“California Love” is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac’s comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me. This is perhaps 2Pac’s best-known song and his most successful, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two […]
Learn English Grammar: Second Conditional with Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar is a hip hop recording artist from Compton, California. Initially signed to independent record label Top Dawg Entertainment, in 2012 Lamar and the label signed a joint venture deal with Aftermath and Interscope Records. Lamar is also a member of the West Coast group, Black Hippy, along with fellow California-based rappers and label-mates Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul (taken verbatim from Wikipedia). In “Poetic Justice” Lamar discusses the ups and […]
2Pac Fridays: Keep Ya Head Up
“Keep Ya Head Up” is a 1993 hit single by Tupac Shakur. The song is dedicated to a young African-American girl named Latasha Harlins, who was shot and killed by a Los Angeles store owner in 1992. The shooting occurred thirteen days after the Rodney King beating, and many people believed it was one of the causes […]
Learn English: Past Habits with Zion I & Grouch
Corey Scoffern, better known by his stage name The Grouch, is an American rapper and producer based in Maui, Hawaii. He is a founding member of Living Legends, an underground hip-hop collective based in Los Angeles, California. The Grouch collaborated with many artists including Zion I, a hip hop duo from Oakland, California. The duo consists of producer AmpLive and MC Zumbi. The group is known to its followers for Amp’s futuristic production techniques, using a […]
Present Perfect Progressive with Coolio
Coolio is a rapper, actor and record producer from Compton, California. He is best known for his track “Gangsta’s Parasdise” which features R&B singer L.V.. This track was produced for the 1995 film Dangerous Minds, and it later won the Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance as well as two MTV Video Music Awards in 1996. We’ve […]
Future Progressive with 2Pac
2Pac is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and his music is recognized across the world. Most of 2Pac’s songs revolved around the struggles and violence in the inner city, racism and other social problems that he encountered during his life. “Changes” was originally recorded in 1992, but it was not released until […]
Learn How to Chill with Souls of Mischief
Souls of Mischief are a sub-group of the hip-hop collective Hieroglyphics, which is based in Oakland, California. The members are A-Plus, Opio, Phesto and Tajai. In “93 ‘Til Infinity” they discuss their daily lives in the year 1993, which includes women, money and just hanging out. Read the lesson and learn 8 new vocabulary words […]
Quickly Pick Up 9 New Words with Ice Cube
Ice Cube is an American rapper from South Central Los Angeles, and he is considered one of the founding members of gangsta rap. His lyrics are unflinchingly honest, and his songs usually revolve around the danger and violence of the inner city of Los Angeles. In “Dead Homiez” Ice Cube thinks about the many young men who […]
Intermediate Multiskilled Lesson Plan, Options for Social Media and Mobile Tools
Artist: The Pharcyde
Song: Passin’ Me By
Language Focus: Lesson Plan + Worksheet
Level 1 Lesson 11: Simple Past
2Pac is one of the greatest rappers of all time, and his music is recognized across the world. Most of 2Pac’s songs revolved around the struggles and violence in the inner city, racism and other social problems that he encountered during his life. In “Life Goes On” he reflects on and pays respect to his […]