Shadowing Practice: DRAKE - ARTIST OF THE DECADE (Acceptance Speech) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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We're here at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards,
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We're here at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards,
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and now it's time for the Billboard Artist of the Decade Award.
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So I'm sure you're wondering who all these people are on stage are.
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Well, let me explain.
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When Drake was asked who should present him with the Artist of the Decade,
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he had a lot of choices.
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It could have been one of his peers,
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it could have been one of his mentors,
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it could have just been one of his very famous friends that are interesting.
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But he looked me straight in the eye and said,
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it should be you guys,
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my friends and family, the people that have been there every step of the way with me.
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You see, that's just who Drake is.
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He's the most kind, selfless, generous person we know.
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Here's a little bit more about the artist of the decade.
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Let me tell you something.
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Actors don't rap.
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Rappers don't sing.
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Rappers don't come from Canada.
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Where the fuck is Canada?
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I'm supposed to believe in this light skin,
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R&B face, Crying on every song.
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Does he even write his own songs?
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I promise you, this is never gonna work.
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This is never gonna last.
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Even if he had a cosign.
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Even if Lil Wayne cosign.
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It doesn't even matter.
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Okay, best I ever had was a cute one,
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but he needs another one.
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Nah, another one.
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Nah, that.
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You know what?
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Okay.
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He did it, but can he do it again?
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No, again.
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No, again.
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No, again.
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You know what?
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He's just a lucky guy.
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Are we sure it's luck?
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Nine number one albums, six number one songs,
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a record 232 songs on the billboard charts,
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45 top 10 chart positions,
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the most of any artist ever.
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Are we sure it's luck?
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The first artist to debut at number one, two, and three simultaneously.
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More weeks on the Hot 100 than Elvis Presley,
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Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson.
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Most streamed artists of all time.
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13 Billboard Awards, the most ever in one night.
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27 total Billboard Awards, the most wins in music history.
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A record 431 weeks on Hot 100.
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Luck is defined as success or failure,
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apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own action.
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This is far from chance.
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This is purposeful choices, selfless gestures,
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relentless hours, and a whole lot of good karma.
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This is clinical, surgical, militant.
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Even when they don't want to compete anymore,
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you find someone to challenge every single time,
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even if that someone is yourself.
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It's not luck, my good friends.
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It's certain destiny.
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Ladies and gentlemen, it is our honor to present the artist of the decade to the leader of our family, Emily Drake.
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Yo!
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You wanna hold it?
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Hey!
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Thank you.
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Thank you very, very, very, very much.
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That, uh, that video was,
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um, that video was really full of a lot of confidence and bravado,
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But the truth is, I'm really bad at taking compliments.
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You know, I'm a...
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Thank you.
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I'll take that one, though.
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Thank you.
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Yeah, no, I'm really self-conscious about my music.
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And even if I do a good job,
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I always wonder how I could have done it better.
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I rarely celebrate anything.
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And just for anyone watching this that's wondering how this happened,
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that's really the answer.
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It's being so unsure how you're getting it done
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that you just kind of keep going in the hopes of figuring out the formula.
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Feeling so lucky and blessed that the fear of losing it keeps you up at night.
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I didn't really write a grandiose speech about how to make it work or what it took,
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because to be really honest with you,
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I don't quite understand it myself.
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But I just know
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that I've spent an incalculable amount of hours trying to analyze all the things I did wrong.
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But tonight, for once, I'm sure as hell we did something right.
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I want to dedicate this award to my friends.
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I want to dedicate this award to my longtime collaborators.
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I want to dedicate this award to all my peers.
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All of your decisions and the music you make really does have me tossing
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and turning at night trying to figure out what I should do next.
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So thank you to my beautiful family.
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And- Hey, wait, wait, wait, wait.
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And to you, I want to dedicate this award to you.
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Keep watching as we've got performances from Duran Duran, Bad Bunny.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

This video of Drake’s acceptance speech at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards provides an excellent opportunity for English learners to practice speaking in a real-world context. Drake's speech is not only engaging but also versatile, blending emotions of gratitude, confidence, and humor — aspects important for mastering conversational English. When you learn English with YouTube, you expose yourself to varied accents, intonations, and sentence structures while keeping your learning dynamic.

Practicing through shadow speech allows you to mimic not only the words but also the emotional pitch and rhythm in Drake’s delivery. This will enhance your speaking fluency and help you express similar sentiments naturally. With content featuring a globally recognized artist like Drake, you're provided with relatable cultural references and language that resonates with various audiences.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The speaker's choice of words and structures in the video showcases several grammar points and expressions that can enhance your speaking skills. Here are a few key structures:

  • Direct speech and quotations: Drake says, "it should be you guys," demonstrating how to convey direct statements effectively.
  • Conditional phrases: Observations like "Even if he had a cosign" illustrate the use of conditional structures to express hypothetical situations.
  • Rhetorical questions: Questions like "Does he even write his own songs?" engage the audience and provoke thought, making language more dynamic in conversation.
  • Comparative forms: The clause "more weeks on the Hot 100 than Elvis Presley" employs comparative structures, showing how to make comparisons in English.

Incorporating these structures into your speech practice can result in clearer, more expressive English communication.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Throughout the video, certain words and phrases present challenges for English learners aiming to improve accent and pronunciation:

  • “Rappers”: The repeated “r” sound can be tricky for learners, so practicing the pronunciation carefully can help you sound more fluent.
  • “Crying”: This word utilizes the “ai” sound, which might be confusing. Make sure to pronounce it as a diphthong to avoid sounding unclear.
  • “Artist”: Focusing on the soft “t” could enhance your clarity when speaking. It’s crucial to practice this sound to ensure you are easily understood.
  • “Canada”: Pay attention to the vowel sounds — they can vary among dialects, so practicing the North American pronunciation will be especially useful.

By focusing on these pronunciation traps during your English speaking practice, you can significantly improve your oral communication, making your English sound more natural and fluid.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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