--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We were coming out of the black community…" description: "\"We were coming out of the black community with this thing called rap music, which was basically black men yelling at the top of their lungs about what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/chuck-d-2065_black_we-were-coming-out-of-the-black-communit_2956286.png" --- # We were coming out of the black community with this thing… ![“We were coming out of the black community with this thing called rap music, which was basically black men yelling at the top of their lungs about what we liked and what we didn't like. It was disturbing to the status quo. It really shook things up. And those in power didn't know what to make of…” quote by Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/chuck-d-2065_black_we-were-coming-out-of-the-black-communit_2956286.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/chuck-d-2065_black_we-were-coming-out-of-the-black-communit_2956286.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9bc/chuck-d-2065_black_we-were-coming-out-of-the-black-communit_2956286.png) > “We were coming out of the black community with this thing called rap music, which was basically black men yelling at the top of their lungs about what we liked and what we didn't like. It was disturbing to the status quo. It really shook things up. And those in power didn't know what to make of us, but they knew that we had to be silenced, stopped in any way from expressing our outrage.” [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes rap as a disruptive, expressive force that challenged power structures and faced attempts at suppression. **In simple terms:** Rap challenged power and faced attempts to silence it. Key Takeaway Use voice to confront injustice. Themes resistance expression culture power music Mood defiant energetic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - protests - community organizing - creative protest - media critique Key Concepts social activism censorship artistic rebellion Questions to Reflect On - What role does music play in social change? - How can artists protect free expression? A Different Perspective Silencing can also amplify a movement’s impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-community/) [Coming out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coming-out/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rap music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-music/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Status quo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-quo/) [Yelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yelling/) ## Related quotes > [“Nothing could be easier than disturbing a status quo instituted by others; the real work of the sinister current is to break the rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/nothing-could-be-easier-than-disturbing-a-status-quo-instituted-by-2/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [Nothing could be easier than disturbing a status quo instituted by others; the real work of the sinister current is to break the rules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeena-schreck/nothing-could-be-easier-than-disturbing-a-status-quo-instituted-by/) [Zeena Schreck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeena-schreck/) > [You know, most people called rap stupid when it started, and it was one of the most innovative music forms of its time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-deacon/you-know-most-people-called-rap-stupid-when-it-started-and-it-was-one/) [Dan Deacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-deacon/) > [One reason people are turning to country music is because of that non-music called rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rabbitt/one-reason-people-are-turning-to-country-music-is-because-of-that-non/) [Eddie Rabbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rabbitt/) > [I think as this generation of electronic musicians goes on, popular electronic music will be more and more accepted. It's gonna get less confusing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-deacon/i-think-as-this-generation-of-electronic-musicians-goes-on-popular/) [Dan Deacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-deacon/) > [I am Michael Render - that's what my mom named me. 'Killer Mike' is what my dumb friends called me in a rap battle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-am-michael-render-that-s-what-my-mom-named-me-killer-mike-is-what/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [As I was sitting there, the deejay was playing music and talking over the music, and the kids were going crazy. All of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-robinson/as-i-was-sitting-there-the-deejay-was-playing-music-and-talking-over/) [Sylvia Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-robinson/) > [A lot of people heard about gin and juice for the first time from Snoop Dogg, but it was nothing new in rap music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/a-lot-of-people-heard-about-gin-and-juice-for-the-first-time-from/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [As a late teenager, the punk movement pushed me further. In particular, the Clash, which happened to leak through the time of disco, showed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/as-a-late-teenager-the-punk-movement-pushed-me-further-in-particular/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Rap music and rap records used to always be like this: we get one or two shots to a piece cause it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/rap-music-and-rap-records-used-to-always-be-like-this-we-get-one-or/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Let the voice be the voice of the voiceless and let it come from the world of rap music to keep the stereotype and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/let-the-voice-be-the-voice-of-the-voiceless-and-let-it-come-from-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Public Enemy started out as a benchmark in rap music in the mid-1980s. We felt there was a need to actually progress the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/public-enemy-started-out-as-a-benchmark-in-rap-music-in-the-mid-1980s/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Nothing has more words and performance than rap music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/nothing-has-more-words-and-performance-than-rap-music/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I think in black communities today we need to encourage a lot more cross racial organizing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/i-think-in-black-communities-today-we-need-to-encourage-a-lot-more/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) ## More by Chuck D > [Your closest and your most dedicated fans will be your ultimate test. They will test you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/your-closest-and-your-most-dedicated-fans-will-be-your-ultimate-test/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Public Enemy started out as a benchmark in rap music in the mid-1980s. We felt there was a need to actually progress the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/public-enemy-started-out-as-a-benchmark-in-rap-music-in-the-mid-1980s/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Music used to cause revolutions and I'm not seeing much revolution anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/music-used-to-cause-revolutions-and-i-m-not-seeing-much-revolution/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Find like-minded people and try not to be individualized to the point where you try to fight it all and think about it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/find-like-minded-people-and-try-not-to-be-individualized-to-the-point/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [You can't take anything with you. So I don't understand this whole psychotic area of greed, I don't get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/you-can-t-take-anything-with-you-so-i-don-t-understand-this-whole/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [ They \[US Administration\] have exploited hip-hop and some of the culture around it - magazines, videos, etc. - to recruit people into the military.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/they-us-administration-have-exploited-hip-hop-and-some-of-the-culture/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Let the voice be the voice of the voiceless and let it come from the world of rap music to keep the stereotype and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/let-the-voice-be-the-voice-of-the-voiceless-and-let-it-come-from-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Our freedom of speech is freedom or death, We got to fight the powers that be!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/our-freedom-of-speech-is-freedom-or-death-we-got-to-fight-the-powers/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I wanna go to the clubs and actually have a good time too, but at the same time, when the party's over, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/i-wanna-go-to-the-clubs-and-actually-have-a-good-time-too-but-at-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [There are too many leaders anointed because they have a public voice - television, radio, or record, or whatever. That even includes myself. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/there-are-too-many-leaders-anointed-because-they-have-a-public-voice/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [We don't see the people who are doing real things getting enough props. We often see politicians who are everywhere but nowhere at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/we-don-t-see-the-people-who-are-doing-real-things-getting-enough/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Americans are not sharp. You can be sharp in your own area, I guess, but in this world you gotta be conscious of everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/americans-are-not-sharp-you-can-be-sharp-in-your-own-area-i-guess-but/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [Music should be some kind of nourishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/music-should-be-some-kind-of-nourishment/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [I tell each artist they have to grow toward a revenue stream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/i-tell-each-artist-they-have-to-grow-toward-a-revenue-stream/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) [Explore all 188 Chuck D quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. 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We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. 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