Quotes from Mos Def

You have to experience life, make observations, and ask questions.

I feel like being into the beat of your own drum has become too prominent in the culture.

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

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

There are a lot of people who call themselves teachers or leaders, but they're really just propagandists.

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

If 'Life in Marvelous Times' can't get on the radio, then I don't need to be on the radio.

I don't rap like nobody, I don't try to sound like nobody.

My presence speaks volumes before I say a word.

Reckless capitalism kills black people.

Record companies are not necessarily interested in you realizing your artistic dream. The bottom line is that they got to sell records.

It's one thing to be the greatest; it's another thing to be necessary. The best are the most necessary: those who take less than they give and love more than they hate.

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.

I guess something that you love to do, you gotta ease up off it and give it a little space, come back and be fresh to it.

I believe the projects were a social experiment; we were laboratory rats stacked on top of each other, and people just knew, inherently, that there was something wrong. There's not a lot of regard for the property by the residents.

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.

What I take from writers I like is their economy - the ability to use language to very effective ends.

What I take from writers I like is their economy - the ability to use language to very effective ends. The ability to have somebody read something and see it, or for somebody to paint an entire landscape of visual imagery with just sheets of words - that's magical.

Everything's got space between it, the planets, trees, your eyes. Your eyes get too close together, it's a whole different world. You can lose perspective.

I don't want to waste anyone's time or money. I want to give people some truth and positive heart lift.

I've been fortunate with my acting career. A lot of scripts come to me. I don't mind auditioning if something that requires that, but I haven't had to in awhile, which is a nice place to be 'cause I've been on quite a lot of auditions in my life.

I'm not shy about heated debate or passionate discourse, but when people get crazy or rude, that's a buzz kill. There's got to be a better code of conduct, some basic etiquette.

I'm growing as an individual, but your always growing. All of my albums are snapshots of where I am artistically.

I don't hate nobody. I hate certain conditions that are inflicted upon the people - and they're helpless with it.