Kurtis Blow is the first commercially successful rapper and the first to sign with a major record label. “The Breaks“, a single from his 1980 debut album, is the first certified gold record rap song (taken verbatim from Wikipedia). “The Breaks” is a song about bad luck and misfortune. Everybody has ups and downs in life, and when we are experiencing difficult […]
Picture Dictionary: Learn Christmas Vocabulary with Run-D.M.C.
Run€“D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York, founded in 1981 by Joseph “Run” Simmons, Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels, and Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell. The group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture. Run€“D.M.C. was one of the most well-known hip hop acts in the 1980s who, along with LL Cool […]
Hip-Hop for Beginners: Morning Routines with Slick Rick
“La Di Da Di” is a hit rap song performed by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick. It was originally released in 1985 as the B-side to “The Show“. The song has since gained a reputation as an early hip hop classic, and has been sampled or referenced in numerous other hip hop songs since its release. The song describes an eventful day in the life of […]
2Pac Fridays: Brenda’s Got a Baby
“Brenda’s Got A Baby” is the solo debut single by Tupac Shakur, and the tenth track from his debut album 2Pacalypse Now. The song, which features R&B singer Dave Hollister, is about a twelve year-old girl named Brenda who lives in a ghetto, has a baby, and is incapable of supporting it. The song explores the issue of teen pregnancy and its effect on […]
Learn English Vocabulary with The Lonely Island
The Lonely Island is an American comedy group with members Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, and Andy Samberg, best known for their musical comedy. Originally from Berkeley, California, the group is currently based in New York City. The group became famous due to their collective work from 2005 to 2011 on Saturday Night Live, featuring Samberg as a cast member and Taccone […]
Learn English Phrasal Verbs with Atmosphere
Learn 16 new English idioms and phrasal verbs with one of America’s best Midwest hip-hop groups. Atmosphere is an American hip-hop duo currently consisting of rapper Slug and DJ Ant. The group formed in 1989 and has released six studio albums and ten EPs. Slug’s lyrics are usually metaphorical and autobiographical, and he often uses […]
Idioms and Vocabulary with Pete Rock & CL Smooth
Pete Rock and CL Smooth are a hip-hop duo from Mount Vernon, New York, which is a small city outside of New York City. They released their debut album, Mecca and the Soul Brother, in 1992 and released The Main Ingredient two years later. In “T.R.O.Y.” they pay respects and honor their deceased friend, Troy ‘Double T-Roy’ […]
13 Words about Justice with Slick Rick
Slick Rick, also known as Rick the Ruler, is a Grammy-nominated rapper from England. He started his career in 1983 during the Golden Age of hip-hop, and he joined Doug E Fresh’s Get Fresh Crew early in his career. Slick Rick is known for his narrative songs, and he is considered hip-hop’s best storyteller. In […]
Learn 10 New Words with Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco is a rapper, record producer and entrepreneur from Chicago, Illinois. He disliked hip-hop music in his early life because he thought it was too negative and vulgar, but he eventually developed an interest and joined a group when he was 19 years old. In “Around My Way” Lupe Fiasco offers his criticism of materialism, the […]
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 […]