Best 106 quotes of Mos Def on MyQuotes

African art is functional, it serves a purpose. It's not a dormant. It's not a means to collect the largest cheering section. It should be healing, a source a joy. Spreading positive vibrations.

And from the moment that I saw you, I knew you was trouble, But I disregarded detour signs, And did not stop til you was mine. I guess God was like, 'Aight, fine.' Careful what you wish for, cause you just might get it in heaps. Try to give it back, He be like, 'Nah, that's yours to keep.'

And remember don't high post when you're far from home, and high posting when you're all alone.

At its heart, music is all higher mathematics.

Beef is not what Jay said to Nas; Beef is when the working folks can't find jobs.

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.

Breathe in...inhale vapors from bright stars that shine, Breathe out...weed smoke retrace the skyline.

Crack mothers, crack babies and AIDS patients Youngbloods can't spell, but they could rock you in PlayStation.

Don't look down, it's an impossible view; Fly like an eagle whatever you do.

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.

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

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. It's like, "I gotta get across the street, man! I gotta be there! I gotta be there!" Then you get across the street and you're like, "Yeah I'm here!" And then, that's it. Fame doesn't make you particularly happy.

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.

Fear not of men because men must die. Mind over matter and soul before flesh.

Focused. I'm a hustler. And my hustle is trying to figure out the best ways to do what I like without having to do much else.

Good art provides people with a vocabulary about things they can't articulate.

Hip-hop is a beautiful culture. It's inspirational, because it's a culture of survivors. You can create beauty out of nothingness.

Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but Motorhead?

Hip-hop is the last true folk art.

Hip-Hop went from selling crack to smoking it

History has proven that it's impossible to crush the artist. There's always gonna be a need for somebody to write a poem or sing a song about something, about life - that makes it real. There's the word that goes beyond the word.

I began to fear that Mos Def was being treated as a product, not a person, so I've been going by Yasiin since '99. At first it was just for friends and family, but now I'm declaring it openly.

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 can't control what people think. I'm not trying to manipulate people's thoughts or sentiments. I write all the time. You have to experience life, make observations, and ask questions. It's machine-like how things are run now in hip-hop, and my ambitions are different.

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'd bet a million dollars on DOOM against Lil' Wayne

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

I don't have advice for people on how to dress. People should dress based on what they find beautiful. My best advice: Keep your clothes clean.

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

I don't wanna get into that space where a lot of guys now, their solo album is like eight or 10 songs with other people, you don't get an idea of who this guy is. I just wasn't interested in that.

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

I dreamt that I could paint you with words, but there were no colors bright enough, black or white enough, blue or green enough...they didn't mean enough

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

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

If it's just fame for the sake of being famous, no one even cares about you - and you don't even care about yourself because you're like, "This is so ridiculous.

If you're going to do Chuck Berry, you got to, you know, go all out, and the duck walk is just kind of you know, cursory. That's like standing.

I get reminded a lot of the time that my life is a little bit different, but I'm just trying to keep it as regular as possible because I like it that way

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

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 have no confidence issues with the impact or the quality of the music. No one in hip-hop, before this point and to this point, with all due respect, has done this.

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

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.

I'm an independent thinker. And I'm not the poster child for any movement. I'm trying to support whatever's right no matter where it is.

I'm a passionate person. I'm a lot of things, like most people are. Most people are dynamic. The focus is not on me though, I'm a screen. The aim is to always keep myself in the position where the screen is clear.

I'm blacked than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle

I'm doing exactly what I was supposed to do. Yeah. I didn't exactly choose this. My own life, if it were up to me, would be very, very quiet. I'd be like a shopkeeper, a book collector, or something like that. I'm not like this. Myself as a performer and an artist is totally different from who I am.

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

I'm inspired by playwrights, novelists, poets: The value of language has been a lifelong passion of mine. I enjoy it. I'm good at it.

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.