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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.

Mos Def

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Mos Def
Age: 50
Born: 1973
Born: December 11
Actor
Composer
Film Actor
Film Producer
Rapper
Record Producer
Singer
Singer-Songwriter
Songwriter
Television Actor
Brooklyn
New York
Yasiin Bey
Dante Terrell Smith
Dante Beze
Black Dante
Able
Everyday
Mean
Intelligent
Articulate
Way
Wouldn
Vocabulary
World
Means
Useful
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Provide
Experience
Meaningful
Artist
Express
Feelings
Otherwise

More quotes by Mos Def

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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.
Mos Def
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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.'
Mos Def
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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.
Mos Def
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Record companies are not necessarily interested in you realizing your artistic dream. The bottom line is that they got to sell records.
Mos Def
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I don't rap like nobody, I don't try to sound like nobody.
Mos Def
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If 'Life in Marvelous Times' can't get on the radio, then I don't need to be on the radio.
Mos Def
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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
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With guys I revere, like Marcus Garvey or Malcolm X, their look is less about style than purpose and the expression of beauty. It wasn't just about being noticed, you know?
Mos Def
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If Islam's sole interest is the welfare of mankind, then Islam is the strongest advocate of human rights anywhere on Earth.
Mos Def
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Peace before everything, God before anything, Love before anything, real before everything, Home before any place, shoot before anything, Style and state radiate, Love Power slay the hate.
Mos Def
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And remember don't high post when you're far from home, and high posting when you're all alone.
Mos Def
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All the things that are worth doing, take time.
Mos Def
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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.
Mos Def
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I thought everybody got into rock 'n' roll because they didn't want to follow instructions.
Mos Def
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I've always loved music and I love the language, which is a huge reason why I'm part of theater.
Mos Def
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To me, it's like happiness is about happiness, but happiness is a fight.
Mos Def
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I want to be necessary and do good works. I ain't here to waste nobody's time, because I don't want you to waste mine.
Mos Def
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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.
Mos Def
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Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but Motorhead?
Mos Def
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What I take from writers I like is their economy - the ability to use language to very effective ends.
Mos Def