De La Soul is a hip-hop trio that formed in 1987 on Long Island, NY. They are known for their unique sampling, playful lyrics and humorous skits between tracks. They contributed to the rise of alternative hip-hop in the 1990s, especially to the beginning of jazz rap. The members are Kelvin Mercer, David Jude Jolicoeur and […]
English Grammar: ‘Be About To’ with The Roots
The Roots are an American Grammy Award-winning hip-hop band, formed in 1987 by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, from Philadelphia. They are known for their jazzy, eclectic approach to hip-hop which includes live instruments. Malik B., Leonard “Hub“, and Josh Abrams were later added to the band. In 1999, The Roots released “The Next Movement”, which was the third track on the […]
Teacher Resource: Sound Discrimination with KRS-One
Artist: KRS-One
Song: Sound of da Police
Teaching Resource: Activity + Worksheet
Learn English: The Verb ‘Stop’ with Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli is an American rapper who gained recognition through Black Star, a collaboration with fellow MC Mos Def. Quality is Talib Kweli’s fist solo album, which was released in 2002 and considered a classic by many hip-hop fans. The album received critical acclaim as well as some commercial appeal for the track “Get By”, which was produced by Kanye West (adapted […]
Learn Adverbs and Vocabulary with The Notorious B.I.G.
The Notorious B.I.G. is a rapper and hip-hop artist from Brooklyn, New York City, and he is also known as Biggie Smalls. He released his debut album, Ready to Die, in 1994, and it is one of the best east coast hip-hop albums of all time. He also formed the hip-hop collective Junior M.A.F.I.A., but the group […]
Learn New Vocabulary and Idioms with Jay-Z
Jay-Z is a rapper, record producer and entrepreneur from Brooklyn, New York City. In addition to being one of the most talented and best-selling MCs in the world, Jay-Z is also one of the most financially successful hip-hop artists. He owns several companies and was even the former CEO of Def Jam Recordings. In 1998, […]
‘Have Got To’ with Public Enemy
Public Enemy is a hip-hop group from Long Island, New York, and they currently consist of Chuck D, Flavor Flav, DJ Lord and The SW1 Group. They are known for their political songs and criticism of the American media. They were recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which makes them the […]
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’ […]
Level 1 Lesson 10: So & Such
De La Soul is a hip-hop trio that was formed in 1987 on Long Island, NY. They are known for their unique sampling, playful lyrics and humorous skits between tracks. They contributed to the rise of alternative hip-hop in the 1990s, especially to the beginning of jazz rap. The members are Kelvin Mercer, David Jude […]
The Best Hip-Hop Song for the Present Perfect
The Wu-Tang Clan is an American hip-hop group from Staten Island, New York City. They are one of the biggest and most successful hip-hop groups on the East Coast. The Wu-Tang Clan has nine members, including RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard. This […]