My music is like a spinning ball. It can turn in one direction, and then it comes back to origins. Youssou N'Dour More Quotes by Youssou N'Dour More Quotes From Youssou N'Dour People need to see that, far from being an obstacle, the world's diversity of languages, religions and traditions is a great treasure, affording us precious opportunities to recognize ourselves in others. Youssou N'Dour diversityopportunitypeople Music in Africa often contains messages. Music in Senegal, and Africa, is never music for music's sake or solely for entertainment. It's always a vehicle for social connections, discussions and ideas. Youssou N'Dour connectionssakeideas I think people should know more of Africa in terms of its joie de vivre, its feeling for life. In spite of the images that one knows about Africa - the economic poverty, the corruption - there's a joy to living and a happiness in community, living together, in community life, which may be missing here in America. Youssou N'Dour community-livinghappinessthinking Travel teaches as much as books. Youssou N'Dour teachbook I want to use my music to deliver a political message and sometimes to denounce, but I don't want to be a politician. Youssou N'Dour politicalusewant In the West, you have always associated the Islamic faith 100 percent with Arab culture. This in itself is a fundamentalist attitude and it is mistaken. Youssou N'Dour islamicattitudeculture In politics, sometimes you have to lie, or you make a promise that you cannot keep. Youssou N'Dour sometimeslyingpromise When I'm in Senegal, I can't just sit in isolation making music. People need my help. And the Senegalese people helped create my music. It comes from the country itself. Youssou N'Dour countrypeopleneeds Western record companies haven't always dealt with African musicians in the best way. Giving them a lot of money and telling them they're going to be bigger than Phil Collins is the wrong way to do it! Youssou N'Dour recordsmusiciangiving Malaria kills and its main victims are children and women. We can stop this scourge so people can live with dignity and go to work and school. Youssou N'Dour childrenpeopleschool Africa is the future. Youssou N'Dour I don't want to see that two-tier Senegal, that two-tier Africa, when you have those at the top and those at the bottom, people who are hungry, people who do not have enough to eat. Youssou N'Dour wanttwopeople I have to protect my family and have a life with them that is completely private. Youssou N'Dour protect-my-familymy-familyprotect I can assure you that I have never used my media companies for propaganda, and I will never do so. Youssou N'Dour propagandausedmedia I love meeting interesting people and doing things with them. Youssou N'Dour meetingspeopleinteresting World music is about taking things from different places and bringing them together - which is great. Youssou N'Dour differenttogetherworld When the slaves left Africa, they left us this music. They left us blues. Youssou N'Dour leftslave Senegal needs a renaissance. Youssou N'Dour renaissanceneeds Politics is politics; art is art. If you play a political role, you have to stop being an artist. Youssou N'Dour politicalplayart My father used to tell me about how musicians don't have respect from people and he was afraid about my future. Youssou N'Dour musicianfatherpeople
