"Far Out" - Tech N9ne

Intro

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

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• rhyme or reason
• sizzlin'
• think outside the box
• jumble

• conventional
• label
• independent
• far out

• cat
• flow

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

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Rapper Tech N9ne doesn’t like to do things the conventional way. He spells his name with a number in it and wears face paint on stage. Sometimes he raps really fast and other times he raps slower. Rather than work with a major label like most artists at his level, Tech releases his albums on his own label.

Being different works for Tech N9ne. He is the most successful independent hip hop artist ever. His fans love his creative approach to music. They like that he is far out.

Something that’s far out is weird and usually pretty cool. There’s even a song called “Far Out” on Tech N9ne’s latest album, The Gates Mixed Plate. Learn more about this idiom from the artist himself—Tech invited English, baby! on to his tour bus at a recent concert.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

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

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

Jason

Tech

Jason:  Hey! We’re outside the Tech N9ne show. His show is really far out, and he has a really far out English lesson. You’re gonna learn that “far out” means “unique” or “weird.” But he explains it better than I do. And he insisted on wearing a really weird mask. So check it out. It’s far out.

Jason:  Alright, this is English, baby! and I’m Jason, here with rapper Tech N9ne. At least I’m pretty sure it’s Tech N9ne under this mask. You’ve got a brand new album out, and it’s got a song on it called “Far Out.” Where did you get that title?

Tech:  I’m totally far out when it comes to my flow. We’re all far out, with the way we think. We think way far out of the box.

Jason:  Can you tell us about your mask and how it’s far out?

Tech:  Probably a far out thing to do, an interview with the mask on. But that’s just the kind of person I am, so. It has no rhyme or reason for it, I just felt like wearing my Dr. Satan mask today. All around the buses, all in the venue, you know what I’m sizzlin’, so, you know. I guess it’s a far out thing because a regular person on a regular work day, like today, probably wouldn’t do it. So I guess it’s totally thinking outside the box. Like, far out is.

Jason:  Just far out because it’s unusual?

Tech:  Totally.

Jason:  You can rap really fast. Like, are you good at understanding other rappers when they’re rapping really fast? Like, how would you suggest people listen and be able to hear all the words?

Tech:  Some rappers aren’t that clear.

Jason:  Yeah.

Tech:  You know what I mean? Sometimes I struggle to hear some fast rappers. I pride myself on being heard. Gimme the mic and I’m a mangle it / tangle it / definitely let the people see I’ve got the hang of it. You know what I’m saying? It’s like, even with this mask muffling me you can still hear me, you know what I’m saying? I pride myself on clarity.

Jason:  But I mean, the guys who are rapping with you on “Far Out,” they’re pretty clear on there…

Tech:  Yeah, yeah, the guys I choose are gonna automatically be clear. I’m not gonna choose no jumbly rappin’ cat to be on the song with me.

Jason:  So you think it’s more about the rapper being clear?

Tech:  It’s not about, people always wanna know who’s the fastest, I don’t care about the fastest. It’s about who can be the fastest and clear at the same time, to me.

Jason:  Can I get you to give me a high five and say “English, baby!” In the air?

Tech:  English, baby!

 

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