---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You don't decide you're hip. It just…"
description: "\"You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.\" — Cannonball Adderley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png"
---

#  You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.

![“You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.” quote by Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png)

> “You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.”

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Hipness is an organic, spontaneous state, not a conscious decision; it emerges naturally.

**In simple terms:** Hipness happens naturally.

Key Takeaway

Allow authenticity to flow.

Themes

authenticity culture spontaneity

Mood

relaxed confident

Type

cultural personal

When to use this quote

- artistic performance
- social gatherings
- personal style
- fashion trends

Key Concepts

identity formation social trends creativity

Questions to Reflect On

- When have you felt genuine authenticity?
- How do you nurture natural expression?

A Different Perspective

Attempting to force 'hip' can feel inauthentic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Jazz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jazz/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/)

## Related quotes

> [Life just happens the way it's supposed to happen. It delivers you to where it delivers you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-russell/life-just-happens-the-way-it-s-supposed-to-happen-it-delivers-you-to/)

[David O. Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-russell/)

> [I've always said everything happens the way it's supposed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lanegan/i-ve-always-said-everything-happens-the-way-it-s-supposed-to/)

[Mark Lanegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lanegan/)

> [I'm a true believer that everything happens the way it should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlize-theron/i-m-a-true-believer-that-everything-happens-the-way-it-should/)

[Charlize Theron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlize-theron/)

> [“In life things often go wrong, and the future rarely happens the way you think it will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-peter-hughes/in-life-things-often-go-wrong-and-the-future-rarely-happens-the-way/)

[Mark Peter Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-peter-hughes/)

> [Miracles are what happens when you get out of the way of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-szollose/miracles-are-what-happens-when-you-get-out-of-the-way-of-yourself/)

Brad Szollose

> [If I should have a daughter, instead of Mom, she’s gonna call me Point B, because that way she knows that no matter what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kay/if-i-should-have-a-daughter-instead-of-mom-she-s-gonna-call-me-point-2/)

[Sarah Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kay/)

> [You can expect one thing to come, but it never really happens the way you expected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardner-minshew/you-can-expect-one-thing-to-come-but-it-never-really-happens-the-way/)

[Gardner Minshew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardner-minshew/)

> [In the end it happens, in some way you couldn't imagine before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-giordano/in-the-end-it-happens-in-some-way-you-couldn-t-imagine-before/)

[Paolo Giordano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-giordano/)

> [That's kind of how I work: having a ridiculous goal that seems crazy. You end up getting pretty far because you're just moving towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-dimoldenberg/that-s-kind-of-how-i-work-having-a-ridiculous-goal-that-seems-crazy/)

[Amelia Dimoldenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-dimoldenberg/)

> [A win doesn't last too long, and it happens the same way with a defeat. You have the chance to make it up soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/a-win-doesn-t-last-too-long-and-it-happens-the-same-way-with-a-defeat/)

[Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/)

> [Everything happens the way it's supposed to because it's just like cavemen - you evolve and grow and learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tionne-watkins/everything-happens-the-way-it-s-supposed-to-because-it-s-just-like/)

[Tionne Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tionne-watkins/)

> [“It just happens to be the way that I'm made. I have to write things down to feel I fully comprehend them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/it-just-happens-to-be-the-way-that-i-m-made-i-have-to-write-things/)

[Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/)

> [Studios just sometimes make decisions on their own that you're always flabbergasted by. It just happens that way for whatever reason - not even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/studios-just-sometimes-make-decisions-on-their-own-that-you-re-always/)

[Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/)

> [When there are challenges like there were up to and after Daytona in 2001, you remind yourself it will one day make sense why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/when-there-are-challenges-like-there-were-up-to-and-after-daytona-in/)

[Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/)

> [Acting is what happens on the way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-sorvino/acting-is-what-happens-on-the-way/)

[Mira Sorvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-sorvino/)

## More by Cannonball Adderley

> [I keep reverting (to Duke Ellington), he to me is the greatest ever and my favorite jazz philosopher, as such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/i-keep-reverting-to-duke-ellington-he-to-me-is-the-greatest-ever-and/)

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

> [There's no future without the past and anybody who doesn't really understand where jazz has come from has no right to try to direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/there-s-no-future-without-the-past-and-anybody-who-doesn-t-really/)

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

> [Understanding is the least important thing when it comes to digging jazzbecause, like anything else, jazz is a form of entertainment. It is created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/understanding-is-the-least-important-thing-when-it-comes-to-digging/)

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

> [Hipness is not a state of mind, It's a fact of life!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/hipness-is-not-a-state-of-mind-it-s-a-fact-of-life/)

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

> [A young tenor player was complaining to me that Coleman Hawkins made him nervous. Man, I told him Hawkins was supposed to make him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/a-young-tenor-player-was-complaining-to-me-that-coleman-hawkins-made/)

[Cannonball Adderley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

[Explore all 6 Cannonball Adderley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/)

## More African american quotes

> [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/)

[Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/)

[Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/)

> [“This popularity extended to Trump himself, who, according to private demographic research conducted at the time, was even more popular with African American and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-green/this-popularity-extended-to-trump-himself-who-according-to-private/)

[Joshua Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-green/)

> [American civil rights leader, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Lynching is a murder. For the past four hundred years our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/american-civil-rights-leader-where-do-we-go-from-here-chaos-or/)

[Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/)

> [I know I'm more forgiving than most African Americans when it comes to second chances for White people who not only commit a racial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-capehart/i-know-i-m-more-forgiving-than-most-african-americans-when-it-comes/)

[Jonathan Capehart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-capehart/)

> [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/)

[Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/)

> [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&amp;B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/)

[Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/)

> [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/)

[Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/)

> [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. So sometimes, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-emerson/it-may-be-changing-but-still-it-s-the-one-place-that-total-control-of/)

[Michael Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-emerson/)

> [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/)

[Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/)

> [I think it's easier for African American and white comics to be praised than it is Latinos because they think our culture or our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lopez/i-think-it-s-easier-for-african-american-and-white-comics-to-be/)

[George Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lopez/)

> [“Alabama in 1927 alone, 27,701 men were arrested on misdemeanor charges and offered for sale by county sheriffs. In Blackmon’s estimation, “roughly half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-haney-l-pez/alabama-in-1927-alone-27-701-men-were-arrested-on-misdemeanor-charges/)

[Ian Haney López](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-haney-l-pez/)

> [I'm just trying to touch the world and touch the people and just get good material. And show them that we can get it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-m-just-trying-to-touch-the-world-and-touch-the-people-and-just-get/)

[Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/)

[Browse all 1,848 African american quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Cannonball Adderley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happens-that-way/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "African american"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happens-that-way/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/85c/cannonball-adderley-56287_african-american_you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happ_1400519.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You don't decide you're hip. It just happens that way.” — Cannonball Adderley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Cannonball Adderley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cannonball-adderley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You don't decide you're hip. It...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happens-that-way/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cannonball-adderley/you-don-t-decide-you-re-hip-it-just-happens-that-way/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
