Shadowing Practice: Wheel of Freestyle with Lin-Manuel Miranda - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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If you've seen Hamilton, everyone knows you're an amazing rapper.
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If you've seen Hamilton, everyone knows you're an amazing rapper.
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But the whole play is brilliantly written.
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But people might not know that you can also freestyle.
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Yes, sir.
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Yeah.
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So, with that in mind,
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it's time for a new game called Wheel of Freestyle.
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Now, here's how it's gonna work.
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I'm gonna hit this button here,
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which activates a random word generator.
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And it'll land on three random words,
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and it's your job to work all three of them into a freestyle rap.
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Sound good?
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Yes, sir.
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Okay, good.
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Great.
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Now, since I'm not a freestyle rapper,
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tonight you'll be facing off against our very own Tariq Trotter from The Roots.
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And it's...
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Yeah.
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This is the dream.
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All right, here we go.
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Here's the microphone here.
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Let me push the button here,
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or you push the button here.
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Start the word generator.
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Come on, no whammies, no whammies.
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No whammies!
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Here we go.
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Rainbow, pancake, slam dunk.
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Whew.
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Now, he's not heard these words before.
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Okay.
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So this is not rehearsed.
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Rainbow, pancake, slam dunk.
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Ruth, can you give him a beat?
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Microphone check.
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What is this?
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I fly my rainbow flag.
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LGBTQ business.
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Oh, yes, I got so much love to give.
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I look at the colors, it's like Roy G.
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Viv.
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Oh, I started from the bottom like my mandrake.
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I flatten it, flower eggs like a pancake.
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And oh, yeah, I bring any style you prong out.
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I slam duck like Michael Jordan with his tongue out like...
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Oh, my gosh!
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Oh, my gosh!
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Michael Jordan with his tongue out!
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Come on!
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Oh, my gosh!
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How do you do that?
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Whoo!
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Oh, my gosh.
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That was awesome!
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That was awesome.
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Man, oh, man, that's fantastic.
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Uh, Tariq, this is easy.
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Uh...
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So I'm gonna push the button for you, buddy, okay?
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Yep.
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Okay, here we go.
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Please be complicated.
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Mars, Hot Pockets, and Channing Tatum.
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You got off easy.
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You got off easy on that one.
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Mars, Hot Pockets, and Channing Tatum.
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Uh, okay.
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Roots, give Tariq a beat whenever you ask.
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My man Riggs is VP of A&Rs He discovered new flows like on the planet Mars
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I steal a show like the man at large My band Royal like the Kansas City Tanner bomb Keeping 30 rock poppin',
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you cannot stop em' Probably got your mommy out there pop lockin' I pull up in the whip,
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that's the top rocket These rappers in they feelin' like a hot pocket Hey,
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yo, I'm glad you hatin' congratulations from Thornton to Puerto Rican imagination.
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Yo, go get your vaccination,
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cause all the chicks dig me like I'm Channing Taylor.
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Oh, my goodness.
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Oh, my goodness.
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Oh, my goodness.
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Oh, my goodness.
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This is unbelievable.
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I think we can do maybe one more.
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Oh, God!
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If you don't mind, the pressure's on,
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because you already nailed it.
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Vaccination 10.
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It's hating!
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I'm sorry.
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Here we go.
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I know.
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All right.
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We'll push the button one more time.
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No whammies.
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No whammies.
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No whammies.
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Dinosaur, pumpkin pie, Darth Vader.
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Dinos...
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This is tricky.
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Dinosaur, pumpkin pie, Darth Vader.
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Okay.
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Roots, you want to give them a beat?
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Oh!
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Hope I do not fall flat I'm walking through Jurassic World Like my name's Chris Pratt Uh,
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I'm like the Roots, do you want more?
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I go from the Mesozoic Triassic like a dinosaur Uh,
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yeah, I got that pumpkin pie Oh,
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my gosh, I can't fake the funk Cause I'm that Funkin' guy And I would give you all slices Resurrect,
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resolve Puerto Rico's dead crisis But yes,
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please, I'll see you later I have y'all leavin' hard
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and breathin' hard Like my name's Darth Vader So please don't bother I'm behind the mask,
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Satan Luke, I am your father Oh!
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Yeah!
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Oh my God!
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I don't know where you're goin' I don't know how you do it.
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You can't top it.
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Lin-Manuel Miranda, go see Hamilton on Broadway.
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It will change your life.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by engaging with the dynamic freestyle rap of Lin-Manuel Miranda on the "Wheel of Freestyle." This activity will not only enhance your vocabulary but also improve your pronunciation and rhythm in spoken English. By following along and mimicking the artist's flow, you will learn to incorporate new vocabulary into your speech while having fun. This method is particularly effective for those looking to learn English with YouTube as it combines entertainment with language practice.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Rainbow - a multicolored arc formed in the sky.
  • Pancake - a flat cake made from batter and cooked on a hot surface.
  • Slam dunk - a basketball shot made by jumping and putting the ball directly through the hoop.
  • LGBTQ - an acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning individuals.
  • Roy G. Biv - a mnemonic device for remembering the colors of the rainbow.
  • Mandrake - a plant with roots that resemble a human, often associated with folklore.
  • Style - a manner of doing something, in this context referring to unique ways of rapping.

Practice Tips

To make the most of this lesson, try shadow speaking with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Start by playing short segments of the video, pausing after each line to repeat what he says. Focus on matching his speed and tone, as this will help you improve English pronunciation and fluency. The rhythmic nature of rap can be challenging, so don’t hesitate to practice the lines multiple times. Remember, your goal is to not only mimic the words but also to embody the emotion and energy of the performance.

Consider using the technique called shadowspeak. This involves listening closely to the articulation and inflection used in the freestyle performance, then attempting to recreate it. As you progress, try to combine your newfound vocabulary into your sentences, just as Lin-Manuel Miranda does during his freestyle. By actively participating in this engaging form of English speaking practice, you'll build confidence and enhance your conversational skills with a modern twist.

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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