Hip and hop is more than music.
Hip is the knowledge. Hop is the movement.
Hip and hop is intelligent movement
Or relevant movement.

Comparative Adjectives

Every year I get newer.
I’m the dust on the moon.
I’m the trash in the sewer. Let’s go.
I come back.
Every year I get brighter.
If you think hip-hop is alive hold up your lighter.

Use comparative adjectives when you want to compare two people, places or things. Comparative adjectives describe the differences between nouns.

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add r or er.

• old – older
• fast – faster
• late – later
• nice – nicer
• big – bigger
  • If the adjective ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant, then double the final consonant.

If the adjective has two syllables AND ends with ~y, then omit ‘y’ and add ~ier.

• pretty – prettier
• happy – happier
• busy – busier

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, add more and do not add ~er.

• modern – more modern
• expensive – more expensive
• beautiful – more beautiful

Some adjectives are irregular and have special comparative forms. You must memorize these special irregular adjectives.

• good – better
• bad – worse
• far – farther
• more

Superlative Adjectives

I come back.
Every year I’m the strongest.
KRS, Marley Marl.
Yup, we last the longest. Let’s go.

Use superlative adjectives when you want to compare three or more people places or things.

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add ~st or ~est

• old – older – oldest
• fast – faster – fastest
• late – later – latest
• nice – nicer- nicest
• big – bigger – biggest

If the adjective has two syllables AND ends with ~y, then omit Y and add ~est.

• pretty – prettier – prettiest
• happy – happier – happiest
• busy – busier – busiest

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, add most and do not add ~est.

• modern – more modern – most modern
• expensive – more expensive – most expensive
• beautiful – more beautiful – most beautiful

Some adjectives are irregular and have special forms. You must memorize these special irregular adjectives.

• good – better – best
• bad – worse – worst
• far – farther – farthest
• more – most

Writing Task

Let’s talk about the best things in the world. Answer the following questions and explain why:

• Who is the best hip-hop artist?
• What is the best city in the world?
• What is your least favorite thing to do?
• Where can you buy the most delicious food?
• Who is the funniest person alive?

The post Comparative and Superlative Adjectives with KRS-One appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

I don’t want to live no more.
Sometimes I hear death knocking at my front door.
I’m living every day like a hustle.
Another drug to juggle. Another day. Another struggle.

Grammar: no more

No more is an adjective. Use no more with nouns to talk about quantity.

no more + noun

• There is no more bread in the pantry. We don’t have any bread. 
• There are no more tickets for the concert. They are sold out.
• I have no more energy. I cannot work now.

Tip: Use no more with positive verbs only. Use any more with negative verbs.

• There isn’t no more bread. There isn’t any more bread.
• There aren’t no more tickets. There aren’t any more tickets.
• I don’t have no more energy. I don’t have any more energy.

Grammar: any more & anymore

Any more is an adverb that means an action has stopped. Use any more at the end of negative sentences.

Subject + verb + not + any more. 

• She doesn’t smoke any more. She used to smoke. 
  
• He doesn’t live in New York any more. He moved to Chicago last month.
• She doesn’t love him any more. The romance has died.

It is becoming acceptable in American English to write anymore as one word.

In informal speech, especially hip-hop music, people say no more instead of any more. 

• I don’t want to live no more. = I don’t want to live any more. Same meaning.

Vocabulary

• hustle (verb) – selling something or making money illegally. He cannot get a legitimate job because he is always hustling on the street corner.
  • also a noun. What hustle do you have going on? 
• struggle (noun) – something that is difficult to do or achieve. It was a real struggle to stay awake during the movie. It was so boring!
  • also a verb. He struggled to stay awake during the movie.
• wake up (phrasal verb) – to finish sleeping and become awake. I can’t go to the party tonight because I have to wake up very early tomorrow. 
• broke (adjective) – to have no money. I am so broke right now, so I shouldn’t go out to the bar tonight. 
  • broke as hell = very broke
• mad (adverb) – very; really. It’s mad hot today. The sun is cooking me!
• kick out (phrasal verb) – to make somebody leave or go away. My roommate never paid rent, so I had to kick him out. 
• pack up (phrasal verb) – to stop doing something; to put your things in a bag before leaving a place. We were late to the concert. The DJs were packing up the sound equipment when we arrived. 
  
• take over (phrasal verb) – to begin to control or take responsibility for something, especially in place of someone else.
• snitch (verb) – to tell a parent, teacher, boss, etc. about something wrong another person has done. I can’t believe that she snitched on her colleague. 
  • also a noun. I don’t want to invite that nasally snitch to the BBQ! 

Discussion Questions

Have you ever had struggles? Have you ever been broke? Do you still have struggles today? If you or your friends are struggling, what do you do to get by? What gives you strength to live another day? Please write your comments below!

The post Learn Adverbs and Vocabulary with The Notorious B.I.G. appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

It’s bigger than hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop, hip
It’s bigger than hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop, hip-hop

Grammar: Making Comparative Adjectives

Use comparative adjectives when you want to compare two people, places or things. Comparative adjectives describe the differences between nouns.

For most adjectives with one syllable, simply add r or er. 

• old – older
• fast – faster
• late – later
• nice – nicer
• big – bigger
  • If the adjective ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant, then double the final consonant.

If the adjective has two syllables AND ends with ~y, then omit ‘y’ and add ~ier.

• pretty – prettier
• happy – happier
• busy – busier

For most adjectives with two or more syllables, add ‘more‘ and do not add ~er.

• modern – more modern
• expensive – more expensive
• beautiful – more beautiful

Some adjectives are irregular and have special comparative forms. You must memorize these special irregular adjectives.

• good – better
• bad – worse
• far – farther
• has/have + more

Using Comparative Adjectives

If you want to compare two people, places or things, use the comparative adjective and than. 

Subject + Verb + Comparative Adjective + Than + Noun

• East coast hip-hop is better than west coast hip-hop. I enjoy east coast hip-hop more than the west coast. 
  
• Lil Wayne is older than  Drake. Lil Wayne was born in 1982, and Drake was born in 1986.
• The Notorious B.I.G. was fatter than 2Pac. 2Pac was very athletic and  fit, and the Notorious B.I.G. always wore size XL. 
• Twista is faster than Snopp Dogg. It’s true. Snopp Dogg is a slow and chill rapper, but Twista is very fast! 
  
• N.W.A. was more violent than De La Soul. N.W.A. often rapped about the violence of inner city life in Los Angeles. De La Soul did not rap about the violence of inner city life. 

 Writing Task

Below are 2Pac (left) and Biggie Smalls (right). Describe the artists using comparative adjectives. Write 3-5 sentences in the comments below! 

The post Comparative Adjectives with Dead Prez appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.