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It’s been a while since Robert Louis Stevenson and Oscar Wilde wrote their novels about humanity’s duality. But the conversation is NOT over…

  • MUSIC FOCUS: NF.
  • ACTIVITY FOCUS: Write your own rap.

ACTIVITY 1

Watch NF’s ‘HOPE’ video and make sure to listen to the words.

As with so many of NF’s tracks, the lyrics to ‘HOPE’ are built in the form of a conversation. Nathan (Nate) Feuerstein is the name on NF’s birth certificate, so when he rages about: “Thirty years of darkness, thirty years of Nate,” it’s as if the rapper’s yelling at a version of himself.

The simplest way to think about it might be like this:

Perhaps NF isn’t at at a literal traffic light, but he is in a constant state of debate. The part of him that’s been in control of the steering wheel for most of his life always seems to be battling with that ‘better’ part of himself in the passenger seat.

Perhaps that’s an oversimplified way of explaining the situation. There’s no way, though, of denying that NF is as concerned with human duality as Stevenson was when writing his ‘Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’.

duality: the quality or state of having two different or opposite parts or elements.

ACTIVITY 2

Watch the video again. Think about the setting. Why has NF located the video where he has? What does, for example, the sea symbolise? List the different elements of the setting that you think are worth noting. Think about how the setting details link to the ideas at the heart of ‘HOPE’ – jot your thoughts down.

ACTIVITY 3

Write your own rap. Think of it as one side of your self talking to another side of your self. Perhaps, you’ll write from one part of your personality (e..g. the upbeat, social part) to another part of your personality (e.g. the antisocial, insecure part). Or from one different emotion (e.g. anger) to another emotion (e.g. worry). Or maybe you’ll have a different spin on it!

You may wish to reference your location in your lyrics. Or create a piece of artwork similar to NF’s to be positioned alongside your writing. Or maybe draw a storyboard for a music video.

Please do send your own writing in. We want to publish the most exciting writing and offer advice.

Now, listen to more NF and create an acronym poster to help you with your Literature revision!