---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop…"
description: "\"I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How many dead folks this art resurrected? How many nations this culture connected? Who am I to j..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg"
---

#  I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How…

![“I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How many dead folks this art resurrected? How many nations this culture connected? Who am I to judge one's perspective?” quote by Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg)

> “I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How many dead folks this art resurrected? How many nations this culture connected? Who am I to judge one's perspective?”

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

## About This Quote

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

The speaker reflects on hip‑hop’s broad impact on individuals, cultures, and societies, questioning their authority to judge it.

**In simple terms:** Hip‑hop influences many lives and cultures, and judging it is presumptuous.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and respect diverse cultural influences.

Themes

culture influence humility art

Mood

thoughtful reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- music festivals
- community events
- personal reflection
- media analysis

Key Concepts

social impact cultural connectivity identity artistic expression

Questions to Reflect On

- How does hip‑hop shape your worldview?
- What responsibilities come with judging art?

A Different Perspective

Cultural impact varies and can be controversial.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Perspective](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perspective/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/)

## Related quotes

> [Literature is the thought of thinking souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/literature-is-the-thought-of-thinking-souls/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [Knowing that your sense of fashion and the culture it's connected to is valid really makes it a stronger thing for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-duke/knowing-that-your-sense-of-fashion-and-the-culture-it-s-connected-to/)

[Winston Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-duke/)

> [It's no doubt that there's a connection (between the blues and hip-hop). Hip-hop is definitely a child of the blues. And I think you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/it-s-no-doubt-that-there-s-a-connection-between-the-blues-and-hip-hop/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [When I did the album Electric Circus, not only was it not commercially received. But even the critics and hip-hop community was like "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/when-i-did-the-album-electric-circus-not-only-was-it-not-commercially/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [She speaks with a stutter and she and she walks with a hop. I don't know why I love her, but I just can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/she-speaks-with-a-stutter-and-she-and-she-walks-with-a-hop-i-don-t/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Hip-hop has always been exciting and interesting to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bangalter/hip-hop-has-always-been-exciting-and-interesting-to-us/)

[Thomas Bangalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bangalter/)

> [I put the truth out there, I put the historical facts into Hip Hop to show us how much history repeats itself and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/i-put-the-truth-out-there-i-put-the-historical-facts-into-hip-hop-to/)

[Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/)

> [Feed me hip-hop and I start tremblin'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/feed-me-hip-hop-and-i-start-tremblin/)

[Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/)

> [I think hip hop allows us to talk about everything, and Africa is what I choose to talk about now. If people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-hip-hop-allows-us-to-talk-about-everything-and-africa-is-what/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [Rev Run is a living legend of Hip-Hop, who's still making great music, but now he's also the dad to an amazing family, ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-disanto/rev-run-is-a-living-legend-of-hip-hop-who-s-still-making-great-music/)

Tony DiSanto

> [For me, growing up in hip-hop culture, it's all about having the next style, the new fashion, the new way to express yourself, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/for-me-growing-up-in-hip-hop-culture-it-s-all-about-having-the-next/)

[El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/)

> [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Wherever I go, I bring the culture with me, so that they can understand that it's attainable. I didn't do it any other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/wherever-i-go-i-bring-the-culture-with-me-so-that-they-can-understand/)

[Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/)

> [By the time you get into other kinds of music - R&amp;B, country, or whatever - it becomes something that's romantic. It becomes something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/by-the-time-you-get-into-other-kinds-of-music-r-b-country-or-whatever/)

[Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/)

> [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/)

[Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/)

## More by Common

> [Raised by game where niggas ain't phased by fame. Come to the crib, get banged, they take your chain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/raised-by-game-where-niggas-ain-t-phased-by-fame-come-to-the-crib-get/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [He demeanor of the Ghetto, to never stay settled. Aldermen and corrupt men play Pharaoh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/he-demeanor-of-the-ghetto-to-never-stay-settled-aldermen-and-corrupt/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [I'm a black man that is proud to be black, and I want to help the black community, but I love all mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-m-a-black-man-that-is-proud-to-be-black-and-i-want-to-help-the/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [This is street radio, for unsung heroes. Riding in they regal, trying to stay legal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/this-is-street-radio-for-unsung-heroes-riding-in-they-regal-trying-to/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [Burn a Bush cause for peace he no push no button. Killing over oil and grease, no weapons of destruction, How can we follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/burn-a-bush-cause-for-peace-he-no-push-no-button-killing-over-oil-and/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [I want to be the voice of the people; black, white, everyday, oppressed people. A person trying to make it and to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-want-to-be-the-voice-of-the-people-black-white-everyday-oppressed/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [Every song you make Joe is really hoe music. I heard you said you wasn't a bitch because you sing. You a bitch because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/every-song-you-make-joe-is-really-hoe-music-i-heard-you-said-you-wasn/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [I want a better world, I want love and harmony amongst people no matter what color you are, what race or what background you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-want-a-better-world-i-want-love-and-harmony-amongst-people-no/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [Black people in America have come from slavery to other forms of being oppressed and there are some things that come with that -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/black-people-in-america-have-come-from-slavery-to-other-forms-of/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [Love has no limit lets spend it slow forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/love-has-no-limit-lets-spend-it-slow-forever/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [The possibility of an Oscar is something I definitely think about and the fact that I can even say that is just a blessing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/the-possibility-of-an-oscar-is-something-i-definitely-think-about-and/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [God is my guide, so I try to not judge myself too much, knowing that at the end of the day, my greatest judge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/god-is-my-guide-so-i-try-to-not-judge-myself-too-much-knowing-that-at/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [I think and speak clearer since I cut the dairy out. I can breathe better and perform at a better rate, and my voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-think-and-speak-clearer-since-i-cut-the-dairy-out-i-can-breathe/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [She walk into the court her knees buckle Saying for a man to survive he needn't hustle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/she-walk-into-the-court-her-knees-buckle-saying-for-a-man-to-survive/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

> [The human being that I strive to be is a great human being, like a loving human being, but as an actor, you take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/the-human-being-that-i-strive-to-be-is-a-great-human-being-like-a/)

[Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

[Explore all 155 Common quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/)

## More Affected quotes

> [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/)

[Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/)

> [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. It could cause more human and financial suffering than the two world wars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-miliband/first-climate-change-is-the-greatest-long-term-threat-faced-by/)

[David Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-miliband/)

> [Be a pattern to others, and then all will go well; for as a whole city is affected by the licentious passions and vices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/be-a-pattern-to-others-and-then-all-will-go-well-for-as-a-whole-city/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [Every culture, if its natural development is not too much affected by political restrictions, experiences a perpetual renewal of the formative urge, and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-rocker/every-culture-if-its-natural-development-is-not-too-much-affected-by/)

[Rudolf Rocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-rocker/)

> [Don't show them that you are affected.. Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/)

Sharlene05

> [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [Who what am I? My answer: I am the sum total of everything that went before me, of all I have been seen done,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/who-what-am-i-my-answer-i-am-the-sum-total-of-everything-that-went/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [I have wondered why is it that some people are less affected and torn by the verities of life and death that others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-wondered-why-is-it-that-some-people-are-less-affected-and-torn/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [Then, the other thing that affected my interest in choices growing up was the fact that I was going blind and that meant that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheena-iyengar/then-the-other-thing-that-affected-my-interest-in-choices-growing-up/)

[Sheena Iyengar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheena-iyengar/)

> [I don't think Wayne Rooney would be affected if you booed him, that's just how he is, but others go under. They really suffer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lampard/i-don-t-think-wayne-rooney-would-be-affected-if-you-booed-him-that-s/)

[Frank Lampard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lampard/)

> [I'm not good at standing on platforms and persuading people to my political point of view. Nor would I seek to. My gift is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hare/i-m-not-good-at-standing-on-platforms-and-persuading-people-to-my/)

[David Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hare/)

> [I was trying to hold up a mirror to this country, to reflect the past years or so, and the varying degrees in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/said-sayrafiezadeh/i-was-trying-to-hold-up-a-mirror-to-this-country-to-reflect-the-past/)

[Said Sayrafiezadeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/said-sayrafiezadeh/)

> [We know COVID-19 hasn't affected communities equally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-cooper/we-know-covid-19-hasn-t-affected-communities-equally/)

[Roy Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-cooper/)

Browse all 1,050 Affected quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How many dead folks this art resurrected? How many nations this culture connected? Who am I to judge one's perspective?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Common"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop-has-affected-how-many-dead/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Affected"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop-has-affected-how-many-dead/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/113/common-2673_affected_i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop_786142.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I start thinking: How many souls hip-hop has affected? How many dead folks this art resurrected? How many…” — Common",
                "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": "Common",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/common/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I start thinking: How many souls...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop-has-affected-how-many-dead/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/common/i-start-thinking-how-many-souls-hip-hop-has-affected-how-many-dead/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
