Get Original – English Lyrics

• By: Black Eyed Peas, Chali 2na

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the roots of the Black Eyed Peas with their track "Get Original." This song is a fantastic way to learn English through music, especially if you're interested in the language of hip-hop and its culture of lyrical skill and authenticity. The wordplay and confident delivery can help you understand rhythm, rhyme, and assertive communication in English. It's a special track that captures a moment in hip-hop where originality was passionately championed.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
microphone /ˈmaɪkroʊˌfoʊn/ B2	noun - a device that converts sound into electrical signals for amplification
scar /skɑːr/ B1	noun - a mark left on the skin after a wound has healed verb - to mark or damage the surface of something in a lasting way
ego /ˈiːɡoʊ/ B2	noun - a person's sense of self‑importance or self‑esteem
skill /skɪl/ B1	noun - the ability to do something well, especially because of training or experience
original /əˈrɪdʒənl/ B2	adjective - new and not derived from something else; authentic noun - the first form of something from which copies are made
practice /ˈpræktɪs/ B1	noun - repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency verb - to perform an activity or exercise repeatedly in order to improve or maintain proficiency
master /ˈmæstər/ B2	verb - to become highly skilled or proficient at something noun - a person who has control or authority over something; an expert
flow /floʊ/ B2	noun - a smooth, continuous movement of something, especially a rhythm in music or speech verb - to move in a smooth, continuous manner
rhyme /raɪm/ B2	noun - a correspondence of sounds between words or the endings of words, especially in poetry and rap verb - to make words correspond in sound, especially at the end
platinum /ˈplætɪnəm/ C1	noun - a precious silvery-white metal; also a high-level music award (e.g., platinum record) adjective - relating to or made of platinum; of the highest quality (e.g., platinum album)
whack /wæk/ C1	adjective (slang) - bad, inferior, or of poor quality verb (slang) - to strike or hit forcefully; to kill (in slang)
dub /dʌb/ C1	verb (slang) - to add a new audio track, especially a voiceover, to an existing recording noun (slang) - a version of a song with altered or added vocals, often in hip‑hop
balloon /bəˈluːn/ B1	noun - a flexible bag that can be inflated with air or gas, often used as a toy or decoration
kung‑fu /kʊŋ ˈfuː/ B2	noun - a Chinese martial art emphasizing speed, power, and fluid movement
Goliath /ˈɡɒliæθ/ C2	noun (proper) - a giant figure from the biblical story of David and Goliath, symbolizing a powerful opponent
chase /tʃeɪs/ B1	verb - to pursue in order to catch or overtake noun - the act of pursuing something; a pursuit
thrill /θrɪl/ B2	noun - a sudden feeling of excitement and pleasure verb - to cause someone to feel excited or delighted
redemption /rɪˈdɛmpʃən/ C1	noun - the act of being saved from sin, error, or evil; a compensatory gain or benefit

Key Grammar Structures

• I grab the microphone and leave 'em scarred

  ➔ Present Simple with 'em as an informal contraction of 'them'

  ➔ The verb 'grab' is in the present simple tense, and 'em' is a colloquial contraction of 'them'.

• I'ma show you how it go

  ➔ Contraction of 'I am going to'

  ➔ 'I'ma' is a colloquial contraction of 'I am going to', often used in informal speech.

• You need to stop now, get original

  ➔ Modal verb 'need to' for necessity, imperative form 'get'

  ➔ The modal verb 'need to' expresses necessity, and 'get' is in the imperative form to give a direct command.

• Start practicin', master your flow

  ➔ Gerund 'practicin'' (practicing), imperative 'master'

  ➔ 'Practicin'' is a gerund form of 'practicing', and 'master' is in the imperative form to give a direct command.

• We delegate the skills to conversatin'

  ➔ Verb 'delegate' with gerund 'conversatin'' (conversating)

  ➔ The verb 'delegate' is followed by the gerund 'conversatin'', which is a non-standard form of 'conversating'.

• The loss of motivation of MC's to create

  ➔ Prepositional phrase 'of MC's', infinitive 'to create'

  ➔ 'Of MC's' is a prepositional phrase indicating possession, and 'to create' is an infinitive used as a noun.

• You couldn't even fix them in the mix

  ➔ Modal 'couldn't' for past inability, pronoun 'them'

  ➔ The modal 'couldn't' indicates past inability, and 'them' is a pronoun referring to the previously mentioned rhymes.

• If you ate pebbles, your shit wouldn't rock

  ➔ Conditional sentence with 'if', modal 'wouldn't'

  ➔ This is a conditional sentence using 'if' to express a hypothetical situation, and 'wouldn't' indicates the negative outcome.