Mos Def Quotes - Page 3

I just don't think it's very dignified to ask people to like you. You can just wind up being somebody's ottoman.

You're not gonna get through life without being worshipful or devoted to something. You're either devoted to your job, or to your desires. So the best way to spend your life is to try to be devoted to prayer, to Allah.

Why do I need I.D. to get I.D.? If I had I.D. I wouldn't need I.D.

I'm just an artist and I'm doin' what I like to do.

I learned [playing Chuck Berry] that there's something to be said for the courage of conviction, that sense of belief, being bold enough to believe in your vision. And there's a quote that really fits his particular energy. It says - they say don't go where the path may lead, but go where there's no path and leave a trail. I think that's exactly what Chuck did, you know. It's an inspiration to a lot of folks, not just musicians, but people everywhere.

Why did one straw break the camel's back? Here's the secret: The million other straws underneath it.

The test in life nowadays is just trying to keep yourself charged up with enough good feeling. It's like, "OK what am I going to do to feel really good today?" Not like, some chick or a drink.

I'm really quite bipolar, and the depressed times, when everything felt like night, sometimes you get to such a low point that you physically beat at it until it bleeds - as you would say - bleeds till sunshine. You get to a point where you say, 'I will not take it anymore! I'm gonna do something drastic if I stay this depressed. I've got to break out of there!'

I can't take it y'all I can feel the city breathin Chest heavin, against the flesh of the evening Sigh before we die like the last train leaving

I give a damn if any fan recalls my legacy, I'm trying to live life in the sight of GOD's memory.

Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination.

The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis. Shinin', like "Who on top of this?

Reckless capitalism kills black people.

I don't mind being black. I'm black out loud. It's more than the people that they are, it's the condition that they represent.

I'm blacked than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle

It's possible and available to any artist to be himself or herself on their own terms, to be accepted and embraced by black people. You don't have to be a thug to get love from black people.

Every time you ask yourself where hip-hop's going, ask yourself where you're going; how are you doing?

I like to read the 'Financial Times' when I'm traveling. 'Economist.' 'Ad Busters.'

To me, the job of the artist is to provide a useful and intelligent vocabulary for the world to be able to articulate feelings they experience everyday, and otherwise wouldn't have the means to express in a meaningful and useful way.

It wouldn't be fair to cast aspersions on an entire cultural movement based on the actions of a few. To quote my grandfather, 'One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch.'

Bob Marley performed the 'One Love Peace' concert in Jamaica with the two different warring political sides. There's always been that in black music and culture in general. It's no surprise because black music is such a reflection of what's going on in black life. It's not unusual for hip-hop.

So rather than really have, like a close relationship to anything that's coming out today, people are just, they've got it on as background music. It's kind of the same way the cabdrivers use music; it's very disposable. But, that doesn't mean there aren't a great number of artists who are doing things to change that.

It's difficult to really be an artist nowadays. People are just on another page. You have a society that needs you to say something, but they don't want to give you the environment to be able to be just a functioning, happy, normal person. It's like, the industry is at odds with you, the society is at odds with you. You start to live in this very confined box where it's like, It's "me" and "them."

If Islam's sole interest is the welfare of mankind, then Islam is the strongest advocate of human rights anywhere on Earth.

I know what it feels like to have the door slammed firmly in my face, so I'm cool with that.