There was a time when hip-hop was its own musical principle, aside from sampling. Like the entire Wild Style break is instrumental. Kurtis Blow's earliest stuff was studio musicians playing. Whodini had a real clear sound, things like "five minutes of funk," stuff that you could write really beautiful, lush string and horn arrangements around, stuff that was just music.

Mos Def

More Quotes by Mos Def
Categorized in : BeautifulWritingReal
More Quotes From Mos Def
Make today's solid ground out of yesterday's quicksand. by Mos Def

Make today's solid ground out of yesterday's quicksand.

Mos Def
yesterdaytodaylife

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

Mos Def
colorbluemean

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.

Mos Def
and-lovehategiving

I don't care about what brand you are, I'm concerned what type of man you are, what your principles and standards are.

Mos Def
careprinciplesmen
Fear not of men because men must die. Mind over matter and soul b... by Mos Def

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

Mos Def
soulfearmen
My presence speaks volumes before I say a word. by Mos Def

My presence speaks volumes before I say a word.

Mos Def
volumespeak

They say that when a man faces his destiny, the destiny ends and he becomes the man that he really is.

Mos Def
destinyfacesmen
Good art provides people with a vocabulary about things they can'... by Mos Def

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

Mos Def
vocabularypeopleart
Peace before everything, God before anything, by Mos Def

Peace before everything, God before anything,

Mos Def
raphatereal
Don't look down, it's an impossible view; Fly like an eagle whate... by Mos Def

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

Mos Def
eaglesviewslooks

That idea of peace and love toward humanity shouldn't be nationalistic or denominational. It should be a chief concern for all mankind.

Mos Def
and-lovehumanityideas

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

Mos Def
survivorhip-hopbeautiful

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.

Mos Def
hustletryingway

The moment you start thinking it's hopeless, then it is. [But], if you think it's gonna get better, it really does. Life is a test.

Mos Def
get-betterdoethinking

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

Mos Def
heartgivingpeople
We can be beautiful and feel beautiful about who we are everyday. by Mos Def

We can be beautiful and feel beautiful about who we are everyday.

Mos Def
who-we-areeverydaybeautiful
You want to know how to rhyme, then learn how to add. It's mathem... by Mos Def

You want to know how to rhyme, then learn how to add. It's mathematics.

Mos Def
mathematicswantadd

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.

Mos Def
supportindependentchildren
All the things that are worth doing, take time. by Mos Def

All the things that are worth doing, take time.

Mos Def
take-time
I ain't no perfect man I'm tryna do the best that I can with what... by Mos Def

I ain't no perfect man I'm tryna do the best that I can with what it is I have.

Mos Def
do-the-bestperfectmen