Being called Black in America is the struggle to keep us moving and breathing over bloody water. Being a Nig**r or [Ni**a] without the context of history is like drowning in bloody water, dragging down those yet knowing to swim.
Chuck DRead
I spread the message of hope and of unity. That's what gets me up in the morning. I can tell you what is wrong, but I can't tell you how to fix it. I'm a raptivist, not a politician. I deal in hope.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of spreading hope and unity rather than focusing solely on problems.
Chuck D expresses his belief in the power of hope and unity as essential motivations in his life. He distinguishes himself from politicians by stating that his role is to inspire and uplift people through optimism, rather than simply pointing out societal issues without offering solutions. This perspective highlights the profound impact of positive messages in the face of adversity.
In practice
During a motivational speech at a community event to inspire unity.
Being called Black in America is the struggle to keep us moving and breathing over bloody water. Being a Nig**r or [Ni**a] without the context of history is like drowning in bloody water, dragging down those yet knowing to swim.
Never try to make the same record twice, even when people are screaming for the same sound.
Rap is supposed to be about keeping it real and not relinquishing your roots in the community. Without that, it's just posturing. Somebody who claims to speak for the 'hood don't need no private jet.
People aren't going to support an artist just because they have an audio file. They have to feel a real connection.
Cause I'm Black and I'm proud_x000D_ _x000D_ I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped_x000D_ _x000D_ Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
I hope that somewhere in Small Town, U.S.A., a 15-year-old kid looks to me as a role model the way I looked at the Indigo Girls and Elton John as role models.
Throw off your tiredness. Let me show you one tiny spot of the beauty that can't be spoken.
Racism and injustice and violence sweep our world, bringing a tragic harvest of heartache and death.
You must never stop dreaming. Face reality, yes. But don't stop with the way things are; dream of things as they ought to be. Dream of peace. Peace is rational and reasonable. War is irrational in this age and unwinnable.
Every day, I wake up and I say, 'Why... how... did I end up with 1.7 million Twitter followers?' It's freaky to me, every day, but that tells me that there's an appetite out there that had previously been underserved. There's an inner geek in us all, an inner bit of curiosity that people are discovering, and they like it.
Hope transforms pessimism into optimism. Hope is invincible.
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