How was the movie that you watched yesterday?”
Your Friend: “I was going to watch a movie at the the theater yesterday, but I didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket.”

So your friend made plans to watch a movie at the theater yesterday, but he didn’t watch a movie because he could not buy a ticket. His plans did not work! 

Subject + was/were + going to + verb.
Subject + was/were + not + going to + verb.
Was/were + subject + going to + verb?

Afroman made many plans in the past. He made plans to clean his room, go to school, and do many other things, but he smoked weed and got high!

Vocabulary

• blunt (idiom) — a very big and thick marijuana cigarette, rolled with brown cigar paper
• messed up (adjective) — to be dirty and untidy; to spoil and make worse
• child support (noun) — money paid to young children who no longer live with their mothers or fathers, usually ordered by a legal court system
• pull over (verb) — to stop driving a car and park on the side of the road
• paraplegic (noun) — a person who has suffered an injury and cannot feel his/her lower body
• make love (verb) — to have sex
• jack off (verb) — to masturbate

2014 Positive Remix

ESLhiphop.com will not condone or condemn using marijuana because it is a personal choice, just like using alcohol or tobacco. Using marijuana is a controversial issue, especially in the United States, so it is only fair to present both sides of the issue. “Because I Got High” shows the negative consequences of using the drug, but a positive remix of the song was released in 2014 highlighting the health and legal benefits of the drug.

Writing Practice

What are your thoughts about drugs and alcohol? Do you think all drugs should be illegal? Do “soft drugs” such as marijuana pose a threat to society, or is it harmless like a glass of wine? Please write your ideas in the comments below!

The post Getting Into Trouble with Afroman appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Take this job and shove it.
I ain’t working here no more.

Vocabulary

These words and phrases are related to jobs and working. Review the vocabulary and then listen to the song to hear it in context.

• employment (noun) – a job or work that you do for money. What is your place of employment?
• coworker (noun) – a person who you work with. My coworker is meeting me for drinks later tonight.
• occupational performance (noun) – the quality of work that you do at your job. If your occupational performance is not good, you might get fired!
  • occupation (noun) – a job that you do for money
• work load (noun) – the amount of work that you have to do at your job. I don’t have enough time. The work load is too much!
• lay off / laid off (sep. phrasal verb) – to fire somebody; to terminate somebody’s job. The company laid off many employees because of low profits.
• chips (slang) – money. I want to find a new job with more chips.
• stick it out (phrasal verb) – to continue doing something, especially if it is difficult or boring. I hate my job, but I have to stick it out to pay my bills.
• shove it (idiom) – a very rude phrase used to say you don’t appreciate or accept something. I hate business meetings! The boss needs to take these meetings and shove it!
• S-O-B (slang) –  an abbreviation for “son of a bitch”
• 9 to 5 job (idiom) – a typical office job that normally begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 5:00 PM. I hate my 9 to 5!
• unemployment (noun) – not having a job. I lost my job last week, so I am receiving unemployment benefits from the government.
  • If you lose your job, you might qualify for unemployment benefits. You have to visit a government office and usually wait in a long unemployment line.
• boss (noun) – a manager or supervisor at work who tells other people what to do. I don’t like my boss because he’s so rude.
• gig (idiom) – a job that you do for money, especially a temporary job. I have a pretty good gig right now. I hope I can be hired as a full time employee.
• cubicle (noun) – a very small office. There are usually many cubicles in one large room. I wish I didn’t work in a cubicle all day.
• picnic in the park / walk in the park (idiom) – very easy to do. This job is a picnic in the park.
• to stay wired (idiom) – to be very alert and awake, especially after drinking a lot of coffee. I’ve had three Red Bulls. I’m so wired right now.

Passive Voice with ‘Get’

The boss’s favorites get placed in something spacious
while the most hated get placed in some small cubicle spaces,
or get thrown down in the basement. Get your stapler confiscated.

To make the passive voice, we usually use a form of the verb be and the past participle. In informal spoken English, you may substitute the be verb with get.

Subject + get/got/gotten + past participle.

Subject + negative auxiliary + past participle. 

Question auxiliary + subject + past participle. 

• I get paid on the first day of every month. I don’t get paid on the 15th. Do you get paid on the 1st?
• I got paid last week. I didn’t get paid yesterday. Did you get paid last week?
  
• I will get paid next month. I won’t get paid tomorrow. Will you get paid tomorrow?
• I am going to get paid next month. I am not going to get paid in four days. Are you going to get paid in four days?
• I am getting paid in cash right now. I am not getting paid by direct deposit. Are you getting paid in cash now
• I have gotten paid. I haven’t gotten paid yet. Have you gotten paid yet?
• I had gotten paid. I had not gotten paid. Had you gotten paid at that point?

These forms with get are not possible with be.

• I will be getting paid tomorrow at noon. I will not be getting paid at noon. When will you be getting paid?
• I had been getting paid by him. I had not been getting paid by her. Had you been getting paid by him, too?
• I have been getting paid for several months. I have not been getting paid for years. How long have you been getting paid?

Writing Task

Have you ever had a bad job? What did you dislike about it? If you saw your old boss today, what would you say to him or her? Please write your ideas in the comments below!

The post If you hate your job, you’ll love this song! appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

They see me rolling.
They hating. Patrolling and trying to catch me riding dirty.
Trying to catch me riding dirty
My music so loud I’m swinging.
They hoping that they going to catch me riding dirty.
Trying to catch me riding dirty.

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

I’ve been drinking and smoking. Holy shit because I really can’t focus.
I got to get it home before the po-po’s scope this.

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.

Writing Task

Please answer and discuss these questions:

• How long have you been studying English?
• How long have you been working at your job?
• How long have you been living in your city?

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

“Mama Said Knock You Out” is a number-one hit single by LL Cool J from his album of the same name. Before “Mama Said Knock You Out” was released, many people felt that LL Cool J’s career was waning, and his grandmother, who still believed in his talent, told him to “knock out” all his critics. The song was produced by Marley Marl with help from Shadman Kaiser along with LL (taken verbatim from Wikipedia).

Don’t call it a comeback. I been here for years.
Rocking my peers and putting suckers in fear.

Grammar: The Basics

Mama said knock you out

Phrasal verbs are very common in both written and spoken English, and there are hundreds of them to learn! One phrasal verb can have multiple meanings, and it is very easy to get confused.

What is a phrasal verb? It is a special phrase made from a verb and preposition/adverb particle. An object, object pronoun or prepositional phrase sometimes follows a phrasal verb, but an object or preposition is not always required.

• throw up = throw (verb) + up (particle)
  
• dress up = dress (verb) + up (particle)
• put up with = put (verb) + up (particle) + with (particle)

There are two types of phrasal verbs: inseparable and separable. 

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

If the phrasal verb is inseparable, then never separate the verb and the particle. The verb and particle are always together. Many dictionaries and websites use [in.] to label these verbs.

• I shouldn’t have eaten that old sushi. I got very ill on threw up on the way to work. 
• The party is going to be very formal, so you need to dress up.
• She is such an annoying coworker. I can’t put up with her constant complaining!

Separable Phrasal Verbs

If the phrasal verb is separable, then it is possible to separate the verb and the particle. The verb and particle don’t always have to be together. Many dictionaries and websites use [sep.] to label these verbs. There are four patterns with separable phrasal verbs:

verb + particle + object – The verb and particle can remain together with an object, but never with an object pronoun (me, you, him, her it, us, them).

• It’s time to sleep. Please turn off the lights. 
• Turn off it.
• I can’t figure out this puzzle. It’s difficult to solve.
• I can’t figure out it. 

verb + object + particle  – An object or object pronoun can be between the verb and particle.

• The CEO is running late, so we should hold the meeting off until 3pm. 
• I tore her letter up because it made me very angry and sad.
• Can you turn the music down? It’s very late, and I have to wake up early.

verb + object pronoun (me, you, him, her it, us, them) + particle – Object pronouns must always go between the verb and particle.

• She really disappointed the team with her poor decidions. She let us down.
• The light is bothering me. Do you mind turning it off? 
• That lasagna is old. We need to throw it out.

Vocabulary

Phrasal verbs from LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out”

• knock out (sep. phrasal verb) – to make somebody fall asleep or loss consciousness; to eliminate something. The two men were fighting, and the big guy knocked out the other guy. He just lay on the ground like a dead fish.
  
• pull out (sep. phrasal verb) – to reveal or show something that was hidden. Don’t pull out that picture!
  • many other meanings
• come up with (in. phrasal verb) – to think of or create a new idea or solution to a problem. Apple is always coming up with great new products.
• tie up (sep. phrasal verb) – to close something with a knot. Tie up your shoes or you might trip and fall. 
  • other possible meanings
• come on (in. phrasal verb) – used to tell somebody to work harder or faster. Come on! If we you don’t work harder, you will fail the class!
• take out (sep. phrasal verb) – to move something outside, especially garbage. Take out that garbage. It stinks in here!
  • many other meanings
• get down to (in. phrasal verb) – to begin or start work. We need to get down to business and stop goofing around. 

Writing Task

1. Use a dictionary, website or a lesson from ESLhiphop.com and find any phrasal verb. Tell us what it is.
2. Is is separable or inseparable?
3. What is the most common meaning?
4. Does it have other meanings?
5. Can you write an example sentence using it?

The post Learn English Grammar: Phrasal Verbs with LL Cool J appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Don’t try to compare us to another bad, little fad.
I’m the Mac, and I’m bad. Give you something that you never had.

Grammar

The Mac Dad will make you jump, jump.
The Daddy Mac will make you jump, jump
Kris Kross will make you jump, jump.

Use causative structures when a person or thing causes another person/thing to do something. The most common verbs in causative structures are get, make and have.

make + object + base verb

• This music makes the people dance! The people are dancing because of the music. 
• The gym instructor is very strict. He makes his clients exercise for two hours every day!

make + object pronoun (me, you, him, her, it, us, them) + base berb

• My father is inspirational, and I try to be like him. He makes me work harder every day.
• Don’t bring your water bottle to the airport. The TSA will make you throw it away.

make + object/pronoun + adjective

• The rain made the sidewalk slippery. Be careful or you will fall.
• My loud neighbors make me angry sometimes. They play music very loudly, and their apartment smells like cigarettes!

make + object/pronoun + adjective + noun

• ESLhiphop.com will make you a better student. You should study with hip-hop and rap!
• My wife makes me a happy man every day. We share the same values, and she makes me feel important.

Discussion Question

What makes you angry? Happy? Sad? Inspired? Depressed? Motivated? Bored? Excited? Please write in the comments below!

The post Learn English Grammar: Causative Structures with Kris Kross appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

In this edition of 2Pac Friday, you will learn how to use the verb get in the passive voice.

To Live and Die in L.A., it’s the place to be.
You’ve got to be there to know it. Everybody want to see.

Grammar: ‘Be’ in the Passive Voice

To make the passive voice, we usually use a form of the verb be and the past participle.

Subject + be + past participle

Subject + be + not + past participle

Be + subject + past participle? 

• I am paid on the first day of every month. I am not paid on the 15th. Are you paid on the 1st?
• I was paid last week. I wasn’t paid yesterday. Were you paid last week?
  
• I will be paid next month. I won’t be paid tomorrow. Will you be paid tomorrow?
  
• I am going to be paid next month. I am not going to be paid in four days. Are you going to be paid in four days?
• I am being paid in cash right now. I am not being paid by direct deposit. Are you being paid in cash now?
• I have been paid. I haven’t been paid yet. Have you been paid yet?
• I had been paid. I had not been paid. Had you been paid at that point?

Grammar: ‘Get’ in the Passive Voice

Nigga got smoked by a fiend trying to floss on him.
Big Rock got knocked, but this one’s for you.

You may substitute the be verb with the verb get in the passive voice.

Subject + get/got/gotten + past participle.

Subject + negative auxiliary + past participle. 

Question auxiliary + subject + past participle. 

• I get paid on the first day of every month. I don’t get paid on the 15th. Do you get paid on the 1st?
• I got paid last week. I didn’t get paid yesterday. Did you get paid last week?
  
• I will get paid next month. I won’t get paid tomorrow. Will you geet paid tomorrow?
  
• I am going to get paid next month. I am not going to get paid in four days. Are you going to get paid in four days?
• I am getting paid in cash right now. I am not getting paid by direct deposit. Are you getting paid in cash now
• I have gotten paid. I haven’t gotten paid yet. Have you gotten paid yet?
• I had gotten paid. I had not gotten paid. Had you gotten paid at that point?

These forms with get are not possible with be.

• I will be getting paid tomorrow at noon. I will not be getting paid at noon. When will you be getting paid?
• I had been getting paid by him. I had not been getting paid by her. Had you been getting paid by him, too?
• I have been getting paid for several months. I have not been getting paid for years. How long have you been getting paid?

Discussion Questions

Where are you from? Are you proud of your country and hometown? What is it famous and known for? If I visit your country, what should I do and see? Countries and cities can be known for many positives things, but it can also be known for negative things. Does your country or city have positive and negative qualities? Please write your comments below!

The post 2Pac Fridays: To Live and Die in L.A. appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Lauryn Hill discusses the end of her relationship with Wyclef Jean and directly addresses him in “Lost Ones”.

I know you don’t want to hear my opinion.
There come many paths, and you must choose one.
And if you don’t change then the rain soon come.
See you might win some, but you just lost one

You might win some but you just lost one
You might win some but you just lost one
You might win some but you just lost one
You might win some but you just lost one

Grammar: The Basics of Noun Clauses

1. Noun clauses are dependent clauses, and they are not complete sentences.
2. Noun clauses have a subject and verb
3. Noun clauses begin with that, if, whether, who, whom, where, why, when, what
4. Subject + Verb + Noun Clause. Noun clauses usually follow these verbs:
   1. know, think, believe, wonder, tell

Subject + verb + that + subject + verb

• You are angry. I know that you are angry.
• He does not like the movie. He thinks that the movie is boring. 
• I can’t believe that you are a rapper! You don’t look like a rapper, and it’s surprising

That is optional. Subject + verb + subject + verb

• I know you are angry. = I know that you are angry. Same meaning. 
  
• He thinks the movie is boring. 
• I can’t believe you are a rapper!

Wh~ + verb + subject? 
Subject + verb + wh~ + subject + verb  **different word order

• Where does he work? I don’t know where he works.
• Why is she angry? I wonder why she is angry.
• When did he call? Do you know when he called.

If who or what is the subject of the noun clause, Subject + verb + who/what + verb

• Who wants to watch a movie? I wonder who wants to watch a movie.
  
• What is happening? Tell me what is happening.

Vocabulary

• complication (noun) – a person or thing that makes a situation more difficult. Do not fight with your girlfriend on vacation. You are adding an unnecessary complication!
• emancipation (noun) – freeing and liberating a person from political and social restrictions.
• bawl (verb) – to cry heavily for a long time. He has been bawling over his ex-girlfriend for a week. She broke up with him with a text message.
• You win some. You lose some. (expression) – Say this expression when you accept the good and bad things that happen. He asked five women for their phone numbers, but only one woman gave her number to him. Hey, not bad! You win some. You lose some. 
• repent (verb) – to feel and show you are sorry for something bad you have done. I have repented to her many times, but she still hasn’t forgiven me!
• play innocent (idiom) – to pretend to be innocent. Don’t play innocent with me. I know you stole $10 from my wallet. Stop lying about it!
• face (verb) – to deal with a difficult situation. New Yorkers must face many challenges every day: the crowded subway, the expensive apartments, the loud neighbors. We face many things, but we still love this city!
• path (noun) – a plan of action; a series of decisions. She is on the path to success! She studies very hard at medical school, and her professors have written great recommendations. 
  
• throw out (phrasal verbs) – to eliminate; to get rid of something; to end a relationship. He made a mistake. He threw out a very special woman in his life.

Discussion Questions

Have you ever broken up with a boyfriend or girlfriend? Who ended the relationship? After the break up, how did you feel? Did you feel happy and emancipated, or did you feel angry and thrown out? In life, is it true that people win some and lose some? Please write your comments below!

The post Noun Clause Basics and Vocabulary with Lauryn Hill appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Probably should’ve washed this. Smells like R. Kelly’s sheets
But shit! It was 99 cents!

Grammar: Expressing Regrets

Use should have if you want to express a regret. A regret is a feeling of sadness and disappointment because you have done something.

Subject + should have + past participle

Subject + should not have + past participle

Should + subject + have + past participle?

• I should have washed this jacket because it smells really weird! 
• They should’ve come to the party. We had a great time!
• I shouldn’t have gone to the bar last night. I have a very big test today and a bigger headache!
• He shouldn’t have eaten that sushi. It was not fresh, and I think it made him very sick.

Vocabulary: Clothes and Accessories

Macklemore mentions many types of clothing, apparel and accessories. Instead of reading definitions, go to the Macklemore “Thrift Shop” board on Pinterest and browse the picture dictionary. Here is the complete list of clothing from the song:

• gator shoes
  
• leopard mink
• moccasins
• jumpsuit
• leather jacket
• sneakers
• luggage
• plaid button-up shirt
• jammies, also pajamas
• onesie 
• socks
• t-shirt

Discussion Questions

Do you like to buy new clothes? Will you consider buying used or second-hand clothes? What are the advantages or disadvantages of buying clothes at a thrift shop? Have you ever bought clothes from a thrift shop? If you have, do you regret it? Please write your comments below!

The post Expressing Regrets Using ‘Should Have’ with Macklemore appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

The Grammar and Pronunciation in the Hook

The song’s hook, or chorus, starts off simple enough.

Everything’s falling
Every-Everything’s falling
Everything’s falling
Every-Everything’s falling
Everything’s falling
Every-Everything’s falling
Everything’s falling
Every-Everything’s falling

The verb tense in the hook is called the present progressive or present continuous. Use it to describe actions that are happening right now, in the moment, as you are speaking. Also use it to describe temporary situations and conditions. 

Subject + be (is, am, are) + ~ing verb

• MC Lars is rapping right now!
• You are studying English with hip-hop music!
• I am writing a new sentence.
• MC Lars is not making bad music now.
• You are not studying French with hip-hop music.
• I am  not eating lasagna because it is 10 o’clock at night right now.

Making a question is very easy. Switch the be verb and the subject to make questions.

Be verb + subject + ~ing verb
Wh~ + be verb + subject + ~ing verb

• Is MC Lars rapping right now?
• Where is he rapping?
• Are you studying English with hip-hop?
• Why are you studying English with hip-hop?

Spelling the ~ing rules follows a few basic rules, but there are some exceptions.

• Many verbs add ing at the end
  • play – playing
  • study – studying
  • eat – eating
• If a verb has a final e, delete the e, and add ing.
  • make – making
  • write – writing
• Look at the last three letters in a word. If they are a consonant + vowel + consonant, the double the final consonant.
  • run – running
  • stop – stopping
  • rap – rapping
  • sit – siting

Most people don’t pronounce ~ing. In the track, MC Lars sings, “Everything’s fallin’.” There’s no G.

Adjective Clauses in the Verse

In this track, MC Lars criticizes overly-commercialized music, while also praising  genuine and authentic hip-hop that is poetic and artful. This verse starts at 1:02

What is Hip-Hop? Is it what you wear?
Is it the brands that you rep or the way you wear you hair?
Is it your attitude, gratitude, identity or fate?
Your history, your future or the problems that you face?
Is it the spirit of the times? The Zeitgeist, believe it
Divinity inside of me, we breathe it cause we need it
The Gospel of Hip-Hop, it really changed my life
KRS relieved the stress – I had to read it twice

-MC Lars

The verse has adjective clauses. Adjective clauses give more information about people, places or things.

• What is hip-hop? Is hip-hop what you wear? What you wear = clothes
  
• Is hip-hop the brands (that) you wear? Is hip-hop the way (that )you wear your hair?

noun (object) + that/which/who + subject + verb

• Hip-hop is music (which) many people listen to. 
  
• Tupac is a rapper (that) many people love.

That/which/who are optional if the noun is an object, but you always need what.

• Hip-hop is music many people listen to.
• Tupac is a rapper many people love.

noun (subject) + that/which/who + verb

• MC Lars is a guy. He writes nerdy hip hop. MC Lars is a guy who writes nerdy hip-hop. 

If the noun is a subject, you must use that/which/who.

• MC Lars is a guy writes nerdy hip-hop.

Vocabulary in the Verse

When it all falls apart I remember what he said
It’s not about the cheddar, creme, fame, skill or bread
Its’s carbon truth in beauty, learning to respect
Learning how to love, putting selfishness in check
What is Hip-Hop? Divine self-discovery
Mastering the elements, defining just what love can be
Testifying truthfully, rhyming with the best
I see the light, it feels so right cause hip-hop’s got me blessed
I stay up, even when everything’s falling apart

-MC Lars

• cheddar/creme/fame/skill/bread (noun) – money. Some rappers are artists, and some rappers only want a lot of fame.
  
• put something in check (verb phrase) – to limit something. Hip-hop music helps MC Lars put bad habits in check.
• the light (idiom) – knowledge.
• blessed (adjective) – to be very lucky because you have something special.

Do you like hip-hop music? Who are your favorite artists? When do you listen to hip-hop music? Do you listen to it when you are happy? Do you listen to it when you are sad? Tell us why you think hip-hop music is great! Please write your comment below!

The post Pass the TOEFL with MC Lars appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.