--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a year, where... I was secretly…" description: "\"I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead broke.\" — El-P" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png" --- # I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead… ![“I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead broke.” quote by El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png) > “I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead broke.” [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a period of extreme financial hardship, hidden from others, highlighting vulnerability. **In simple terms:** He was secretly completely broke for a year. Key Takeaway Recognize and address hidden struggles. Themes financial hardship vulnerability secrecy Mood somber honest Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - budgeting - career planning - mental health support - community aid Key Concepts economic instability personal resilience Questions to Reflect On - How did you cope with hidden debt? - What steps helped you recover financially? A Different Perspective Stief may lead to isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [I paint my face because 50 percent of me is dead inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darby-allin/i-paint-my-face-because-50-percent-of-me-is-dead-inside/) [Darby Allin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darby-allin/) > [I went dead broke - twice! - trying to get Gas Monkey up and going. And when I say broke, I mean sleeping on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rawlings/i-went-dead-broke-twice-trying-to-get-gas-monkey-up-and-going-and/) [Richard Rawlings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rawlings/) > [Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis. When I was dead broke, man, I couldn't picture this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/super-nintendo-sega-genesis-when-i-was-dead-broke-man-i-couldn-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We came out of the White House not only dead broke, but in debt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-came-out-of-the-white-house-not-only-dead-broke-but-in-debt/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If I was dead broke and had to feed my three children. I'd do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yolanda-foster/if-i-was-dead-broke-and-had-to-feed-my-three-children-i-d-do-anything/) [Yolanda Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yolanda-foster/) > [I grew up very nice. But after college, my father said you're on you own. So I was dead broke for years. So I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/i-grew-up-very-nice-but-after-college-my-father-said-you-re-on-you/) [Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/) > [The Big L was cold crazy, A top-notch crook snatchin' pocket books from old ladies I told him, "Give up the dough, before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-l/the-big-l-was-cold-crazy-a-top-notch-crook-snatchin-pocket-books-from/) [Big L](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-l/) > [Most of the groups I worked with 30 years ago are either dead or dead broke. And it's a shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-spector/most-of-the-groups-i-worked-with-30-years-ago-are-either-dead-or-dead/) [Ronnie Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-spector/) > [Deadbeat dads are like serial killers, there are a few of them out there, but most of the time what your dealing with is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dyllan/deadbeat-dads-are-like-serial-killers-there-are-a-few-of-them-out/) [Dyllan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dyllan/) > [When Kogi started, I was dead broke, selling tacos on the street just to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-choi/when-kogi-started-i-was-dead-broke-selling-tacos-on-the-street-just/) [Roy Choi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-choi/) > [Being dead broke is the Root of all Evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-ross/being-dead-broke-is-the-root-of-all-evil/) [Rick Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-ross/) > [“White House "not only dead broke,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/white-house-not-only-dead-broke/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He was too old to be working, too young to be dead and too broke to do anything else. Life's a bitch, sometimes...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-culver/he-was-too-old-to-be-working-too-young-to-be-dead-and-too-broke-to-do/) Chris Culver > [I know how a groupie do ya..I tell them I'm dead broke don't let the jewlery fool ya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-know-how-a-groupie-do-ya-i-tell-them-i-m-dead-broke-don-t-let-the/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [“Better broke than dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/better-broke-than-dead/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) ## More by El-P > [I'm not mad at digital media at all; I just see the importance and beauty of physical media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-mad-at-digital-media-at-all-i-just-see-the-importance-and/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Standing up for what you believe is right, as well as standing up for what you believe is funny, standing up for what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/standing-up-for-what-you-believe-is-right-as-well-as-standing-up-for/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [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 definitely grew up on Garfield. I just loved his pessimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-definitely-grew-up-on-garfield-i-just-loved-his-pessimism/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Most people aren't happy about being consistent and staying at the same place for years. People want forward progress and motion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/most-people-aren-t-happy-about-being-consistent-and-staying-at-the/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Any issue and any problem, no matter what height you look at it from, no matter how much you extend past the first fractal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/any-issue-and-any-problem-no-matter-what-height-you-look-at-it-from/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I really don't believe in going too far out of your way to hunt down somebody to do a song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-really-don-t-believe-in-going-too-far-out-of-your-way-to-hunt-down/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [The last Company Flow reunion show in New York City was pretty insane. Everybody knew all the words to every song; everybody had smiles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/the-last-company-flow-reunion-show-in-new-york-city-was-pretty-insane/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [At a young age, I really wanted to make music and make my own sort of thing. I'm sure if it wasn't music, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/at-a-young-age-i-really-wanted-to-make-music-and-make-my-own-sort-of/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [One of the reasons why I thought it was a good decision to put Def Jux on hold is that it's a hell of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/one-of-the-reasons-why-i-thought-it-was-a-good-decision-to-put-def/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I am trying to change hip-hop music because I do feel there are places people can go with production and the structure of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-am-trying-to-change-hip-hop-music-because-i-do-feel-there-are/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I'm not really one of these people who's been known for particularly hopeful sentiments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-m-not-really-one-of-these-people-who-s-been-known-for-particularly/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I think it's impossible for hip-hop to be a dying art form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-think-it-s-impossible-for-hip-hop-to-be-a-dying-art-form/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I like Das Racist, and so should you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-like-das-racist-and-so-should-you/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [I had a boom box with a dual cassette deck and a mic, so I used to make pause tapes. I think a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-boom-box-with-a-dual-cassette-deck-and-a-mic-so-i-used-to/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) [Explore all 170 El-P quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) ## More Broke quotes > [I rap when I'm rich. I rap when I'm broke. I rap when I'm bullshit in the street. I rap about only having one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/killer-mike/i-rap-when-i-m-rich-i-rap-when-i-m-broke-i-rap-when-i-m-bullshit-in/) [Killer Mike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/killer-mike/) > [At least I'm not a celebrity and if I was, the whole world would have known that I broke up with my girlfriend last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/at-least-i-m-not-a-celebrity-and-if-i-was-the-whole-world-would-have/) [Simphiwe Scientist Dumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simphiwe-scientist-dumi/) > [When I was 17, I broke up with my future wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kris-allen/when-i-was-17-i-broke-up-with-my-future-wife/) [Kris Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kris-allen/) > [Nothing is really broke, so it's not like I can fix it. I just have to keep trying to find what I'm looking for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/nothing-is-really-broke-so-it-s-not-like-i-can-fix-it-i-just-have-to/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [You're the one who broke my heart you're the reason my world fell apart you're the one who made me cry and I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-re-the-one-who-broke-my-heart-you-re-the-reason-my-world-fell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My mother loved my father. From my view, she let him get away with too much. It broke my heart to see him in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edgar-wideman/my-mother-loved-my-father-from-my-view-she-let-him-get-away-with-too/) [John Edgar Wideman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edgar-wideman/) > [I broke up with my first girlfriend because I was out of love. I was crushing so hard on her for a whole year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-and-the-queens/i-broke-up-with-my-first-girlfriend-because-i-was-out-of-love-i-was/) [Christine and the Queens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-and-the-queens/) > [You have to be nicer to me," I said. Again he laughed. "What? I'm the King of nice. What are you talking about?" "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/you-have-to-be-nicer-to-me-i-said-again-he-laughed-what-i-m-the-king/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [If you sleep now tomorrow you will be broke, Work hard now and sleep later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-fwea-d/if-you-sleep-now-tomorrow-you-will-be-broke-work-hard-now-and-sleep/) G-Fwea D > [IMAGINE if Facebook, Twitter, and msn all broke at the same time. We might have to actually get lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brown-ladyy/imagine-if-facebook-twitter-and-msn-all-broke-at-the-same-time-we/) Brown Ladyy > [Well I think they broke the mould when they made me and being humble is one of my great assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/well-i-think-they-broke-the-mould-when-they-made-me-and-being-humble/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) > [By disgracing and degrading the presidency of the United States, by fleeing the White House like a diseased cur, Richard Nixon broke the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/by-disgracing-and-degrading-the-presidency-of-the-united-states-by/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [“She plucked a twig and broke it, but she found no spring in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/she-plucked-a-twig-and-broke-it-but-she-found-no-spring-in-it/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [The man who begins to speculate in stocks with the intention of making a fortune usually goes broke, whereas the man who trades with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dow/the-man-who-begins-to-speculate-in-stocks-with-the-intention-of/) [Charles Dow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dow/) > [Thousands of Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq upholding their oaths and defending this nation. Chelsea Manning broke her oath and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/thousands-of-americans-have-given-their-lives-in-afghanistan-and-iraq/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) Browse all 2,091 Broke quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead broke.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "El-P" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-percent-dead-broke/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Broke" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-percent-dead-broke/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/214/el-p-2359_broke_i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-pe_1175357.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I had a year, where... I was secretly, 100 percent, dead broke.” — El-P", "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": "El-P", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I had a year, where... I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-percent-dead-broke/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/i-had-a-year-where-i-was-secretly-100-percent-dead-broke/#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 } } ] } ```