--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to come in on a professional…" description: "\"You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.\" — Ice T" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg" --- # You have to come in on a professional level to make it… ![“You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.” quote by Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg) > “You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.” [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Success in rap demands professional skill and credibility; without them entry is blocked. **In simple terms:** You need skill and credibility to succeed in rap. Key Takeaway Develop professional competence. Themes career music industry credibility Mood determined serious Type motivational industry When to use this quote - studio auditions - record label meetings - networking events - talent showcases Key Concepts Professionalism gatekeeping authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can emerging artists build credibility? - What defines professionalism in rap? A Different Perspective Talent alone may not overcome industry barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) ## Related quotes > [The time has come for professional jurors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-wambaugh/the-time-has-come-for-professional-jurors/) [Joseph Wambaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-wambaugh/) > [“Admit that there is some level that would make even you call yourself the victim of class war.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/admit-that-there-is-some-level-that-would-make-even-you-call-yourself/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [For me, being professional is being at the top level in both my personal life and professional life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rui-patricio/for-me-being-professional-is-being-at-the-top-level-in-both-my/) [Rui Patricio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rui-patricio/) > [I've been playing at a professional level for 17, 18 years now, and there's more to life. I love the game, don't get me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-bellamy/i-ve-been-playing-at-a-professional-level-for-17-18-years-now-and/) [Craig Bellamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-bellamy/) > [I enjoyed my 15 years at the top, and now I enjoy watching the current crop. What I did, maybe they can't do, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jahangir-khan/i-enjoyed-my-15-years-at-the-top-and-now-i-enjoy-watching-the-current/) [Jahangir Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jahangir-khan/) > [It's easy to be just a basketball player, get paid and come here to do that. But to be professional about it is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-angelo-russell/it-s-easy-to-be-just-a-basketball-player-get-paid-and-come-here-to-do/) [D'Angelo Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-angelo-russell/) > [There's some days you start to think, 'When is my chance going to come?' As a professional, you always have that at the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-trippier/there-s-some-days-you-start-to-think-when-is-my-chance-going-to-come/) [Kieran Trippier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-trippier/) > [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/) > [I think it's normal to have competition once you get to the professional level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-pulisic/i-think-it-s-normal-to-have-competition-once-you-get-to-the/) [Christian Pulisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-pulisic/) > [I really counted on my technical ability and my passing for everything. Then once you got to bigger stages and the professional level, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-horan/i-really-counted-on-my-technical-ability-and-my-passing-for/) [Lindsey Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-horan/) > [Respect is important, and if you don't have it you won't be on the professional level very long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-phoenix/respect-is-important-and-if-you-don-t-have-it-you-won-t-be-on-the/) [Beth Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-phoenix/) > [I don't have a problem with anyone on a professional level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordi-alba/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-anyone-on-a-professional-level/) [Jordi Alba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordi-alba/) > [I'm well known because I do music at a professional level, and a certain magnitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/i-m-well-known-because-i-do-music-at-a-professional-level-and-a/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [Although I've achieved a lot in my career so far, there's also so much more I want to do. I've never held a championship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tenille-dashwood/although-i-ve-achieved-a-lot-in-my-career-so-far-there-s-also-so-much/) [Tenille Dashwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tenille-dashwood/) ## More by Ice T > [You know, you'd hide behind a Public Enemy or Ice Cube, or Bruce Springsteen, or U2, because they spoke for you. But now everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-know-you-d-hide-behind-a-public-enemy-or-ice-cube-or-bruce/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I'm not going to allow anybody to hold a badge up over me or a cross or any other power symbol and say I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-m-not-going-to-allow-anybody-to-hold-a-badge-up-over-me-or-a-cross/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [When I make records I have full control of everything and I know how it sounds before it comes out, with films it's outta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/when-i-make-records-i-have-full-control-of-everything-and-i-know-how/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I've got a phone, answer machine, TV set, computer, hand grenade - everything you need to run a business in Los Angeles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-got-a-phone-answer-machine-tv-set-computer-hand-grenade/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Yeah, it's legal in the United States. It's part of our Constitution. You know, the right to bear arms is because that's the last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/yeah-it-s-legal-in-the-united-states-it-s-part-of-our-constitution/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Every once in a while, I hear somebody call me Tracy to try to let me know that they know me, you know, personally.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/every-once-in-a-while-i-hear-somebody-call-me-tracy-to-try-to-let-me/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [“This next record is dedicated to some personal friends of mine, the LAPD. For every cop that has ever taken advantage of somebody, beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/this-next-record-is-dedicated-to-some-personal-friends-of-mine-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [There's people out there with nuclear bombs and yet we've got all these politicians trying to make a political platform based on a record.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/there-s-people-out-there-with-nuclear-bombs-and-yet-we-ve-got-all/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Arnold Schwarzenegger blew away dozens of cops as the Terminator. But I don't hear anybody complaining about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/arnold-schwarzenegger-blew-away-dozens-of-cops-as-the-terminator-but/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I've never been a cop hater. You know, when I was breaking the law, the cops were the opponent. I just thought I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-never-been-a-cop-hater-you-know-when-i-was-breaking-the-law-the/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I'm like a monkey. You don't let go of one branch until you get a hold of the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-m-like-a-monkey-you-don-t-let-go-of-one-branch-until-you-get-a-hold/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Truthfully, a weak rapper can hide behind a lot of production.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/truthfully-a-weak-rapper-can-hide-behind-a-lot-of-production/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [I've been pulled out of my nice new car and laid out in the street by the police, interrogated and then have them get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/i-ve-been-pulled-out-of-my-nice-new-car-and-laid-out-in-the-street-by/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [Being in the military just lets you know how helpless you are. You could train forever but you're still at the mercy of someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/being-in-the-military-just-lets-you-know-how-helpless-you-are-you/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) > [My father's family came from Virginia and Philadelphia. He wasn't a brother who talked a lot. He was a workingman, a quiet, blue-collar dude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/my-father-s-family-came-from-virginia-and-philadelphia-he-wasn-t-a/) [Ice T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) [Explore all 183 Ice T quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/) ## More Levels quotes > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [At the deepest level, all living things that have ever been looked at have the same DNA code. And many of the same genes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/at-the-deepest-level-all-living-things-that-have-ever-been-looked-at/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [When you reach that competing point, when you reach that time when the gun is about to go off, everyone's level is pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/when-you-reach-that-competing-point-when-you-reach-that-time-when-the/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [Perhaps our own opposition to even the level of European integration we have now, let alone any more, is well known.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/perhaps-our-own-opposition-to-even-the-level-of-european-integration/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) > [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/) [Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/) > [I think the public doesn't understand that one of the reasons I haven't stood up for myself is because in order to do that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-broadwell/i-think-the-public-doesn-t-understand-that-one-of-the-reasons-i-haven/) [Paula Broadwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-broadwell/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [It is amazing how may drivers, even at the Formula One Level, think that the brakes are for slowing the car down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/it-is-amazing-how-may-drivers-even-at-the-formula-one-level-think/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. I see it as a dialogue, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/i-am-not-a-great-believer-in-dialectical-struggle-i-am-much-more-of-a/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-kind-of-pride-myself-on-coming-onto-things-that-are-well-oiled/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [From the 1990s onward, the financial sector created a vast array of instruments designed to separate investors from their money, financial derivatives of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-l-casti/from-the-1990s-onward-the-financial-sector-created-a-vast-array-of/) [John L. Casti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-l-casti/) Browse all 7,256 Levels quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ice T" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-level-to-make-it-otherwise-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Levels" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-level-to-make-it-otherwise-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c7/ice-t-2150_levels_you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-le_1545338.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You have to come in on a professional level to make it, otherwise you just can't get into rap.” — Ice T", "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": "Ice T", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ice-t/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You have to come in on...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-level-to-make-it-otherwise-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ice-t/you-have-to-come-in-on-a-professional-level-to-make-it-otherwise-you/#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 } } ] } ```