The Reading / Listening - Kendrick Lamar - Level 1

Kendrick Lamar is the first non-classical or jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize for music. Lamar won for his album "DAMN". The 30-year-old songwriter rapped about the reality of being black in the USA. Songs like "The Blacker the Berry" became well known after the police shootings of black people in America. Pulitzer said the album was a masterly song collection about "the modern African-American life". Lamar has not commented yet on his award.

The Pulitzer Prize for music started in 1943. Kendrick Lamar is the first rapper and the best selling musician to win it. Classical musicians usually win. Pulitzer said: "The best work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize....It shines a light on hip-hop in a completely different way." Sky News said Lamar won: "for his deep lyrical content...and his profound mix of hip hop, spoken word, jazz, soul, funk, poetry and African sounds."

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Kendrick Lamar - Level 0,  Kendrick Lamar - Level 2   or  Kendrick Lamar - Level 3

Sources
  • https://news.sky.com/story/kendrick-lamar-becomes-first-non-classical-or-jazz-musician-to-win-pulitzer-prize-11334352
  • https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/kendrick-lamars-pulitzer-win-is-just-the-beginning-w519246
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/arts/music/kendrick-lamar-pulitzer-prize-damn.html


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Phrase Matching

Paragraph 1

  1. the first non-classical
  2. The 30-year-old
  3. the reality of being black
  4. became well
  5. the police shootings
  6. a masterly song
  7. the modern African-
  8. Lamar has not commented
  1. American life
  2. or jazz musician
  3. yet
  4. of black people
  5. in the USA
  6. known
  7. collection
  8. songwriter

Paragraph 2

  1. The Pulitzer Prize for music
  2. the best
  3. Classical musicians usually
  4. The best work was awarded
  5. It shines a light
  6. in a completely
  7. deep lyrical
  8. poetry and
  1. on hip-hop
  2. African sounds
  3. a Pulitzer Prize
  4. content
  5. started in 1943
  6. win
  7. selling musician
  8. different way

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

Kendrick Lamar (1) ___________________ non-classical or jazz musician (2) ___________________ Pulitzer Prize for music. Lamar won for his album "DAMN". The 30-year-old songwriter rapped about (3) ___________________ being black in the USA. Songs like "The Blacker the Berry" became well known after the police (4) ___________________ people in America. Pulitzer said the album was (5) ___________________ collection about "the modern African-American life". Lamar has not commented yet (6) ___________________.

The Pulitzer Prize (7) ___________________ in 1943. Kendrick Lamar is the first rapper and (8) ___________________ musician to win it. Classical musicians (9) ___________________. Pulitzer said: "The best work was awarded a Pulitzer Prize.... (10) ___________________ light on hip-hop in a completely different way." Sky News said Lamar won: "(11) ___________________ lyrical content...and his profound mix of hip hop, spoken word, (12) ___________________, poetry and African sounds."

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

KendrickLamaristhefirstnon-classicalorjazzmusiciantowinthePulitz
erPrizeformusic.Lamarwonforhisalbum"DAMN".The30-year-oldso
ngwriterrappedabouttherealityofbeingblackintheUSA.Songslike"Th
eBlackertheBerry"becamewellknownafterthepoliceshootingsofblac
kpeopleinAmerica.Pulitzersaidthealbumwasamasterlysongcollectio
nabout"themodernAfrican-Americanlife".Lamarhasnotcommente
dyetonhisaward.ThePulitzerPrizeformusicstartedin1943.KendrickL
amaristhefirstrapperandthebest-sellingmusiciantowinit.Classicalm
usiciansusuallywin.Pulitzersaid:"ThebestworkwasawardedaPulitzer
Prize....Itshinesalightonhip-hopinacompletelydifferentway."SkyNe
wssaidLamarwon:"forhisdeeplyricalcontent...andhisprofoundmixof
hiphop,spokenword,jazz,soul,funk,poetryandAfricansounds."

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion — Write your own questions

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

(a) ________________

(b) ________________

(c) ________________

(d) ________________

(e) ________________

(f) ________________

(g) ________________

(h) ________________

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

(i) ________________

(j) ________________

(k) ________________

(l) ________________

(m) ________________

(n) ________________

(o) ________________

(p) ________________

Free writing

Write about this topic for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

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Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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