--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black…" description: "\"Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red, blue, whatever.' You gotta ask, what were you called before 1492? All these names we're using now..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/afrika-bambaataa-11009_asks_don-t-get-caught-up-on-i-m-brown-black-w_2254526.png" --- # Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red… ![“Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red, blue, whatever.' You gotta ask, what were you called before 1492? All these names we're using now are just an illusion made to keep us fighting each other.” quote by Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/afrika-bambaataa-11009_asks_don-t-get-caught-up-on-i-m-brown-black-w_2254526.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/afrika-bambaataa-11009_asks_don-t-get-caught-up-on-i-m-brown-black-w_2254526.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/afrika-bambaataa-11009_asks_don-t-get-caught-up-on-i-m-brown-black-w_2254526.png) > “Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red, blue, whatever.' You gotta ask, what were you called before 1492? All these names we're using now are just an illusion made to keep us fighting each other.” [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognize that modern racial labels are constructed and distract from deeper shared histories. **In simple terms:** Labels are superficial; look deeper. Key Takeaway Question imposed identities. Themes identity history colonialism Mood critical provocative Type social political When to use this quote - education - community dialogue - policy making Key Concepts social constructivism critical race theory Questions to Reflect On - What historical narratives are we ignoring? - How can we foster unity beyond color? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched perceptions is difficult and may meet resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blue/) [Fighting each other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting-each-other/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) ## Related quotes > [Everybody needs to show respect to each others' ways and the cultural life that you get on this planet. Don't get caught up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/everybody-needs-to-show-respect-to-each-others-ways-and-the-cultural/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I think we are becoming more and more linked, and before long, we'll all be one culture. It's happening in every field, not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-ford/i-think-we-are-becoming-more-and-more-linked-and-before-long-we-ll/) [Tom Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-ford/) > [Starting from the ruins of the Second World War, we - all Europeans said, after centuries of fighting each other, we're going to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-garton-ash/starting-from-the-ruins-of-the-second-world-war-we-all-europeans-said/) [Timothy Garton Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-garton-ash/) > [I hope next time when we meet, we won't be fighting each other. Instead we will be drinking tea together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-hope-next-time-when-we-meet-we-won-t-be-fighting-each-other-instead/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [People think this is all about the top players hitting tenins balls and they talk about technique and strategy and how important that is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newcombe/people-think-this-is-all-about-the-top-players-hitting-tenins-balls/) [John Newcombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newcombe/) > [We are in the final stages of egoic madness. Almost the whole world is fighting each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/we-are-in-the-final-stages-of-egoic-madness-almost-the-whole-world-is/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Have a dialogue between the two opposing parts and you will find that they always start out fighting each other until we come to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-salomon-perls/have-a-dialogue-between-the-two-opposing-parts-and-you-will-find-that/) [Frederick Salomon Perls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-salomon-perls/) > [To me, groups of musicians playing together, not fighting each other, but playing a groove together is one of the most exciting things to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/to-me-groups-of-musicians-playing-together-not-fighting-each-other/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [From the outside, people think it's drug-related. But wherever you come from, people are driven by a sense of belonging. What I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/from-the-outside-people-think-it-s-drug-related-but-wherever-you-come/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [So, all of us would do well to stop fighting each other for our space at the bottom, because there ain't no more room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-clarke/so-all-of-us-would-do-well-to-stop-fighting-each-other-for-our-space/) Cheryl Clarke > [After Self-Realisation it is easy to perceive the truth that all these religions were born on the same tree of spirituality, but that those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/after-self-realisation-it-is-easy-to-perceive-the-truth-that-all/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [Administrators tend to lump Asians in Chicago into one group, not understanding that these kids would be fighting each other, the Cambodians and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malik-yusef/administrators-tend-to-lump-asians-in-chicago-into-one-group-not/) [Malik Yusef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malik-yusef/) > [Management and union may be likened to that serpent of the fables who on one body had two heads that fighting each other with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/management-and-union-may-be-likened-to-that-serpent-of-the-fables-who/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [We are in the final stages of egoic madness. Almost the whole world is fighting each other. We witnessed the final stages of egoic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/we-are-in-the-final-stages-of-egoic-madness-almost-the-whole-world-is-2/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [People get caught up in worshipping certain rappers, or they try to demonise hip hop by looking at what certain rappers are doin' in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/people-get-caught-up-in-worshipping-certain-rappers-or-they-try-to/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) ## More by Afrika Bambaataa > [Somewhere down the line, the evil ones stole the legacy of hip hop and flipped it to a corporate type of hip hop. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/somewhere-down-the-line-the-evil-ones-stole-the-legacy-of-hip-hop-and/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I'd like to see people pay attention to the science of hip hop. The knowledge part, the political side of what hip hop could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-d-like-to-see-people-pay-attention-to-the-science-of-hip-hop-the/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I'm the renegade of funk. I've made house, techno, rock, funk, reggae... That's why I've been on so many different labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-m-the-renegade-of-funk-i-ve-made-house-techno-rock-funk-reggae-that/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [House, rap, R&B, disco rock, they are all part of hip-hop culture. Why you ain't playing Kraftwerk along with Jay-Z? That's hip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/house-rap-r-b-disco-rock-they-are-all-part-of-hip-hop-culture-why-you/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [Everybody needs to show respect to each others' ways and the cultural life that you get on this planet. Don't get caught up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/everybody-needs-to-show-respect-to-each-others-ways-and-the-cultural/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [What worries me are these so-called radio stations with program directors who don't play all the different flavors of hip-hop. They should play the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/what-worries-me-are-these-so-called-radio-stations-with-program/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [Record industry's not so much against artists, but certain people are just wicked people that sit up in the industry who go against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/record-industry-s-not-so-much-against-artists-but-certain-people-are/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I don't care if it's rap, metal, whatever. You still should play Beatles records mixed with Limp Bizkit mixed with Foghat mixed with Creedence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-don-t-care-if-it-s-rap-metal-whatever-you-still-should-play-beatles/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [We also want to try and slow down all this foolishness that's going on between the East and West. We gotta understand that Hip…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/we-also-want-to-try-and-slow-down-all-this-foolishness-that-s-going/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [There are a lot of true culturalists who respect where they're from, but you have some who are just all about the benjamins, like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/there-are-a-lot-of-true-culturalists-who-respect-where-they-re-from/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [I like Akon, I like some of Lil Wayne when he uses that funky voice. Anything progressive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/i-like-akon-i-like-some-of-lil-wayne-when-he-uses-that-funky-voice/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [We want you to sit down and leave your egos at home and let's get an understanding as to where all this is foolishness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/we-want-you-to-sit-down-and-leave-your-egos-at-home-and-let-s-get-an/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [A lot of times you can lose the MP3s - it's a lot of labor to be finding it again, putting things back up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/a-lot-of-times-you-can-lose-the-mp3s-it-s-a-lot-of-labor-to-be/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [My definition of hip hop is taking elements from many other spheres of music to make hip hop. Whether it be breakbeat, whether it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/my-definition-of-hip-hop-is-taking-elements-from-many-other-spheres/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [There are a lot of things being put out to let people know. Even in the last 25 years, all these extraterrestrial movies are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/there-are-a-lot-of-things-being-put-out-to-let-people-know-even-in/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) [Explore all 62 Afrika Bambaataa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) ## More Asks quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I am a practicing Catholic, but my lineage is Jewish, so if someone asks me if I'm Jewish, I say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neve-campbell/i-am-a-practicing-catholic-but-my-lineage-is-jewish-so-if-someone/) [Neve Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neve-campbell/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Why did Erich von Stronheim leave Germany? Why did Hitchcock leave England? If you were a director you'd like to work in Hollywood too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-polanski/why-did-erich-von-stronheim-leave-germany-why-did-hitchcock-leave/) [Roman Polanski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-polanski/) > [There is nothing more I ask of this life than this moment, exactly so. And suddenly forever seems like too short a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-andreas/there-is-nothing-more-i-ask-of-this-life-than-this-moment-exactly-so/) [Brian Andreas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-andreas/) > [Success will come when the societal attitude changes and not a single woman in America asks herself the question 'What did I do?'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/success-will-come-when-the-societal-attitude-changes-and-not-a-single/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [The most fundamental question we can ever ask ourselves is whether or not the universe we live in is friendly or hostile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-most-fundamental-question-we-can-ever-ask-ourselves-is-whether-or/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) > [For someone to ask 'Who did you play for' and to be able to answer a single name 'Liverpool' that would be brilliant...I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/for-someone-to-ask-who-did-you-play-for-and-to-be-able-to-answer-a/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I have no hesitation in saying that although the American woman never leaves her domestic sphere and is in some respects very dependent within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-de-tocqueville/i-have-no-hesitation-in-saying-that-although-the-american-woman-never/) [Alexis de Tocqueville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-de-tocqueville/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I don't know how to say it exactly. Only...I want to die as myself. Does that make any sense?' he asks. I shake my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/i-don-t-know-how-to-say-it-exactly-only-i-want-to-die-as-myself-does/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) Browse all 7,138 Asks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't get caught up on 'I'm brown, black, white, red, blue, whatever.' You gotta ask, what were you called before 1492? 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