ESL Hip Hop http://OFFLINEZIP.wpsho Learn English with hip-hop and rap. Mon, 01 Dec 2014 07:59:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4 The Best Hip-Hop Song for the Present Perfect http://OFFLINEZIP.wpsho2013/05/the-best-hip-hop-song-for-the-present-perfect-part-1/ http://OFFLINEZIP.wpsho2013/05/the-best-hip-hop-song-for-the-present-perfect-part-1/#respond Wed, 08 May 2013 14:46:53 +0000 http://OFFLINEZIP.wpsho?p=235 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 […]

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]]> 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 track is titled “C.R.E.A.M.”, which is an acronym for cash rules everything around me. It features Raekwon, Method Man and Inspectah Deck, and they sing about the evils of a materialistic world.

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!

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