Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
The Outspoken Kanye West

The Outspoken Kanye West

Date: Oct 07 2005

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

The hip hop music scene is ripe with troublesome images of guns, fights and violence against women. In 1999, Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Diddy) was involved in a shooting at a nightclub in New York. In 2000, Eminem was arrested for pistol-whipping a man outside of a Detroit nightclub.
Some critics say that Kanye West represents a new generation of hip hop artists. He’s smart, talented and involved with the world around him. Some people have likened him to Rakim and Run DMC for his involvement with the world around him and the political slant of his lyrics.
Listen as John tells me about Kanye West’s latest CD.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dave

Dave

John

John

Dave:  John, this new artist, Kanye West, has kind of emerged onto the scene.

John:  His lastest album is really good. A really good popular song on it right now called Gold Digger.

Dave:  You know, I think I’ve heard it, on the radio?

John:  Yeah, it’s on the radio a ton.

Dave:  What’s the name of the album?

John:  You know, that’s a good question. I have it, I don’t even know the name of it.

Dave:  But you like it?

John:  Yeah, I like it a lot.

Dave:  Cool. He’s a, all I know about him was after the, ah, hurricane in New Orleans he really laid into the Bush administration about their response.

John:  Yeah, he’s fairly outspoken and, ah, he really tore apart our government, you know, and how, and how we responded to that whole crisis. A lot of people said he kind of went over the top.

Dave:  He’s from Chicago, isn’t he?

John:  Is he, really? I didn’t know.

Dave:  Yeah.

John:  Ah, I know he’s not, he doesn’t have that bad boy background where he’s from the ‘hood.

Dave:  Yeah.

John:  He’s always had a little bit of money and so people are saying it’s the new kind of, of artist, you know, rap artist.

Dave:  Yeah.

John:  He doesn’t have to be such a bad boy thug.

Dave:  I like that.

John:  Yeah, it’s a little bit different. But he’s been on everything, from the cover of Time Magazine to, you know, talk shows and…he’s a lot more mainstream, I think.

Dave:  He’s really taking off.

John:  Yeah.

 

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

One of the hit singles off of West’s new album is Gold Digger. A gold digger is an expression used to describe women who date only wealthy men. Gold diggers look for sugar daddies – wealthy men who can provide them with rich lifestyles. And sugar daddies often look for arm ornaments – beautiful women who they can be seen with in public. It’s a sad cycle of dating. Are you a gold digger? Or a sugar daddy?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

praee

praee

Turkey

he is a successful singer…

10:18 PM Mar 21 2011 |

lilwayne naruto tpain

United States

good

09:41 PM Jun 07 2008 |

Diloo

Diloo

Germany

KANYEE WEEST omg i like this guy a lot !!! ;D

09:30 PM May 16 2008 |

bigwheat

Grenada

it is not very

01:47 AM Oct 18 2005 |

ethanwang

China

sucks

08:40 PM Oct 17 2005 |

Likes (6):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast