De La Soul offers a serious criticism of the music industry and the state of the world in their 1996 single “Stakes is High”. This song was released during the violent East-West hip-hop feud of the mid 1990s.

The instamatic focal point bringing damage to your boroughs.
Be some brothers from the east with some beats that be thorough.
Got the solar gravitation, so I’m bound to pull it.
I gets down like brothers are found ducking from bullets.
Gun control means using both hands in my land
Where it’s all about the cautious living.

Grammar Note

The title is Stakes is High, which is not Standard American English. This title is written in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), which is an American dialect common in many rap songs. AAVE  is not incorrect or inferior, but it is generally unacceptable to use it in academic or business situations. 

Vocabulary

• The stakes are high (expression) – something that you risk losing when you try to make a prediction; when you are involved in something that can succeed or fail, then the stakes are high. Many students are taking the TOEFL, and the stakes are high!
  
• gun control (noun) – laws that restrict the sales and use of guns, firearms and ammunition. Many people believe that more gun control will prevent violence, but the government should also support mental health professionals.
  
• cautious (adjective) – being careful, especially in order to avoid danger or mistakes; not taking risks. You should be very cautious when you drive at night.
• work out something (phrasal verb) – to think about something until you understand it. I need to work out my vacation plans. I haven’t even bought my flight tickets yet.
  • also, figure out something
• take offence (phrase) – to feel upset or insulted. Do you think the host will take offence if I leave the party early?
• against the law (adjective) – illegal. Downloading bootleg movies is against the law, but many people do it every day.
• piece of the pie (idiom) – a share of the profits. If you become my business partner, you will get a big piece of the pie.

 Discussion Questions

Have you ever taken a risk or done something when the stakes were high? What risks have you taken in your life? Is life a big gamble? In life, is it more important to be cautious or to take risks? Please write your comments below!

The post Learn English Vocabulary with De La Soul appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

That’s how we usually start. Once again it’s The Thought.
The Dali Lama of the mic. The Prime Minister Thought.
This directed to whoever in listening range.
Yo! The whole state of things in the world about to change.
Black rain falling from the sky look strange.
The ghetto is red hot. We stepping on flames.

Yo! It’s inflation on the price for fame.
And it was all the same, but then the antidote came.
The Black Thought, ill syllablist, out the Fifth.
This heavyweight rap shit I‘m about to lift.
Like a phyllum lift up its seed to sunlight.
I plug in the mic. Draw like a gunfight.
I never use a cordless or stand applaudless.
Sipping cholorophyll out of ill silver goblets.

Grammar: Be About To

If you are about to do something, it means you are close to doing something or you are going to do something soon.

Subject + am/is/are/was/were + about to + verb

Am/Is/Are/Was/Were + subject + about to + verb?

Wh~ Am/Is/Are/Was/Were + subject + about to + verb?

• I can’t talk right now because I am about to leave. If I don’t leave in one minute, I’m going to be late!
  
• You look like you are about to pass out from this hot weather. Let me get you some water very quickly!
  
• Are you about to eat that sandwich? I’m really hungry, and it would be great if you shared.
• Is she about to throw up? Tell her to run to the toilet!

Not About To Do Something

A similar idiom is not about to do something, and it has a different meaning! It means you are unwilling to do something or you do not intend to do something. Avoid using this idiom in questions. 

Subject + am/is/are/was/were + not  about to + verb

• I have never smoked cigarettes in my life, and I am not about to start smoking now!
• He has to study tonight. He is not about to go out with us because he has a big test tomorrow.

Discussion Questions

You are reading and learning English right now, but maybe you are leaving the apartment or cafe in a few minutes. What are you about to do? Why are you about to do that? Please write your comments below!

The post English Grammar: ‘Be About To’ with The Roots appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

I was listening to KRS-One’s classic “Sound of Da Police”, and I thought the lyrics would be perfect for sound discrimination, which is an activity to help students differentiate two or more consonant and vowel sounds. In this song, students can listen for and differentiate the voiced and unvoiced labiodental fricatives — that’s /f/ and /v/ in IPA. Many languages do not have an equivalent to /f/ and /v/, and you probably have students who struggle to pronounce them correctly. This list is not comprehensive, but here are some L1 groups who might benefit from /f/ and /v/ sound discrimination activities:

• The German and Dutch languages do not have /v/ at the end of words.
  
• Spanish speakers sometimes mix up /b/ and /v/.
• Arabic speakers usually pronounce /v/ like /f/.
• Turkish speakers tend to confuse /w/ and /v/. 
• Korean, Malay/Indonesian and Thai do not have /f/. It is usually substituted with /p/.
• Korean, Malay/Indonesian, Thai, Japanese and most Chinese dialects do not have /v/. 

Using Sound Discrimination

• Level: All Levels
  
• Time: 15-20 minutes
• Activity: Listening
• Activity Aim: 
  • differentiating between /f/ and /v/
• Materials:
  • Music video for “Sound of Da Police”
  • Gap Fill Worksheet

Procedures

1. Write police on the board, and ask students to think of as many collocations in pairs. Some possibilities include police car, police station, traffic police, police officer. Check work as a whole class and write ideas on the board.
2. Drill the pronunciation of officer several times and ask students how many syllables it has. Three syllables. 
3. Write the word overseer on the board ask ask students how many syllables it has. Four syllables. Drill the pronunciation of this word several times. Show the mechanics of the mouth by pointing to yourself. Exaggerate the movements and show them how to tuck their lips behind the front teeth to produce /f/ and /v/ sounds.
4. This stage is optional and you may decide to skip over it, but perhaps you might want explain that an overseer is a person who makes sure that people work. Explain that this word is old-fashioned and usually refers to American slave owners.
5. Tell students that they will listen to the song twice. For the first listening, student simply have to write the number of times they heard officer and overseer. Have them check their answers in small groups and then report back as a whole class.
6. Give students gap fill worksheet. They will listen to the song a second time and write either officer or overseer in the blanks. Have them check work in pairs and perhaps play the song again if time permits.

Discussion Questions

What vowel and consonant sounds are difficult for your students? Have you ever tried minimal pair or sound discrimination tasks in your lessons? What are some possible follow ups to an activity such as this one? Please write your comments below!

The post Teacher Resource: Sound Discrimination with KRS-One appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

This morning, I woke up
Feeling brand new. I jumped up.
Feeling my highs and my lows
In my soul and my goals
Just to stop smoking and stop drinking.
I’ve been thinking. I’ve got my reasons
Just to get by, just to get by
Just to get by, just to get by

Grammar: Stop + Gerund / Infinitive

A gerund is a noun in the form of the present participle (~ing).

• reading
• sleeping
• writing

An infinitive is the basic form of the verb with to.

• to read
  
• to sleep
• to write

Some verbs are followed only by gerunds, and other verbs are followed only by infinitives. On the other hand, some verbs can be followed by both.

• He enjoys reading new books. He enjoys to read new books.
• I want to study Spanish. I want studying Spanish.
• She likes to listen to hip-hop. She likes listening to hip-hop. Both are correct.

The verb stop can be followed by the gerund and infinitive, but they have different meanings!

stop + gerund – to stop an action, habit or task

stop + infinitive – to stop one action in order to start something different

• I stopped smoking 5 years ago. I used to smoke cigarettes, and I don’t smoke anymore.
• I stopped to smoke a cigarette.  I was studying for a test, and I needed to take a break. I stopped studying in order to have a cigarette.
• I want you to stop drinking. Your alcoholism is a problem, and everyone wants you to quit. You should never drink again.
• Let’s stop somewhere to have a drink. I want to stop walking and gave my sore feet a break!
• You should stop playing video games. You have a test tomorrow morning.
• I need to stop exercising to drink water.

Vocabulary

• the crack of dawn (idiom) – very early in the morning. I have to stop watching TV now because I have to wake up at the crack of dawn.
• break your back (idiom) – to work very hard and for a long time, especially manual labor. Your mother and father break their backs every day to put food on the table. You should help them by doing your chores!
• get by (phrasal verb) – to manage to live or do something with the money, knowledge and skills you already have. My wife and I don’t make a lot of money, but we get by comfortably on our small salaries.
• a piece of the pie (idiom) – a share of money, profits, etc. If you help me sell these magazine, I will give you a piece of the pie.
  • also a slice of the pie or share of the pie
• Do or die! (expression) – Something to say when you need great determination. I cannot try to pass the TOEFL and hope to do well. I must study very hard every day. There are no attempts. Do or die!
• brand new (adjective) – completely new. She bought me a brand new computer! 

Discussion Questions

Did you use to have bad habits? Have you stopped doing them yet? If your friend needed help to stop smoking cigarettes, what would you do? Have you taken a break today? Have you stopped work to do something else? Please write your comments below!

The post Learn English: The Verb ‘Stop’ with Talib Kweli 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 the hard knock life for us
It’s the hard knock life for us!
Instead of treated, we get tricked
Instead of kisses, we get kicked
It’s the hard knock life!

Vocabulary: Rags to Riches

• hard knock life / school of hard knocks (phrase) – a difficult life, usually surrounded in poverty and crime. Jay-Z comes from the school of hard knocks. His songs are geniune, and he actually experienced everything he sings about.
  
• from rags to riches (idiom) – from being extremely poor to being extremely rich. Jay-Z went from rags to riches. He grew up in some tough neighborhoods in Brooklyn, but now he’s very wealthy and doesn’t have the same problems.
• the hottest (superlative adjective) – the coolest; the best. Jay-Z used to stand on the street corner selling drugs, but now he is driving some of the hottest cars in New York.
• dope (slang, noun) – illegal drugs, especially narcotics. Jay-Z used to have a gun when he waited in the dope spot. Problems occurred all the time on the streets.
• nightmare (noun) – a scary dream; a dream that is freightening and unpleasant. Jay-Z had nightmares of going to prison, but he doesn’t worry about that anymore.
  
• stick up (phrasal verb) – to steal with a gun, especially a bank.
• split it 50/50 (expression) – to share and divide something equally. If we start a business together, we will split the profits 50/50.
• dough (slang, noun) – money.
• locked down (slang, adjective) – to be in jail, prison. Jay-Z dedicates his music to people who are locked down in small rooms. 
• take over (phrasal verb) – to become bigger and more important than something else; to replace something.
• be on top (expression) – to be very successful. Jay-Z had a hard and difficult life, but he’s on top today.
• stay on your toes (idiom) – to be ready and prepared for anything. If you live a life of crime on the streets, you must stay on your toes in order to survive.
• have beef (slang, verb) – to have problems or a disagreement with another person. Why are they fighting? Do they have some beef or something? 
• hustle (verb) – to sell something illegally, usually drugs.
• come out (phrasal verb) – to be produced or published. People did not appreciate Jay-Z’s music until his second album came out. 

Discussion Questions

Is it possible to go from rags to riches? What is the secret to success? Do you have to work hard to be successful? Do you need good luck to be successful? If you went from rags to riches, how would you live? Would  you buy fancy cars and big houses,  or would you save your money? Please write  your comments below!

The post Learn New Vocabulary and Idioms with Jay-Z appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Fight the power!
We‘ve got to fight the powers that be.

Grammar: Have Got To

Use have got to for necessities or obligations. Use have got to for present and future obligations, and use had to for the past.

Subject + have got to + base verb

• I’ve got to study for my test tonight. I cannot go out with you. 
• You’ve got to listen to this album tomorrow. It is incredible!
• He had to leave the meeting early. He did not want to miss his flight.

Negative sentences and questions do not use ‘have got to.’ Instead, they use have to.

Subject + doesn’t/don’t/didn’t + have to + base verb.

Does/Do/Did + subject + have to + base verb? 

• I don’t have to study tomorrow. I’m free and available. 
• You don’t have to listen to the album now, but check it out over the weekend.
• He didn’t have to leave the meeting early.
• Do you have to meet your friend at the airport?

Do the Right Thing

Do the Right Thing is a classic American film by director Spike Lee. In 1989, he asked Public Enemy to create a theme song for the movie. The video below is the opening credits for the film. 

Discussion Questions

Public Enemy wants us to fight the power. What is the power? How do you fight the power? What do we have to do? Do you have to protest? Do have to sign a petition? Do you have to update your status on Facebook? Please write your comments below!

The post ‘Have Got To’ with Public Enemy appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

T to the R-O-Y. How did you and I meet?
In front of Big Lou’s, fighting in the street
But only you saw what took many time to see
I dedicate this to you for believing in me
Rain or shine, yes in any weather

Vocabulary & Idioms

•  reminisce (verb) – to think, talk or write about a happy time in your life. I reminisced about the old days with my friends at the bar.
  • think back (verb)
  • reminiscence (noun)
• a toast (noun) – asking people to wish somebody success or happiness by raising their glasses and drinking. I would like to make a toast to my sister, who just graduated from law school.
  • make a toast
  • give a toast
• not give a damn (idiom) – to not care at all about somebody or something. I don’t give a damn about your girlfriend. She cannot live here anymore!
• nod off (phrasal verb) – to fall asleep. He was nodding off while driving the car last night. We almost had an accident. 
• take over (phrasal verb) – to being to have control over something. I am going to take over my father’s business in a couple of years.
• Word is bond. (phrase) – very common phrase in hip-hop that means “I promise.”
• dedicate (verb) – to begin a book or performance with a message to somebody, as of way of saying thanks. Pete Rock and CL Smooth dedicated this song to a friend.
  • dedication (noun)
• recall (verb) – to remember something. I don’t recall where I met her. 

Discussion Questions

When were your happiest moments? In school? On your wedding day? Do you remember all of your old friends, classmates and neighbors? Where are they now? What are they doing? Are they still alive today, or have they passed away? How do you honor your friends and family who have passed away? Please write your comments below!

The post Idioms and Vocabulary with Pete Rock & CL Smooth appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

Mary had a little lamb
That’s a fib. She had two twins though
And one crib
Now she’s only fourteen. What a start
But this defect is ground common in these parts
Now life in this world can be such a bitch
And dreams are often torn and shattered and hard to stitch
Negative’s the attitude that runs the show
When the stage is the G.H.E.T.T.O.

Grammar: So and Such

Use so and such to show extremes in adjectives, adverbs and nouns. So and such also mean very or really.

so + adjective

so + adverb

such + noun

such + adjective + noun

so + noun… such + adjective… such + adverb

• De La Soul is so good! They are a very good hip-hop trio.
  
• Hip-hop music is not so stupid. Many hip-hop artists are very intelligent.
  
• He learned English so quickly with hip-hop music.
• Gift of Gab from Blackalicious sings so well. He is very talented and has a great voice.
• People who hate hip-hop music can be such idiots! They claim it is not poetry.
• 3 Feet High and Rising is such a great album. It is really good.
• Lil Wayne is such an interesting rapper.

Vocabulary

• defect (noun) – a fault in something which means it is not perfect. He went to the hospital and had surgery because he has a heart defect.
• bitch (slang, noun) – something that causes difficulties or problems. My job is such a bitch! I’m very unhappy, and I want to quit soon.
• ghetto (noun) – an area of a city where many people of the same background or race live. Ghettos are usually crowded and have bad living conditions. For your safety, don’t walk through the ghetto at night.
• pimp (verb) – to get customers for a prostitute.
  • also a noun
• broken-down (adjective) – in a very bad condition; very tired and sick. My car is a broken-down heap of metal. I need to get a new car.
• high (slang, adjective) – to be intoxicated from drugs or alcohol. Snopp Dogg is always so high because he smokes a lot of marijuana. 
  
• scapegoat (noun) – a person or thing who is blamed for something bad that somebody else has done. Many people blame violent movies and music for the increase in crime, but that is only a scapegoat. 
• crumble (verb) – if a building is crumbling, parts of it are breaking off. The old house is starting to crumble. We need to repair it now before the damage gets worse. 

Discussion Questions

Does your country have ghettos? Have you ever been to one? If you have, what was it like? Why do ghettos exist in the first place? Does discrimination or racism perpetuate ghettos? Please write your comments below!

The post Level 1 Lesson 10: So & Such appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.

It’s been twenty-two long hard years of still struggling
Survival got me bugging, but I’m alive on arrival
I peep at the shape of the streets
And stay awake to the ways of the world cause shit is deep

-Inspectah Deck

Inspectah Deck was 22 years-old when he wrote this song. He has had a hard life since he was born. Living on the city streets is very difficult because it involves a life of crime and drugs. This way of living is freaking him out, but he tries his best to live another day.

Grammar: The Present Perfect

The present perfect has several meanings and uses in English. Use the present perfect:

• with an unknown past time
  • He has visited Europe. I don’t know when he visited Europe. He visited Europe before now, but I do not know the exact time. 
• for repeated past actions
  • I have listened to that album many times. This is not the first time I have listened to the album. I have listened to it many times before, and I will probably continue listening to it in the future.
• for actions that start in the past and continues to the present.
  • It has been 22 long hard years of still struggling. I am 22 years-old. My life was tough when I was born, and my life is still tough today. 
    

Subject + has/have + past participle

• Inspectah Deck has been a rapper for many years.
• The Wu-Tang Clan have recorded several albums.

Subject + has/have + not + part participle

• I have not listened to a bad Wu-Tang Clan track. It doesn’t exist!
• You have not lived until you see the Wu-Tang Clan live in concert.

Has/Have + subject + past participle?

• Have you been to Staten Island before? It’s where most members of the Wu-Tang come from.
  
• Have you ever met Ghostface Killah? He’s a really nice guy!

Wh~ + has/have + subject + past participle?

• What rap albums have you listened to? 
  
• How many times have you been to New York City?

Discussion Questions

What is the most important thing in your life: people or objects? Why are so many people obsessed with money and material things? Do you think a materialistic world is a good thing or a bad thing? Have you ever experienced poverty? Have you ever struggled to survive in the “rat race”? Please write your comments below!

The post The Best Hip-Hop Song for the Present Perfect appeared first on ESL Hip Hop.