DOUBLE S:Confrontation? Of course. I mean, it's like a debate. You have to get your point across, with confidence.
DOUBLE S (rapping:)"Look, look, I say the name Double S,it stands for, 'So Successful'.I stay strong any time that life gets stressful.I put in extra rhyme in to arrest you.Even though Mummy and Daddy couldn't affordto take me to the best school.When you forget your rootsyou start moving trees and -I had to switch the logic,I was fed up of trying to reason.Situations change like the seasonsbut every day I wake up and I'm just happythat I'm breathing, believing."
DOUBLE S:It's like boxing in the ring - if you don't believe in yourself and you get into that ring you're going to get yourself knocked out. So you better believe in yourself.You have to psyche the other guy out.
DOUBLE S (rapping:)"Musician, doctor or an attorneythere's a route to successjust enjoy the journey.I was playing with fireand trust me it burnt mebut my mother always told me thatI can be successful."
SHOCKA:Double S, I've brought something for you…
DOUBLE S:Good yeah?
SHOCKA (rapping:)"Amazing…I'm back like a nice massage.Pop, rhyme or rap I'm twice as hard.Whether you salute, that's right I'm Sargesoon you're gonna hear my bloop,it's like a march.I'm a double XL, you a large.Smirking is what I do well, you my guard.Look at the haters, what can they do but laugh.Aha ha, I'm in maha,I'm sitting in the throne next to King Arthur.It's me versus the Flowfather.I put your babies to sleep…u-o-rrr"
DOUBLE S (rapping:)"Shocka wanted to know what it's like being me.Well, Shocka ain't really seeing me.And if he does well I come through a D and G,you're not double you're just mini-me.Got the sort of outfits that you would see in the A&E…"
DOUBLE S:Lyrics are about using language to express yourself and your ideas effectively.Clashing and battling - the whole point of it is to win.I've got this thing called 'mind maps' where I'm able to navigate words, rhymes and themes at any time.Before I battle or clash anyone, I'm mentally ordering my thoughts already using mind maps for my ideasready to just go in.
Have I ever lost? Once.
But it's not even about that. You stick to what you know.You organize your thoughts, you get your point across and then you walk away a winner.
In this short film for KS3 English students, writers and rap artists Double S and Shocka demonstrate some of the techniques a speaker can use in order to be successful in a debate.
They perform improvised lines in a rap battle and Double S discusses how he plans and organises what he is going to say.
Double S explores how it is important to be confident, to think about the impact of the language he uses and how he presents what he is saying. Key words and ideas, including persuasive language, eye contact, body language, volume and linguistic choices, appear as on screen captions.
Teacher Notes
This short film could be useful in class to demonstrate persuasive language techniques and how to perform well in group discussions or debates.
You could ask students to work in pairs and 'mind map' all the qualities that they think a rap battler would need.
Ask pairs to go back and highlight on their mind maps all the qualities that would be relevant to someone taking part in a group discussion or debate.
Curriculum Notes
This clip is relevant for teaching English Language at KS3 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and third and fourth level in Scotland.
More videos on creative communication and analysis:
How referencing other texts can help a writer to communicate their ideas. video
Rapper Double S explores how he uses references to Harry Potter books in his own writing.
How persuasive techniques can have an effect in a range of texts. video
The singer Jem explores the effect of persuasive writing techniques used by advertisers and speechwriters in a song.
How to use point, evidence, and analysis to comment on a text. video
A short film showing how to make an analytical point about a text, illustrated by a song from the country and blues duo Pickering White.
