Live from the other side what you see
A bunch of nonsense on my TV
Heaven on Earth is what I need
But I feel I’m in Hell every time I breathe
Reporting live from the other side what you hear
A bunch of nonsense all in my ear
Rich man, poor man, we all got to pay
‘Cause freedom ain’t free, especially ’round my way

Vocabulary

• peace (noun) – a time of no war or violence. Lupe Fiasco wants more peace to the teachers of blind kids. In other words, he praises teachers who are socially responsible.
  • peaceful is an adjective
  • peacefully is an adverb
• rebel (noun) – a person who refuses to accept the government’s power and uses force to oppose it. The government is trying to negotiate with the rebels.
  • rebel /REbəl/ – noun, person
  • rebel /rəBEL/ – verb, same spelling as noun but different pronunciation
  • rebellion – Also a noun, but a rebellion is an event and not a person
• racism (noun) – the belief that some races are better than others; the unfair treatment of people because of their race. Even in 2013, racism still exists in many developed countries. 
  • race is a noun
  • racist is also a noun
• corporate (adjective) – an organization or business that is a separate entity from the people who run and operate it. The corporate bailout is one of the reasons why the rebels are protesting.
  • corporation is a noun
• nonsense (noun) – foolish words or actions. Lupe Fiasco does not trust the mass media in America because he notices a lot of nonsense on TV.
  • nonsensical is an adjective
• freedom (noun) – not being in prison or not being a slave; able to do something without limits or restrictions. Many people argue that American freedom of speech has limits and restrictions.
  • free is a verb and adjective
  • freely is an adverb
• marvel (verb) – to show or experience great surprise or admiration. Many tourists marvel at the sight of the New York City. It is the true concrete jungle!
• protest (verb) – to express disagreement or opposition to something by strongly complaining about it. The students have been protesting the rise in tuition. 
  • protest /prəTEST/ – verb
  • protest /PROtest/ – noun
• truth (noun) – the actual facts about something. It is nearly impossible to get the complete truth in mainstream media, such as TV and newspapers. There is too much bias.
  • true is an adjective
  • trustworthy is also an adjective
• poverty (noun) – being poor. Many wealthy and developed countries still have poverty, especially with the increase of unemployment.
  • poverty line is a noun
  • poverty-stricken is an adjective

Famous Sample

“Around My Way” samples Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth’s classic song “T.R.O.Y.” Initially the hip-hop duo were unhappy that Lupe Fiasco sampled their song, but they eventually got over it.

Discussion Questions

Does society have many problems? What are the biggest problems that society faces? Do you trust the journalism and mainstream media in your country? Why or why not? What will you do to improve society? Is it possible to end all poverty and give freedom to everyone? Please write your comments below!

The post Learn 10 New Words with Lupe Fiasco appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

You know very well who you are
Don’t let them hold you down. Reach for the stars
You had a goal, but not that many
‘Cause you’re the only one. I’ll give you good and plenty

Grammar: past habits with ‘used to’

Before Biggie Smalls became very successful and wealthy, he was very poor and had a rough life. Biggie Smalls celebrates his rags-to-riches story, and he compares his old life with his new, more luxurious life. 

It was all a dream. I used to read Word Up Magazine.

Born sinner. The opposite of a winner. Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner.

Girls used to diss me. Now they write letters ’cause they miss me.

We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us. No heat. Wonder why Christmas missed us.

Used to implies a past habit or recurring action. If you used to smoke cigarettes, it means you have smoked many cigarettes in the past, but you do not smoke anymore. If you have smoked only one cigarette in your entire life, you didn’t use to smoke because one cigarette is not a habit.

Subject + used to + base verb

Subject + didn’t use to + base verb

Did + subject + use to + base verb?

• I used to read Word Up Magazine. Biggie Smalls read Word Up Magazine for inspiration. After he became famous and wealthy, he stopped reading it. 
• I used to eat sardines for dinner. Sardines are very cheap and inexpensive fish. When Biggie was poor, he often ate sardines. He ate lobster and drank champagne when he became successful.
• Girls used to diss me. When Biggie Smalls was poor, girls did not like him. They disrespected him. After Biggie Smalls got a lot of money and fame, girls and women adored him. 
  
• We used to fuss when the landlord dissed us. Biggie and his family complained many times after the landlord dissed them. Not anymore. 

Pronunciation of ‘used to’

Many Americans pronounce used to like /justə/

Common Error: ‘used to’ & ‘be used to’

Used to is for habitual actions in the past. Be used to means something is familiar and you are accustomed to it. 

I was used to packing gats and stuff.

Subject + be verb + used to + noun
Subject + be verb + not + used to + noun

Subject + be verb + used to + ~ing verb
Subject + be verb + not + used to + ~ing verb

• I was used to packing gats and stuff. I was familiar and comfortable with guns, but I am not accustomed to guns now.  
• I am used to waking up very early in the morning. I have woken up early many times. In the beginning, it was difficult to wake up early. Now, it easier to wake up early. 
• She is not used to listening to hip-hop music. She usually listens to R&B and rock. Hip-hop music is too fast, and she is not familiar with it. 

What is the secret to success? How can we become successful? What are your dreams and your goals? How long will it take to reach your dreams and accomplish your goals? Did your life use to be difficult? How is it better now? Please write your comments below!

The post Become Fluent and Learn Grammar with The Notorious B.I.G. appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Woop-woop. That’s the sound of the police
Woop-woop. That’s the sound of the beast

-KRS-One “Sound of da Police”

beast (noun) – a large and wild animal

Demonstrative Pronouns 

Demonstrative pronouns represent things. There are four demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, those.

This and that are singular pronouns. They represent singular nouns.

• This is a book. Only one book.
  
• That is a rapper. Only one rapper. 
• That’s = That is
  • That’s the sound of the police.
  • That’s the sound of the beast.

These and those are plural pronouns. They represent plural nouns.

• These are books. Many books. 
• Those are rappers. They are the Wu-Tang Clan. Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, RZA, GZA…. Many rappers. 

This and these represent things that are near and very close. That and those represent things that are far away.

Vocabulary

“Sound of da Police” is a protest song against discrimination and violence against the African American community. KRS-One directs his criticism to the NYPD, the New York Police Department.

• officer (countable noun) – a member of the police; a police officer. Most police officers wear blue or black uniforms.
• justice (uncountable noun) – fairness; equal treatment. Justice is an ideal in society, but many people do not have justice. 
• laws (plural noun) – the rules of a country or government. You must follow the laws and not break them.
• criminal (countable noun) – a person who has committed a crime and broken the law. Criminals are looked down on by society.
• peace (uncountable noun) – freedom from war and violence. Some people think that peace is impossible to attain.
• equality (uncountable noun) – social groups having the same rights and fair treatment. Martin Luther King, Jr. fought for equality for all men. 
• arrest (verb) – If the police arrest you, they take you away to ask about a crime. The high number of arrests for African Americans  suggests inequality.
• deal with (phrasal verb) – to take action in order to solve a problem; to tolerate something obnoxious and uncomfortable. A lot of people have to deal with racism and discrimination. 

Discuss and Write

Do the police discriminate in your country? Have you ever experienced inequality or discrimination? Do you think 100% equality for all men and women is possible? Please write your comments below.

The post Level 1 Lesson 6: This, That, These, Those appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Went to Carvel to get a milkshake
This honey ripped me off for all my loot cakes
The car, oh yeah, there’s money in my jacket
Somebody broke into my ride and cold macked it

Problems, problems, problems. Woe is me I’m having
problems, problems, problems.

Phife Dawg starts his day by going to Carvel, which is a store that sells ice cream and other desserts. He notices that he does not have any money, so he returns to his car. He remembers that he has money in his jacket. When he opens his door, he finds that somebody stole his money. This is the beginning of his day, and it gets worse and worse.

Here are the most important idioms to understand in the song.

• rip off, rip me off, rip you off, etc. (verb) – to scam or steal . If a criminal ripped you off, they stole your money or valuables. 
• break into (verb) – to force your way into something, like an apartment or a car. Many criminals break into homes and cars by breaking the windows.
• get caught up in (verb) – to become involved in something unwanted. Nobody wants to get ripped off or have an apartment broken into. It is very inconvenient and such a hassle to get caught up in something like that.
• throw a fit (verb) – to become very angry suddenly. I saw a very angry child in a store yesterday. The child was throwing a fit because his mother would not buy him candy.
• can’t take (verb) – unable to tolerate and endure problems. A lot of people can’t take stress well. Some people get physically ill or very angry when they have too much stress. Many people say:
  • I can’t take this! I can’t take this anymore!
  • I’ve had enough!
• stand someone up (verb) – to fail to meet somebody. My friend and I made plans to meet at a coffee shop at 3pm. I arrived at the coffee shop and waited… and waited… and waited for him. He never came! He stood me up.
• stressed out (adjective) – worried and nervous. If you have many problems, you might feel stressed out.

Have you ever had a bad day? Have you ever felt stressed out? What happened to you, and how did you deal with the problem? Did you throw a fit? Have you ever gotten caught up in a crime and gotten ripped off? Please write your comments below!

The post 7 Idioms about Bad Days in “8 Million Stories” appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.