Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo from Long Island, New York. The group was composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim, and they are considered by aficionados as one of hip-hop’s greatest pairs. They rose to fame during the “Golden Age” of hip-hop, which covered the late 1980s to early 1990s. Eric B is known for his unique scratching and sampling, and he especially loved sampling James Brown. Don’t Sweat the Technique is the group’s fourth and final album together, and the title track was a minor hit on the radio in 1992.
In “Don’t Sweat the Technique”, Rakim is warning other rappers not to copy his musical style because he will make them look foolish.
I made my debut in ’86
With a melody and a president’s mix.
And now I stay on target and refuse to miss.
And I still make hits
With beats, parties, clubs, in the cars and jeeps.
My underground sound vibrates the streets.
MCs wanna beef then I play for keeps
When they sweat the technique.
Grammar: Time Prepositions
Use at, in and on to express time in English.
Use at for precise time
- at 5 o’clock
- at 7:30pm
- at noon
- at midnight
- at the moment
Use in for months, years and centuries
- in 1986
- in April
- in June 2012
- in summer/winter/fall/spring
- in the 1970s
Use on for days and dates
- On Monday, Tuesday, etc
- On Mondays, Tuesdays, etc. (every Monday, every Tuesday, etc.)
- On March 6 (American Date)
- On 6 March (International Date)
- on December 25, 2010
- on his birthday
Example Sentences
- I will meet you at 3.
- She goes to sleep at midnight.
- My boss isn’t here at the moment because she is at a conference.
- Rakim made his debut in 1986.
- California weather is always hot in July.
- My parents grew up in the 1960s.
- We don’t have to work on Monday because of the holiday.
- He calls his parents on Sundays.
Other Time Expressions
- at night
- at the same time
- at this time
- in the morning / in the mornings
- in the afternoon / in the afternoons
- in the evening / in the evenings
- in a while (soon in the future)
- on Tuesday morning / on Tuesday mornings
- on Wednesday afternoon / on Wednesday afternoons
- on Friday evening / on Friday evenings
- on the weekend / on the weekends
And in a while the style€™ll have much more value
Classical too intelligent to be radical
Masterful, never irrelevant. Mathematical
Vocabulary
- Don’t sweat it! (expression) – used to tell someone to stop worrying about something. I know you are nervous around women, but don’t sweat it! Just relax and enjoy the party.
- on target (adjective) – focused; making progress towards a goal. Her hard work is paying off. If she keeps studying hard, she’s on target to become a doctor!
- for keeps (idiom) – forever. This car is my gift to you. It’s yours for keeps!
- deep (adjective) – showing great knowledge or understanding; philosophical thoughts; strongly emotional. This rapper is so smart and poetic, and his songs are so deep! I understand everything he’s singing about.
- brand new (adjective) – very new; completely new. My friend won a brand new car at the casino. He’s so lucky.
Discussion Questions
What is your daily schedule like? What do you normally do in the mornings and afternoons? What do you like to do on the weekends? Do you have any special future plans, such as a vacation? When are you planning to take your next trip? Please write your comments below!