“Paper Planes” is a song by British musician M.I.A. from her second studio album, Kala (2007). The song ignited wide acclaim upon its release, and contemporary critics complimented the musical direction as well as the subversive, unconventional subject matter of the piece, citing its chorus and lyrical humor in the promotion of globalization. The single peaked in the Top 20 in […]
Grammar with Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics are an American underground hip hop collective based in Oakland, California. The collective was founded in the early-1990s by rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien. The collective is currently composed of rappers Del the Funky Homosapien, Casual, Pep Love, producer/manager Domino, DJ Toure, and the four individual members of the rap group Souls of Mischief: Phesto, A-Plus, Opio, and Tajai. The Hieroglyphics combine fundamentally sound deliveries and lyrical content with original and sometimes jazzy or funky beats and samples. Since their inception, Hieroglyphics […]
Learn English Grammar: Possessive Pronouns with Nas
“The World Is Yours” is the third single from Nas‘s debut album Illmatic, released a month after the album. It is considered by some music critics one of the greatest hip-hop songs ever recorded. The song was produced by Pete Rock€”who also sings the song’s chorus€”and samples “I Love Music” by Ahmad Jamal and “It’s Yours” by T La Rock. A remix of […]
Learn English Grammar with Mobb Deep: by & until
“Survival of the Fittest” is the second single from Mobb Deep‘s The Infamous album. The song was the duo’s second hit single from the album, following “Shook Ones Pt. II“. The track peaked at #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and hit the Top 10 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The song is similar to “Shook Ones Pt. II” in […]
Learn English Grammar: Possessive Pronouns with Black Sheep
Black Sheep is a hip hop duo from Queens, New York, composed of Andres “Dres” Titus and William “Mista Lawnge” McLean. The duo is from New York but met as teenagers in North Carolina, where both of their families relocated. The group was an affiliate of the Native Tongues, which included the Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul. After getting together in 1989, […]
Learn English: Past Habits with Zion I & Grouch
Corey Scoffern, better known by his stage name The Grouch, is an American rapper and producer based in Maui, Hawaii. He is a founding member of Living Legends, an underground hip-hop collective based in Los Angeles, California. The Grouch collaborated with many artists including Zion I, a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp’s futuristic production techniques, using a […]
Time Prepositions and Vocabulary with Eric B. & Rakim
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 […]
Modal Verb ‘Can’ with Sir Mix-a-Lot
Sir Mix-a-Lot is one of the most fun-loving and energetic producers. He is based in Seattle, Washington, and he formed the Nastymix Record Label with DJ Nasty Nes. He is most well known for his Grammy award-winning single “Baby Got Back”, which was released in 1992. In this song, Sir Mix-a-Lot describes his obsession with women’s […]
Comparative Adjectives with Dead Prez
Dead Prez is a hip-hop duo from New York City, and its members are stic.man and M-1. They are known for their aggressive and confrontational style, and their lyrics focus on socialism, social justice and Pan-Africanism, which is an ideology that encourages unity of all Africans worldwide. Dead Prez is particularly critical of corporate-controlled media, and they […]
Be Going To & Vocabulary with Bone Thugs n Harmony
Bone Thugs n Harmony is a Grammy award-winning group from Cleveland, Ohio. The group consists of five members: Layzie Bone, Flesh-n-Bone, Bizzy Bone, Krayzie Bone and Wish Bone. Easy-E, former member of N.W.A., discovered and signed the group to Ruthless Records in 1993. Four years later, Easy-E passed away from AIDS, and Bone Thugs n […]