English, baby!

Eminem

Date: Aug 30 2010

Themes: Music

Grammar: Phrasal Verbs

Go Super!

Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

Go Super to Listen

The rapper Eminem isn’t known for making songs with positive messages. But anyone can change his tune, even a famous musician.

Eminem’s latest album, Recovery, is a little less shocking and controversial than his previous releases. It still includes a couple of public disses, but most of the songs are inspired by more personal material. Find out what Ella and Devan think of Eminem’s softer side.

Dialog

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

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

Devan

Ella

Devan: I know that Eminem just released a new album, and I hadn’t really been keeping track of him, but in my mind I always thought of Eminem as being this bad boy character. But I’ve heard…the reviews I’ve read said his new album is really positive.

Ella: I’ve heard that too. I heard it was a lot more, not energetic, but more understanding. He’s not bashing. He’s not as homophobic as he has been in the past. I feel like he still is pretty scared and prejudiced toward gay people, but he doesn’t talk about it as much.

Devan: And I heard that he and Rihanna have a song about abuse and abusive relationships.

Ella: Oh I haven’t heard about that.

Devan: She said that she felt it had a really powerful message, so she signed on for that based on her experience. So it seems like he’s tackling some big issues on this album that might actually be conflicting with the messages from his old albums, you know?

Ella: Sounds like it’s kind of a therapy, not just music.

Devan: Yeah. Do you think that joining AA might have helped him to see the light, in a sense?

Ella: Yeah, it sounds like that could be one of the contributing factors. He’s older, more mature. Less strung up in the fame of being a white rapper.

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Phrasal Verbs" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Devan hasn’t followed Eminem’s career very closely, but she was surprised to learn that his new album features songs with more positive messages. In the past, Eminem’s songs have been negative and inspired a lot of controversy. But the new album even features a song with Rihanna that speaks against abusive relationships. That’s a pretty big change from when Eminem rapped about killing his girlfriend.

Devan and Ella wonder if Eminem’s experiences in AA led him to write more positive songs. AA is a program for people who are trying to recover from alcohol or drug addiction. Since the title of Eminem’s new album is Recovery, Devan and Ella could be right about AA inspiring some of its messages.

Have you ever changed your tune about something? Did you think Eminem’s earlier songs were too negative?

Comments

1 through 20 of 47
Next >
1 2 3

NIJ321655

United States

I love Eminem songs he the coolest singer ever.

dodgewiper

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

“I can’t tell you what it really is, I can only tell you what it feels like! and right now there is a steel knife in my wind pipe …” Oh man, How many times I repeated that song in my head.

Sandra95

Sweden

IM a big fan of HIm, he’s my Hero ..MY Idol.. hes the best rapper ever .. in history.. king of rap..

full of meaning full lyrics , warm sound, best gestures, he’s creative and smart

im addiected to he’s songs :B

im not afraid is amazing

and recently the MOnster ,feat rihanna

they’re cool

princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i like him is good singer;)

Vampire girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I love him….

He’s the king of rap

nativebabylove12

United States

I love Eminem!!

hes amazingliy hot and very talented ${#emotions_dlg.kiss}$

galeQ

China

Big fans for him

alzhbeta

Belarus

I don’t share the mind that Eminem’s songs were too negative..some of them give food for thoughts (mockingbird, when I’m gone).

It’s hard to me to change my tune about smth, but try to take it easy.

meri2011

Tunisia

I LOVE THIS MUSIC TOO, LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE, IT IS AWSOME.

Amo0ol

Saudi Arabia

waw i love his song i love the way you lay

Zambuka

United States

bashing the people about is one of the most ferocious traits… people'd better tackle treating the others good) with good intentions)

adhamelzamel

Egypt

when i'm gone

Dirty Rhyme

United States

I like the music like that… :)

So I don't think that previous albums were too negative!

Actually, I'm not Eminem's fan but I like some of his songs.

Especially "I'm not affraid"

karny

China

i like EM veryyy much,especially "when i am gone" "supper man"and the new "beautiful"....even "8 Mile"is nice too

EM's mouth just like a knief and glif. hehe_{and a little dirty in his words :p}

any waylike u forever

julianrockeromillonario

Argentina

is great,eminem, my favourite songs are:

ass like that

we made you

lose your self and when i'm gone enter others… althought i love the rock i like this style too…....

kukuka

Ukraine

Actually, I think his earlier songs were more funny…he's a funny guy overall.

biazarattini@hotmail.com

Brazil

His name came from 'M and M' (his inicials. His real name is Marshall Mather's).. if you pronounce it quickly you'll get 'eminem'. ;)

Dina1372

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I love Eminem and all his songs,besides i love such singers.

Romio79

Russian Federation

I'm just thinking how he got his name. Eminem. May be he wanted it to sound like something similar to enemy in purpose to make such an image of bad bad boy.