Shadowing Practice: The Truth about the OG Illiminate Gang. - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
What's up guys?
2
I wasn't planning on making this video ever, but here I am making the damn video.
3
I can't keep uploading YouTube videos acting like nothing ever happened.
4
I'm sure you guys have all felt it by now.
5
Eliminate videos don't feel the same, right?
6
I miss the old Eliminate.
7
Where is the OG gang and why has Randy never answered this question?
8
Well, today I'm going to be telling you guys the truth.
9
I can't keep lying to you guys and ultimately I can't keep lying to myself.
10
Today's the day that I tell you guys the truth once and for all.
11
But before I tell you guys, please, please, please, please understand that I've completely moved on from the situation already.
12
I'm at a much better point in my life now and you're probably thinking, so why are you telling us anyways?
13
The reason why I'm telling you guys is because I think it's time for you guys to move on as well.
14
And in order for you guys to move on, I think you have to know.
15
Even if it's just a glimpse.
16
Before we move forward, I have to say
17
that there's a bunch of individuals that I still love and that are still by my side today, okay?
18
So it's not about all of them, just a few.
19
And please don't make the wrong assumptions.
20
I will not confirm or deny anything.
21
Now that we've got that out of the way, are you guys ready for the truth?
22
Let's take it all the way back.
23
Back to the beginning.
24
We never thought that YouTube was going to blow up at all.
25
We were just a group of friends with a camera and zero knowledge of cars.
26
And the memories that we made were unforgettable.
27
Some of the best memories in my life.
28
I came from nothing to becoming a business owner to creating a brand that blew up all over the world.
29
And somewhere along the way things changed.
30
We started a brand with absolutely no knowledge all i knew was
31
that i wanted to take my friends with me
32
if they were in my videos i wanted them to be successful for helping me little did i know
33
that this was going to come back to bite me in the future
34
if you guys are og subscribers you guys would know
35
that our youtube channel blew up so fast but what you guys didn't know was partying became a constant thing.
36
We partied every other night.
37
It became so repetitive that people were saying the same things over and over
38
and over again to the point where i could literally predict what they were going to say the next time
39
and i was right i didn't want to party anymore
40
but the parties continued and i just found myself editing all by myself
41
while everyone kept on partying and you guys know what comes with partying right it got
42
so bad that an individual was showing up to work fucked up every single day
43
and he was late every single day too
44
but I just couldn't find it in my heart to fire him
45
because I loved him
46
so much there's a saying you become who you surround yourself
47
with a year before we closed down the warehouse I actually gathered the entire gang
48
and I asked them if we should close the doors or
49
if we should continue pushing to bring back eliminate some wanted to keep trying
50
and some left in this conversation I asked everyone what their goals in life were
51
And there were a few red flags in this conversation that that would have saved me so much money.
52
Anyways, I asked them, what's your dream?
53
One individual responds, I don't know.
54
While the other individual responded, I'm already living it.
55
Which is a very valid answer and there's nothing wrong with that at all.
56
But I try to make the question easier for them to answer, to hype them up, to push them forward in anything
57
that they do because I want to surround myself with individuals that all just want to do better for themselves.
58
Anyways, I asked him, okay, since you don't have a dream, do you have a dream home, a dream job, a dream girl?
59
One guy says, nope, he's fine with where he's at in life, and he doesn't want to better himself for a girl or a career.
60
Totally valid.
61
Stay with me here, okay, because this is totally valid.
62
There's nothing wrong with this answer.
63
The other guy responds nope i don't have a dream home
64
and this is my dream job again this is valid both individuals are happy with their life
65
and that is okay anyways i signed a new lease to the warehouse
66
and you know we all decided to give this thing one final push also keep in mind
67
that the warehouse was free for any of my friends to come
68
and create content i was perfectly happy with taking care of all the expenses.
69
They were also free to take on side jobs for extra money inside the warehouse.
70
Remember early on in the story I said that this was going to come back and bite me in the butt?
71
Well no one pulled their weight.
72
No one put any effort into reviving the warehouse.
73
No one wanted to do better except for one person.
74
If you're watching this, I love you and I wish nothing but the best for you.
75
Well, now it's time to break the lease to the warehouse that we just signed.
76
And they needed three months rent to break this lease.
77
8,000 times 3 is $24,000.
78
Keep in mind that this doesn't include wages.
79
Anyways, things got rough and I asked if I can move their paycheck to the following paycheck.
80
This is the only time I've ever missed a paycheck at all in my 12 years of running this business.
81
Anyways, they all agreed and I thought everything was okay.
82
This was when their true color showed.
83
On payday, one of the individuals asked if he can go to the money box and grab cash to pay himself.
84
Anyways, the other individual started stomping around and moping
85
and complaining to all of the other employees behind my back that he needs to get paid.
86
Again, valid.
87
Except I've been helping this individual pay rent for six months in where he hasn't paid me a dollar.
88
I write all of his paychecks and I pay him every two weeks and I know exactly how much he makes.
89
He makes good money but why hasn't he paid me back any of the rent?
90
I like to separate business and friendship so I don't even bother asking.
91
I hear from another employee that he's complaining so I pull him aside.
92
I told him if you need money that badly I can give you your paycheck.
93
It's perfectly fine but if I give you your paycheck
94
you have to pay me back some of the rent that you owe me for the last six months.
95
He didn't want that option so we moved forward and I paid them later exactly like we agreed.
96
They treat me incredibly well when I write their paychecks.
97
But the moment that I miss one paycheck, their true colors show.
98
Your real friends will stick with you through the toughest times and will help you in however way that they can.
99
I'll take full accountability for leading us to failure and for being a bad boss.
100
No matter what they did, no matter how many times they came in late, no matter how many times I've caught them fucked up,
101
I still couldn't fire them and that's on me
102
so we closed down the warehouse and from this moment on you see
103
that I move into this house this is where you feel
104
that the videos feel a little different I just didn't want to surround myself with certain people anymore the people
105
that I wanted to lift up ended dragging me down
106
so in this house I continued making videos with my girlfriend
107
and Kenny trying to put the past behind me
108
and I just couldn't tell anyone well here's the last part
109
to the story about six months into moving here i got a phone call
110
and on this phone call this individual told me
111
that he's been sleeping on the streets struggling and has an alcohol problem
112
and during this conversation i found out some information
113
that broke my heart while he was working for me he was clocking in on overtime
114
and getting drunk when i went home as soon as i left out
115
that door he was drinking there's a saying
116
when someone knows what will break your heart and choose it it to do it anyways knowing how much it'll hurt you.
117
It's perfectly okay to let people go.
118
That is the truth.
119
Even though I said I'd move on, I just want you guys to better understand a little bit of the pain
120
that I went through in friendship and my career to reach this decision to find peace, to forgive, and move on.
121
As everyone's grown up, they found new passions, started new businesses, started families and I want that for myself too.
122
This is my new journey and I just want to surround myself with people that want the same things that I do.
123
From now on I'll only be uploading videos that make me happy where I pour my heart and soul into it.
124
I'm ready to move on to the next chapter of my life
125
and if you guys want to support me that would mean the world to me.
126
Thank you God for putting me through this.
127
Thank you for this lesson
128
and thank you for shining an even brighter light on the people
129
that actually matter and that really do love me the ones
130
that stuck with me through it all you know who you are
131
that is everything now you guys know i'll see you guys
132
in the next vlog the next vlog i've spent an entire month filming
133
and i hope you guys love it i poured my heart and soul into it it's finally time to move forward
134
Oh
✨ Recommend Video
B21
316 sentences
life update
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
71 sentences
Lulchop “Ct6” REACTION
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
94 sentences
Allah chose you to find this video. Don't scroll away.
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
408 sentences
The Depressing Downfall Of Rate My Takeaway
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
116 sentences
WG removed me from the CC program - here's what happened
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
156 sentences
Unfortunately, YouTube Really Is This Simple
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B23
18 sentences
Will Smith EXPOSES the Truth About Fame, Money & Happiness | 'Nothing Will Ever Be Enough' | REVOLT
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
129 sentences
Gossip
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
689 sentences
She Called Me a SCAMMER, But What Happened Next Left Her in TEARS
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
42 sentences
DRUSKI: A GUN TO MY HEAD CHANGED MY LIFE
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
75 sentences
Dave And Lars Interview
Interview EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
62 sentences
JaackMaate Reveals His Regrets
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Truth about the OG Illiminate Gang”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: individual, paycheck, anyways, warehouse, dream. This video has 134 sentences and 1723 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:24. The speaker talks fast, about 183 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| paycheck noun | /ˈpeɪ.t͡ʃɛk/ | A periodic payment, usually in the form of a paper check, received by an employee from an employer for work performed. |
| anyways adverb | /ˈɛn.iˌweɪz/ | Anyway, anyhow, in any case. |
| warehouse noun | /ˈwɛə(ɹ)haʊs/ | A facility for storing large amounts of merchandise or products. |
| surround verb | /səˈɹaʊnd/ | To encircle something or simultaneously extend in all directions. |
| eliminate verb | /ɪˈlɪm.ɪ.neɪt/ | To completely remove, get rid of, put an end to. |
| lease noun | /liːs/ | An interest in land granting exclusive use or occupation of real estate for a limited period; a leasehold. |
| vlog noun | /ˈvlɑɡ/ | A weblog using video as its primary presentation format. |
| upload verb | /ˈʌpˌloʊd/ | To transfer data to a computer on a network, especially to a server on the Internet. |
| pour verb | /poɹ/ | To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it. |
| complain verb | /kəmˈpleɪn/ | To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment. |
| nope | /noʊp/ | No. |
| bite verb | /baɪt/ | To cut into something by clamping the teeth. |
| unforgettable adjective | /ˌʌnfə(ɹ)ˈɡɛtəbəl/ | Very difficult or impossible to forget. |
| subscriber noun | /səbˈskɹaɪbɚ/ | A person who subscribes to a publication or a service. |
| repetitive adjective | /ɹɪˈpɛtɪtɪv/ | Happening many times in a similar way; containing repetition; repeating. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| move forward verb | To cause to make progress. | |
| blow up verb | To explode or be destroyed by explosion. | |
| close down verb | /kləʊzˈdaʊn/ | To stop trading as a business. |
| bring back verb | /ˈbɹɪŋ bæk/ | To fetch something. |
| come back verb | To return to a place. | |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. | |
| leave out verb | To omit, to not include, to neglect to mention. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Let's take it all the way back.
- Anyways, I asked them, what's your dream?
- One individual responds, I don't know.
- While the other individual responded, I'm already living it.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 40 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: assumption /əˈsʌm(p).ʃ(ə)n/, shine /ʃaɪn/
- Long words — get the stress right: eliminate /ɪˈlɪm.ɪ.neɪt/, unforgettable /ˌʌnfə(ɹ)ˈɡɛtəbəl/, repetitive /ɹɪˈpɛtɪtɪv/, accountability /əˌkaʊn.təˈbɪl.ə.ti/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like paycheck, anyways, warehouse.
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.