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Gangsta Rappers, They Call Them. Not Nearly As Gangsta As The Things That Inspire Them.. You Know, A Gangsta Government That We Operate Under.
-Russell Simmons
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Gangsta Rappers, They Call

Russell Simmons
...
Gangsta Rappers, They Call Them. Not Nearly As Gangsta As The Things That Inspire Them.. You Know, A Gangsta Government That We Operate Under.

Understanding the Quote: "gangsta rappers, they call them. not nearly as gangsta as the things..."

This quote by Russell Simmons reflects deeply on the theme of gangsta. It connects to the universal human journey of purpose, motivation, and reflection. Often categorized under Gangsta, Rapper, Government, the quote offers insight, emotional clarity, and intellectual inspiration to readers worldwide.

Whether you’re a student exploring new ideas, a leader trying to motivate your team, or someone seeking direction in life — this quote provides value. It resonates because it’s more than words — it’s a bridge between experience and wisdom. It shows how Russell Simmons interprets life's core challenges and triumphs.

Lessons From the Quote

This quote teaches resilience and focus. It reminds readers that no matter where they stand in life, reflection and self-awareness lead to growth. Each word has meaning, and when studied, it becomes clear how impactful thoughtful language can be.

About Russell Simmons

Russell Simmons is celebrated for insightful thoughts on gangsta and rapper. Their legacy lives on through writings that guide, comfort, and inspire. Discover more on their profile page.

Actionable Takeaways

  • Reflect on how this quote applies to your current life path.
  • Share the message with someone who needs inspiration.
  • Write your thoughts on this quote in a journal or blog post.
  • Use it as a daily affirmation or reminder.

Closing Thoughts

Quotes like this endure because they capture universal truths. They comfort us in solitude and empower us in groups. Carry this quote forward — live by its wisdom, share its message, and keep its essence alive.

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Topic
Gangsta
Rapper
Government
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I Try To Make My Life About Service, And Hope That One Day We Can All 'see' A Little Better Because God Is With Everyone And Everywhere.
Trying
One Day
Littles
What I Would Do To Change This Planet Is Have Everyone Meditate And Look Inside. Then We'd Have A Happier, More Service-oriented, Less-needy World.
Looks
World
Planets
Never Pass Up Any Opportunity To Share Your Gifts With The World.
Opportunity
World
Share
Culture In America And Everywhere Else Comes From The Suffering, From Those Who Don't Want The Old Ways. They Want To Bring In The New, Whether It's The Ballet, When It Started, Or Shakespeare.
America
Ballet
Suffering
Art Allows People A Way To Dream Their Way Out Of Their Struggle.
Dream
Art
Struggle
I Think The Artist's Job Throughout History Has Been To Tell - To Say Things That People Are Inspired By.
Jobs
Artist
Thinking
"...piling Up Zeros In Your Bank Account, Or Cars In Your Driveway, Won't In And Of Itself Make You Successful. Rather, True Success Is Based On A Constant Flow Of Giving And Recieving. In Fact, If You Look Up Affluence In The Dictionary, You'll See Its Root Is A Latin Phrase Meaning "to Flow With Abundance". So In Order To Be Truly Affluent, You Must Always Let What You Have Recieved Flow Back Into The World."
Success
Business
Latin
Being A Thoughtful Vegan Makes Our Time On This Earth More Peaceful And Joyous, Because You Get To Have A Hand In Promoting And Increasing The Happiness, Good Health And Well-being Of Others -- Both Animal And Human -- Rather Than Being An Instrument Of Their Suffering And Death.
Animal
Thoughtful
Hands
A Poet Or A Comedian Can Say What's On The Mind Of People. They Should Be Funny. They Should Make You Laugh. It May Be So Truthful That It Hurts, But It Makes You Laugh.
Hurt
People
Laughing
You Can't Jump To Vegan If You're Not. Some People Are Absolute. Some People Are Able To Be Gradual.
People
Able
Vegan
Being Materialistic Is Part Of The Hip-hop Community's Nature, Because Jazz And Blues And Rock 'n' Roll, When They Started Out In The Urban Communities, Were About The American Dream, And The Lack Of Opportunity In That Structure. So They Talked About Everything - Uplifting And Getting What Is Perceived As Success In America.
Uplifting
Dream
Opportunity
I Mean People Are Sexist And Racist And Homophobic And Violent. But I Don't Think Of The Rappers As Being Any More Sexist Or Racist Or Homophobic Than Their Parents. Certainly Less, In All Those Cases, Less Homophobic Or Racist Or Sexist, And Then Less Gangster Than Our Government. It's Stuff That People Normally Don't Speak On, Subjects They Don't Speak On, And Ideas They Kind Of Keep To Themselves.
Mean
Thinking
Rapper
The Book 'do You!' Is About Your Inner Voice. And When You Connect To That Voice Then You - Then The Freedom Comes. And We're Only Here To Be Happy. So Happy Makes Money. Money Doesn't Make Happy.
Book
Voice
Make Happy
Not Every Move You Make Has To Be A Great Leap
Moving
Leap
A More Happy Mind Leads To Quietness And Clarity. And That Clarity Helps You Have A Greater Capacity To Do More And To Become More Successful And More Giving.
Successful
Giving
Mind
My Wife Kimora Once Told Me While We Were Watching "the Texas Chainsaw Massacre" That It's A Vegetarian Movie Because The Way That The Woman Was Screaming, "aaaahhh," And Trying To Run Away Is How Every Animal You Eat Reacted At The Slaughterhouse.
Running
Animal
Texas
You Don't Expect A 94-year-old White Guy To Pick "dope," Which Was An Awesome Movie Not Even Close To Being Considered By The Academy. And That's What It's All About, Like, Promoting People Who Might Not Otherwise Get Promoted And Celebrating People Who Might Not Get Celebrated.
Dope
Years
White
Hip-hop Is Such A Wide Statement Of Culture That Everyone Is Not The Same, And It's Impossible To Put It Into One Box.
Hip Hop
Culture
Hips
Unconscious Behavior Is At The Core. Think Of The 40 Billion Animals We Abuse And Eat Who Are Born Into Suffering. It's A Karmic Disaster.
Animal
Thinking
Abuse
Needing Nothing Attracts Everything.
Inspirational
Law Of Attraction
Expectations
Many Of My Biggest Business Endeavors Were Failures Before They Became A Success. Some Failed For As Long As Six Years Before They Hit. Everyone Around Me Thought I Was Crazy. You Just Have To Stay At It.
Crazy
Years
Long
And The More People Meditate, The More It Increases The Positive Vibrations Turning The Planet Into A Positive, Happy Place. The More You Do That, The Greater Service You Are To God.
People
Positive Vibrations
Increase
The Difference Between Blues, Jazz, Rock N' Roll And Rap Is That Rap Stayed Poor. Even The White Rappers Are Poor. It's Scarier To Look At Poor People; It Makes Everyone Uncomfortable. Their Pain Is Something That People Would Like To See Swept Under The Rug.
Pain
Rap
Rocks
There Is No Happiness Until The Mind Is Still. The Cause Of All Sickness And Sadness Is The Fluctuation Of The Mind.
Sadness
Mind
Causes
You Have To Be Able To Say What People Are Thinking But Won't Say. It's Like Donald Trump.
Thinking
People
Able
I've Shared Meditation With A Lot Of Hip-hop Artists, Inmates, And Returning War Veterans With Ptsd, As Well. I Feel Like This Dharma, This Service Is Part Of My Job.
Jobs
War
Artist
I'm A Big Supporter Of President Obama.
President
President Obama
Bigs
If You Want To Say Something Profound, Writing From Your Heartbeat Is Different Than Writing From The Loud Voices You Get From Music. If They're Rapping From Noise, It's About Robbing People. It's That Simple.
Rap
Writing
Simple
I Think I'm Less Afraid Of Failure Than Some Others.
Thinking
Inspirational Running
Afraid Of Failure
But Rich Or Poor, Black Or White, None Of Us Are Entitled To Anything.
Rich Or Poor
White
Black
Sitting In Stillness Has Got To Be The Greatest Asset I Have In Terms Of Attaining Happiness.
Sitting
Assets
Attaining Happiness
Those Who Need Nothing Attract Everything.
Needs
I Just Try To, In My Own Way, Contribute To Making A Better Hollywood, To Move Hollywood To Be A Leader In Social Justice, As It Always Has Been, And Not To Have Any Holes In Their Own Backyard While They Continue To Push For Equality And All The Things That They Always Stand Up For.
Moving
Justice
Leader
The Greatest Tool To Eliminate The Noise Is Meditation.
Meditation
Tools
Noise
Gangsta Rappers, They Call Them. Not Nearly As Gangsta As The Things That Inspire Them.. You Know, A Gangsta Government That We Operate Under.
Gangsta
Rapper
Government
The Soundtrack In The Poetry Is The Soundtrack From Your Own Heartbeat.
Heartbeat
Soundtracks
Poetry Is
If You Just Remember To Breathe And Smile Before You Act, You’ll Always Make The Right Decision.
Decision
Remember
Breathe
There Are Songs And Melody That Make You Really Happy. And There Are Spiritual Gifts That You Have - Giving These Gifts Away Sometimes Gives You That Feeling Of Inspiration. These Seconds Of Awareness Make You Realize That Any Second Can Be Your Favorite One, And It Really Is Up To You.
Spiritual
Song
Inspiration
You Just Have To Pay Attention To What People Need And What Has Not Been Done.
Business
People
Entrepreneur
You Know, I Love All Kinds Of Activism. I Certainly Think Blacks Deserve To Have Something Whether It Is Affirmative Action Or An Opportunity That Should Be Opened Up To Them. But At The Same Time I Believe That People Of Color Are Not The Only Poor People In America And All Over The World.
Believe
Opportunity
Thinking
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