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.

I’m the dopest female that you’ve heard thus far.

Grammar

And I’ll blind you with the science that the others have yet to find,
so come along and I’ll lead you the right way.
Just clap your hands to the words I say.

Yet is an adverb that means an expected action or event has not happened. We normally use yet with negative statements and questions.

• He hasn’t woken up yet.
• I haven’t started my homework yet.
• Did you call your brother yet?

Still is an adverb that means something has not finished. Something started in the past and it continues, perhaps to our surprise.

• It has been raining for  three hours, and it is still raining.
• He is still upset over the fight.
• Are you still hungry? I can make you another sandwich.

In most cases, yet is used in negative statements and questions. When yet is used in affirmative statements, it has the same meaning as still. This usage is considered to be formal.

Subject + has/have + yet + infinitive. 

• I have yet to hear from my brother. I am still waiting for my brother to call me.
• The scientists have yet to find a cure. They are still searching for one.
• He has yet to prove to be an effective leader. He is still gaining the trust of his team.

Writing Task

A common expression in English is The best has yet to come. Do you think this is true in some situations? Does the future always have something better for us? Please write your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

The post Grammar with MC Lyte: When ‘yet’ means ‘still’ appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

I left my wallet in El Segundo.
Left my wallet in El Segundo.
Left my wallet in El Segundo.
I got to get it. I got to, got to get it.

Grammar: Past Perfect

Drove down the road for two days and a half.
The sun had just risen on a dusty path.
Just then a figure had caught my eye.
A man with a sombrero who was 4 feet high

Use the past perfect in order to talk about the ‘earlier past’ and to describe something that happened before an event in the past.

Subject + had + past participle. 

Subject + had + not + past participle. 

Had + subject + past participle?

•  I had never heard such great hip-hop before I listened to A Tribe Called Quest.
• She did not call me because she had lost her phone.
• My trip to New York was great! My wife knew the city so well because she had lived there several years ago.
• Had he studied English before he moved to the United States?

We can use the past perfect in conditional sentences with if. This grammar is called the third conditional, and it is used to describe unreal or hypothetical situations in the past.

• If I hadn’t become a teacher, I would have joined the army.
• You would have died if you had forgotten to wear your seat belt.

We also use the past perfect, not the simple past, to say how long something had continued up to a past moment.

• He had studied Japanese for several years before he moved to Tokyo.
• I had worked at the company for a long time before they promoted me to manager.
• My mother and father had known each other for many years when they got married.

Vocabulary

In this song, Q-Tip tells a story about losing his wallet in a small town called El Segundo, which is located in southern California. Review these words and expressions to help comprehend the story.

• go down (phrasal verb) – to happen; to occur. I had to roam, so I picked up the phone. Dialed Ali to see what was going down. 
  • the phrasal verb go down has several meanings, depending on the context.
• yard (noun) – a slang word for $100. He left me a  yard to pay for the party, but it wasn’t enough money.
• have/got something covered (idiom) – If you have something or somebody covered, it means you prevent problems by having control of a situation. If you need legal advice, you should hire my brother. He’s got you covered. 
• catch somebody’s eye (idiom) – to attract somebody’s attention. There’s a lot of interesting graffiti in San Francisco, but not much has caught my eye.
• sombrero (noun) – the Spanish word for hat.
• grub (slang) – food. I’m hungry, so let’s get some grub.
• in the middle of nowhere (idiom) – If something is in the middle of nowhere, it is far away from other cities or towns. This restaurant is in the middle of nowhere, but the drive is worth it!
• wicked (adverb) – very; really. She’s a wicked beautiful woman!

Extended Biography

To learn more about A Tribe Called Quest, read the biography from the Hip-Hop Smithsonian, an official partner of ESLhiphop.com!

Writing Task

Have you ever left behind and forgotten something important? How long had it been until you noticed it was missing? Did you eventually find and recover it? Please write your share your stories with us below!

The post Past Perfect and Vocabulary with ATCQ appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

All I want to do is BANG BANG BANG
And CLICK KA-CHING
And take your money

Grammar: Zero Conditional

I fly like paper. Get high like planes.
If you catch me at the border, I got visas in my name.
If you come around here, I make them all day.
I get one done in a second if you wait.

The song’s first verse has several examples of some grammar called the zero conditional. A conditional sentence usually contains the words if/when and then, and we use it to discuss the results of a situation, fact or idea. Use the zero conditional to discuss a result that is always true, such as simple, scientific facts. The result of the condition is 100% true, and the result never changes.

In order to make the zero conditional, use the simple present verb tense.

If + subject + simple present verb, subject + simple present  verb.

• If you catch me at the border, I have visas in my  name.
• If you come around here,  I make them all day.
• If you wait, I get one done in a second.

In the above examples, the IF CONDITION is first, and the result is second. In this case, use COMMAS to separate the clauses. It is also possible to write/say the result first, but you do not need a comma. 

• I get one done in a second if you wait.
• I have visas in my name if you catch me at the border.
• I make them all day if you come around here.

Vocabulary

• paper planes (noun) – a slang expression for visas, which are legal documents for entering, residing and working in foreign countries. Paper planes might also be slang for joints/spliffs, which are cigarettes rolled with marijuana.
• bona fide (adjective) – A Latin phrase that means authentic or genuine. It is always used immediately before a noun.
• hustler (noun) – a person who earns money illegally.
• bong (noun) – a water pipe that is commonly used for smoking marijuana.
• swagger (noun) – If somebody has swagger, they are very sophisticated in fashion and behavior.
• burner (noun) – an inexpensive, pre-paid mobile phone. Criminals often use these phones and then throw them away to evade the police.

Biography from the Hip Hop Smithsonian 

ESLhiphop is proud to be partners with the Hip Hop Smithsonian, which is an online, virtual museum that catalogs and preserves the birth and evolution of hip-hop. Learn more about the life and music of Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, a.k.a. M.I.A., in this exceptionally comprehensive biography. Click the picture below!

The post Zero Conditional and Vocabulary with M.I.A. appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

But every now and then, a sucker MC gets courageous
and like an epidemic it becomes contagious.
But never the least, they all R.I.P.
For all those unaware, it means Rest In Peace.

Grammar: Have Got To

So if you’re thinking about battling, you better come prepared.
Come with your shield and your armor geared.
You gots to chill.

Use have got to for necessities or obligations. Use have got to for present and future obligations, and use had to for the past.

Subject + have got to + base verb

• I’ve got to study for my test tonight. I cannot go out with you.
• You’ve got to listen to this album tomorrow. It is incredible!
• He had to leave the meeting early. He did not want to miss his flight.

Negative sentences and questions do not use ‘have got to.’ Instead, they use have to.

Subject + doesn’t/don’t/didn’t + have to + base verb.

Does/Do/Did + subject + have to + base verb? 

• I don’t have to study tomorrow. I’m free and available.
• You don’t have to listen to the album now, but check it out over the weekend.
• He didn’t have to leave the meeting early.
• Do you have to meet your friend at the airport?

Informal Grammar

There are at least two informal ways to say have got to.

GOT TO

• 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/.

GOTS TO

• I gots to pick up my friend at the airport.
• You gots to relax because you’re making me nervous!

Although most people consider gots to as very “bad” English, it is actually quite common in many communities, especially in low-income areas and neighborhoods in the United States.

Vocabulary

• get down (in. phrasal verb) – In this song, it means to have a good time, especially at a party. I’ve had such a long week, and I’m ready to get down at the bar later.
• new jack (noun) – a rookie; somebody who is inexperienced at doing something. These new jacks are so cocky!
• sweat somebody/something (verb) – to be worried about something. If you are worried and nervous, you might begin to sweat. I’ve been studying for the TOEFL for several months, so I’m not sweating it anymore.
• def (adjective) – in the 1980s and 1990s, this slang word meant cool, very good, excellent, dope, etc. Currently, this word is short for “definitely.” Can you come to the party tonight? It’s going to be def!
• rep (noun) – a slang word that is short for “reputation.” My rep is very important to me, and I will do anything to preserve it.
• diss (verb and noun) – to disrespect somebody; a disrespectful comment about somebody. The employees diss the boss all day long. Sometimes they post their disses on a private Facebook group page.
• bite (verb) – In the context of the song, it means to steal, especially lyrics. These biting MCs are not very creative or original!

Writing Task

Answer the questions below:

• What have you got to do today?
• What have you got to do this week?
• What have you got to do this month?
• What have you got to do this year?
• What have you go to do before you do?

The post Old School for New Beginners: ‘Have Got To’ and Vocabulary with EPMD appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Brooklyn, New York City, where they paint murals of Biggie.
In cash we trust because it’s ghetto fabulous. Life look pretty.

Grammar: Infinitives of Purpose

One, two, three.
Mos Def and Talib Kweli.
We came to rock it on to the tip-top.
Best alliance in hip-hop. Y-O!
I said one, two, three.
It’s kind of dangerous to be an MC.
They shot 2Pac and Biggie.
Too much violence in hip-hop. Y-O!

An infinitive is the simple form of the verb, and it usually goes with to. For example:

• to eat
• to sleep
• to see

There are complex rules and many uses of infinitives, but we often use them to explain a person’s purpose, or why he or she does something. Consider these examples:

He’s going to San Francisco to learn English.

• What is he doing? He’s going.
  
• Where is he going? He’s going to San Francisco.
• Why is he going to San Francisco? To learn English. He’s going to San Francisco to learn English.

She’s leaving her apartment to meet her friend.

• What is she doing? She’s leaving.
• What is she leaving? She’s leaving her apartment.
• Why is she leaving her apartment? To meet her friend. She’s leaving her apartment to meet her friend.

Formal Writing and Describing Other People

To sound more formal and academic, you can also use in order (not) or so as (not) with the infinitive.

• He’s going to San Francisco in order to earn English.
• She’s leaving her apartment so as to meet her friend.

If you want to describe a purpose for another person, you can use for with the infinitive.

• I hid the key to my apartment under the flowers for you to get in. 
  
• My father left his car for me to wash.
• She left the package for the intern to deliver.

Writing Task

Nearly 2 billion people are learning English right now. They all have different reasons for learning English. Why are you studying English? Please tell us in the comments below!

The post Infinitives of Purpose with Black Star appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Hieroglyphics.
Hip-hop is vintage.
Underground like silos
launching long-range ballistics.
World-renowned. We ground-breaking.
Musical boundaries.
Running circles around emcees.

Grammar: ‘Until’ and ‘By’

You’re making some green?
But not for glamour or fashion.
I’m stacking cash until I can get Moms a mansion.

Until is a common preposition of time, and we use it to express actions that continue to a point in time and stop. Use “until” with the past, present and future.

• I am 27 years old. I lived with my parents until I was 18. Therefore, I moved out of my parents house nine years ago.
• He’s working until 9 pm tonight, so I imagine he’ll be very tired.
• My boss from work will be unavailable until next week, so I can’t ask her for a raise right now.

Many people shorten “until” into ’til or ’till.

A commonly confused preposition of time is by. This word means no later than or before.

• My professor wants my essay by 5pm today.  It’s 2pm right now, so I only have three hours to write it. Can you drive me to the library?!
• The flight has been delayed a few hours, but we should be boarding by 9pm. It’s 6pm right now, so I don’t think we have enough time to leave the ariport to play golf.

The post Grammar with Hieroglyphics 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.

If you were worried about where
I been or who I saw or
What club I went to with my homies
Baby, don’t worry. You know that you got me

Grammar: Introduction to Relative Clauses

First of all, what is a relative clause? Relative clauses (sometimes called adjective clauses) occur after nouns. They give more information about the noun. For example:

• The girl is pretty. She is dancing with your brother. The girl who is dancing with you brother is pretty.
• Let’s watch the scary movie. The scary movie was made in France. Let’s watch the scary movie that was made in France. 
• We invited people to the party. Most of them did not arrive to the party. Most of the people that were invited to the party did not arrive.

All relative clauses begin with a pronoun such as:

• who – refers to people; can refer to subject or object.
  • She is the teacher who helped my brother.
  • The man who is swimming in the lake is my best friend.
  • She is the girl who I saw at the concert last night. (Refers to object and is informal)
• whom – refers to people; very formal; people only
  • He is the man whom we met at the party last night.
  • She is the girl whom I saw at the concert last night.
  • They are the people with whom we had a fight.
• that – refers to people or things
  • He is the man that looks like Tom Cruise.
  • I am reading a book that all students should read.
  • The Roots are a hip-hop group that deserves more recognition and respect.
• which – refers to only things
  • Can you show me the sentences which are difficult to translate?
  • Is this the car which you want to buy?

What noun does the relative clause refer to? Is that noun the subject of the clause? If yes, then: Noun + who/that/which/where/what + verb 

What noun does the relative clause refer to? Is that noun the object of the clause? If yes, then: Noun + who/whom/that/which/where/what + subject + verb

Reduced Relative Clauses

Somebody told me that this planet was small.
We used to live in the same building on the same floor
and never met before
until I’m overseas on tour
and peeped this Ethiopian queen from Philly
taking classes abroad.

In a reduced relative clause, a particple verb (~ing verb or past participle) is used instead of the pronoun and full verb. In other words, omit the relative pronoun (who/whom/what/which) and auxiliary verb.

• The man who is swimming in the lake is my friend. The man swimming in the lake is my friend.
• I peeped this Ethiopian queen from Philly who was taking classes abroad. I peeped this Ethiopian queen from Philly taking classes abroad.
• Most of the people that were invited to the party didn’t come. Most of the people invited to the party didn’t come.

Reduced relative clauses work really well with passive voice, present progressive and past progressive verb tenses.

The post Reduced Relative Clauses with The Roots appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.