--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You…" description: "\"They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You can't do both rap and rock.' I was like, 'There's no reason I can't do both.'\" — Everlast" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/everlast-5126_direction_they-wanted-me-to-pick-a-direction-you-c_2994464.jpg" --- # They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You can't do both… ![“They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You can't do both rap and rock.' I was like, 'There's no reason I can't do both.'” quote by Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/everlast-5126_direction_they-wanted-me-to-pick-a-direction-you-c_2994464.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/everlast-5126_direction_they-wanted-me-to-pick-a-direction-you-c_2994464.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fb9/everlast-5126_direction_they-wanted-me-to-pick-a-direction-you-c_2994464.jpg) > “They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You can't do both rap and rock.' I was like, 'There's no reason I can't do both.'” [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creative freedom allows blending genres despite industry pressure to specialize. **In simple terms:** You can do both rap and rock. Key Takeaway Embrace hybrid creativity. Themes music creativity genre Mood defiant inspired Type artistic cultural When to use this quote - album production - live performance - branding - marketing Key Concepts artistic identity market expectations collaboration Questions to Reflect On - What barriers do you face in mixing styles? - How can you market a hybrid sound? A Different Perspective Industry may resist genre-blending. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) [Direction Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction-rap-4723390/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Pick Direction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pick-direction-4105672/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rap Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-rock-742012/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rock Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-like-1147990/) ## Related quotes > [“Sometimes, life leaves you without directions, without guideposts or signs. When this happens, you just have to pick a direction and run like hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/sometimes-life-leaves-you-without-directions-without-guideposts-or/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [Hip hop is ever changing and has definitely entered a new era. Many fans have mixed feelings over the direction of rap as more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-thomas/hip-hop-is-ever-changing-and-has-definitely-entered-a-new-era-many/) [Eric Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-thomas/) > [Rap is rock 'n' roll. Rock is when you push the buttons in the system; when you say, I'm not going along with what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/rap-is-rock-n-roll-rock-is-when-you-push-the-buttons-in-the-system/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [We grew up listening to alternative music from the '90s, and there was no shame in being on a major label and still making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-ruess/we-grew-up-listening-to-alternative-music-from-the-90s-and-there-was/) [Nate Ruess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-ruess/) > [Its like if you take acid, it burns out brain cells and they dont regrow. Rock is like that-it has killed beautiful people musically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bolan/its-like-if-you-take-acid-it-burns-out-brain-cells-and-they-dont/) [Marc Bolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bolan/) > [I was an '80s child, so I grew up loving all kinds of '80s rock. I like R&B, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-demarcus/i-was-an-80s-child-so-i-grew-up-loving-all-kinds-of-80s-rock-i-like-r/) [Jay DeMarcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-demarcus/) > [“Punk rock is very, very much like Catholicism. It gets you when you’re young, you probably hate it at some point, but it never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-turner/punk-rock-is-very-very-much-like-catholicism-it-gets-you-when-you-re/) [Frank Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-turner/) > [We just wanted to get as far away from the rap-rock scene as possible, because its been done and other bands do it better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rich/we-just-wanted-to-get-as-far-away-from-the-rap-rock-scene-as-possible/) [Adam Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rich/) > [There's no way I can compete with someone who can write rap or rock and roll. Nor do I wish to. But I've always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-bernstein/there-s-no-way-i-can-compete-with-someone-who-can-write-rap-or-rock/) [Elmer Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-bernstein/) > [The justification for rap rock seems to be that if you take really bad rock and put really bad rap over it, the result…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/the-justification-for-rap-rock-seems-to-be-that-if-you-take-really/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [I come from the '90s where there was rap-rock and I was never a huge fan of it. I loved Rage, I loved some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shavo-odadjian/i-come-from-the-90s-where-there-was-rap-rock-and-i-was-never-a-huge/) [Shavo Odadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shavo-odadjian/) > [I never wanted to do rap-rock because it had been done loads in the '90s, but I love hip-hop and I love metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shavo-odadjian/i-never-wanted-to-do-rap-rock-because-it-had-been-done-loads-in-the/) [Shavo Odadjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shavo-odadjian/) > [One thing rap and rock have in common, a lot of it is focused on negativity. I like dark stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-uzi-vert/one-thing-rap-and-rock-have-in-common-a-lot-of-it-is-focused-on/) [Lil Uzi Vert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-uzi-vert/) > [White boys tell me that I rock like guitars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/white-boys-tell-me-that-i-rock-like-guitars/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [I don't have any desire to do something that sounds explicitly rock. Like, I don't have a burning need to be a rock musician.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-gordon/i-don-t-have-any-desire-to-do-something-that-sounds-explicitly-rock/) [Kim Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-gordon/) ## More by Everlast > [Even after my family moved West, I would come back to Long Island as a teenager, stay with aunts and go to the city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/even-after-my-family-moved-west-i-would-come-back-to-long-island-as-a/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [If you go by that little inscription on the Statue of Liberty, the purest idea of America is complete cultural chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/if-you-go-by-that-little-inscription-on-the-statue-of-liberty-the/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I don't have a Maybach car to cut up in a video.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-don-t-have-a-maybach-car-to-cut-up-in-a-video/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [“I've seen a rich man beg, I've seen a good man sin I've seen a tough man cry, I've seen a loser win And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-ve-seen-a-rich-man-beg-i-ve-seen-a-good-man-sin-i-ve-seen-a-tough/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [It's like, on my Instagram I post real life. My real life. And sometimes that's up, sometimes that's down. And you know I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/it-s-like-on-my-instagram-i-post-real-life-my-real-life-and-sometimes/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [My work is gonna live beyond me. My work is gonna feed my kid well beyond the day I depart this planet. That's because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/my-work-is-gonna-live-beyond-me-my-work-is-gonna-feed-my-kid-well/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [There was a few times where we felt alienated - going to, let's say, a Public Enemy show, and Professor Griff is going off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/there-was-a-few-times-where-we-felt-alienated-going-to-let-s-say-a/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I try to find pain and anger and hurt and write about it, and inject just a tiny bit of hope into it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-try-to-find-pain-and-anger-and-hurt-and-write-about-it-and-inject/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [People faked the funk when I was young. There just wasn't a major platform to do it on. You just kind of did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/people-faked-the-funk-when-i-was-young-there-just-wasn-t-a-major/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [Ya see I'm Irish, but I'm not a leprechaun. You wanna fight, then step up and we'll get it on!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/ya-see-i-m-irish-but-i-m-not-a-leprechaun-you-wanna-fight-then-step/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I would never try to do country music, but I would try to do my own version of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-would-never-try-to-do-country-music-but-i-would-try-to-do-my-own/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I'd be the last person to tell anybody to stay in their lane. If I had done that, I'd be on 'Where Are They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-d-be-the-last-person-to-tell-anybody-to-stay-in-their-lane-if-i-had/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [If you can just make people feel what you feel when you're singing, it doesn't matter if you don't hit the right notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/if-you-can-just-make-people-feel-what-you-feel-when-you-re-singing-it/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I wrote Snoop a song, of course I wrote Santana a song, but I performed that, so it's still, like, 'mine.' But I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-wrote-snoop-a-song-of-course-i-wrote-santana-a-song-but-i-performed/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) > [I get to do what I want, how I want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/everlast/i-get-to-do-what-i-want-how-i-want/) [Everlast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) [Explore all 103 Everlast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/everlast/) ## More Direction quotes > [I'm not gonna squeal out that this is my 23rd retirement, my real, real retirement. But you know there comes a time where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-funk/i-m-not-gonna-squeal-out-that-this-is-my-23rd-retirement-my-real-real/) [Terry Funk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-funk/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [Every time you think a negative thought, it's one step in the wrong direction, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/every-time-you-think-a-negative-thought-it-s-one-step-in-the-wrong/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [“No matter how many times you get turned around,you will still find yourself going in the right direction \*B\*”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-easley/no-matter-how-many-times-you-get-turned-around-you-will-still-find/) [B. Easley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-easley/) > [Life's lessons don't come with books, notes nor instructions...just mistakes and EVERYONE makes them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-s-lessons-don-t-come-with-books-notes-nor-instructions-just/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I don't think comedy really does change people's minds; I think you can only get someone who is almost ready to change their mind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-don-t-think-comedy-really-does-change-people-s-minds-i-think-you/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [The prime communities of the Southwest are survival communities. Their sustenance is governed by rainfall and wind direction. You can study little enclaves of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-predock/the-prime-communities-of-the-southwest-are-survival-communities-their/) [Antoine Predock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-predock/) > [Napster has pointed the way for a new direction for music distribution, and we believe it will form the basis of important and exciting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-diller/napster-has-pointed-the-way-for-a-new-direction-for-music/) [Barry Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-diller/) > [But I would say if the Security Council is only relevant if it agrees with the United States, then we have come a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-blix/but-i-would-say-if-the-security-council-is-only-relevant-if-it-agrees/) [Hans Blix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-blix/) > [Vote SNP for a party that always stands up for Scotland, that is stronger for Scotland, and a government that will keep the country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/vote-snp-for-a-party-that-always-stands-up-for-scotland-that-is/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [I have a horrible sense of direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-polis/i-have-a-horrible-sense-of-direction/) [Jared Polis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-polis/) > [When I see Mario Gotze, his development does not go in the right direction. He has outstanding qualities, but he has not reached his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ballack/when-i-see-mario-gotze-his-development-does-not-go-in-the-right/) [Michael Ballack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ballack/) > [Even in 'Hollyoaks,' we were known as 'the black family' as opposed to just 'the new family.' But that's where we are in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-whittle/even-in-hollyoaks-we-were-known-as-the-black-family-as-opposed-to/) [Ricky Whittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-whittle/) > [I love being a private company. I don't ever want to be forced to not do the things I need to do to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/i-love-being-a-private-company-i-don-t-ever-want-to-be-forced-to-not/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [Nobody had anticipated that chemicals was the direction in which Reliance was headed. I did chemical engineering because it was supposed to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mukesh-ambani/nobody-had-anticipated-that-chemicals-was-the-direction-in-which/) [Mukesh Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mukesh-ambani/) [Browse all 2,024 Direction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They wanted me to pick a direction - 'You can't do both rap and rock.' 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