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" 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. "

Mos Def

Debate

People

Rude

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" I'm trying to get low. People's personalities can get in the way of their own work. "

" 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. "

" 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 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'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 was taught when there's somethin' you can change around keep quiet, you got nothin' to complain about. "

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

" 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 never had any ambitions of being a movie star or anything like that, but you know, this is nice. "

" When people say, 'I don't see you enough,' well just because you don't see me don't mean I don't exist, or just 'cause you haven't heard me don't mean I haven't been making noise. But if I keep making noise, you'll pick up. "

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

" You have to be an extremist to believe that you're gonna be the president of the United States and your name is Barack Hussein Obama! And he's using extreme methods, but his application is very smooth. Michelle Obama is extreme, her presence is extreme. And it's an extreme good. Extreme is not negative. "

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

Mos Def

You

Wind

" I didn't want to have to deal with having any moniker or separation between the self that I see and know myself as. "

" All the things that are worth doing, take time. "

" Reckless capitalism kills black people. "

" 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. "

" 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. "

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

" 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. "

" 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? "

" I come from a family of very devout, praying people. That idea of peace and love toward humanity shouldn't be nationalistic or denominational. It should be a chief concern for all mankind. "

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

" My presence speaks volumes before I say a word. "

" You're not gonna get through life without being worshipful or devoted to something. You're either devoted to your job, or to your desires. So the best way to spend your life is to try to be devoted to prayer, to Allah. "

" To me, playing an instrument and singing, all of these different things are just as natural to me as rhyming. "

Mos Def

Different

Natural

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