Gang Starr was an influential hip-hop duo that consisted of MC Guru and DJ Premier. Although they are not as popular has mainstream artists, they are regarded as one of the best groups by underground and alternative hip-hop fans. DJ Premier is still a successful DJ/Producer, but Guru passed away on April 19, 2010. In […]
Learn How to Chill with Souls of Mischief
Souls of Mischief are a sub-group of the hip-hop collective Hieroglyphics, which is based in Oakland, California. The members are A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai. In “93 ‘Til Infinity” they discuss their daily lives in the year 1993, which includes women, money and just hanging out. Read the lesson and learn 8 new vocabulary words […]
Become Fluent and Learn Grammar with The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G. is a rapper and hip-hop artist from Brooklyn, New York City, and he is sometimes known as Biggie Smalls. He released his debut album, Ready to Die, in 1994, and it is one of the best east coast hip-hop albums of all time. His songs are usually dark and autobiographical, but “Juicy” is […]
Quickly Pick Up 9 New Words with Ice Cube
Ice Cube is an American rapper from South Central Los Angeles, and he is considered one of the founding members of gangsta rap. His lyrics are unflinchingly honest, and his songs usually revolve around the danger and violence of the inner city of Los Angeles. In “Dead Homiez” Ice Cube thinks about the many young men who […]
Level 1 Lesson 6: This, That, These, Those
KRS-One is an American rapper of Jamaican descent. He was born in the Bronx, New York City, in 1965, and has been a vegetarian and Hindu since his youth. His influence on hip-hop music and culture is very significant, and he is considered one of the best hip-hop artists. Interestingly enough, KRS-One is actually an acronym, which stands for […]
Level 1 Lesson 11: Simple Past
2Pac is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and his music is recognized across the world. Most of 2Pac’s songs revolved around the struggles and violence in the inner city, racism and other social problems that he encountered during his life. In “Life Goes On” he reflects on and pays respect to his […]
Pass the TOEFL with MC Lars
MC Lars is an American rapper who is well known for his unique nerdcore and post-punk laptop rap style. In this track, he answers the question “What is hip-hop?” and sings with legendary and talented artist KRS-One as well as MC Chris and Rittz. MC Lars would make a great English teacher! His verse has not only […]
7 Idioms about Bad Days in “8 Million Stories”
A Tribe Called Quest is a hip-hop group from Queens, New York. They are regarded as one of the most talented and intelligent hip-hop groups of all time, and many of their songs are considered classics. In “8 Million Stories” Phife Dawg tells us about a very bad day. Many inconvenient things happen to him, […]
Negative Questions with “Feel Good”
King Chip is a hip-hop musician from Cleveland, Ohio and often collaborates with Kid Cudi. He was formerly known as “Chip tha Ripper” but he changed his name in August 2012. As the title suggests, “Feel Good” is a great song for parties or relaxing, but it also has a very good example of a […]
5 Party Phrasal Verbs in “Swimming Pools”
In Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pool” (2012), he tells a story about his alcoholism and discusses the dangers of peer pressure. He remembers his grandfather’s drinking problem and is worried that he will die from his addiction unless he changes his life. Read the lesson and leave a comment. This track contains many phrasal verbs about parties […]