--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at…" description: "\"There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day.\" — J Dilla" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg" --- # There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be… ![“There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day.” quote by J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg) > “There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day.” [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He worked so intensely that he sometimes skipped meals, showing extreme dedication to his craft. **In simple terms:** He would skip meals while working all day. Key Takeaway Prioritize health alongside work. Themes dedication creativity work ethic Mood driven intense Type inspirational cautionary When to use this quote - studio sessions - long projects - creative marathons Key Concepts artist production music industry Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance passion with self‑care? - What limits can intense focus impose? A Different Perspective Neglecting basic needs can harm long‑term productivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) ## Related quotes > [I would always be painting and drawing. If I was stuck at home, I was in the basement working on a painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/i-would-always-be-painting-and-drawing-if-i-was-stuck-at-home-i-was/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [And remember how he wrote the first Rocky in a few days, and wouldn't sell the script even though he was starving, because they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/and-remember-how-he-wrote-the-first-rocky-in-a-few-days-and-wouldn-t/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [Suppose there aren't any more A + days once you get to be twelve? Wouldn't that be something! To spend the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-blume/suppose-there-aren-t-any-more-a-days-once-you-get-to-be-twelve-wouldn/) [Judy Blume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-blume/) > [If it weren't for the dark days, we wouldn't know what it is to walk in the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-campbell/if-it-weren-t-for-the-dark-days-we-wouldn-t-know-what-it-is-to-walk/) [Earl Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-campbell/) > [It's just different today. Nobody seems to last too long these days. I wouldn't know how to get started today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-vinton/it-s-just-different-today-nobody-seems-to-last-too-long-these-days-i/) [Bobby Vinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-vinton/) > [Some days I wouldn't even go to class. I'd sit in the room and play video games with my friends and eat powdered mashed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/some-days-i-wouldn-t-even-go-to-class-i-d-sit-in-the-room-and-play/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [When I'm with you everything is better…even the bad days. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything in the world, because I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemis-khan/when-i-m-with-you-everything-is-better-even-the-bad-days-i-wouldn-t/) [Kemis Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemis-khan/) > [People ask me, 'Why don't you take time off?' but the working class doesn't take time off. They're out there working every day. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/people-ask-me-why-don-t-you-take-time-off-but-the-working-class-doesn/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [A woman's work, from the time she gets up to the time she goes to bed, is as hard as a day at war,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-duras/a-woman-s-work-from-the-time-she-gets-up-to-the-time-she-goes-to-bed/) [Marguerite Duras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-duras/) > [“Everyday should be a working day on those difficult tasks. A little bit per day is the only way to make it through. Never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/everyday-should-be-a-working-day-on-those-difficult-tasks-a-little/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Realization: I spend a large amount of my working day in all of my jobs dealing with people who are hostile to inconvenient facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/realization-i-spend-a-large-amount-of-my-working-day-in-all-of-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love this... being busy and working every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shruti-haasan/i-love-this-being-busy-and-working-every-day/) [Shruti Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shruti-haasan/) > [I look forward to working out every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-clemons/i-look-forward-to-working-out-every-day/) [Clarence Clemons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-clemons/) > [An average working day begins at 8 or 9 am, includes an hour for lunch, and ends at 5 or 6 pm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-straub/an-average-working-day-begins-at-8-or-9-am-includes-an-hour-for-lunch/) [Peter Straub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-straub/) > [I'm working out every day. I'm in very good shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-garner/i-m-working-out-every-day-i-m-in-very-good-shape/) [James Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-garner/) ## More by J Dilla > [It's family first, and then everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/it-s-family-first-and-then-everything-else/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [Ya know it doesnt bother me because what people dont understand is like when Ime myself, when I go in the studio, I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/ya-know-it-doesnt-bother-me-because-what-people-dont-understand-is/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [You don’t pay attention man/that’s why your money is the size of your attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/you-don-t-pay-attention-man-that-s-why-your-money-is-the-size-of-your/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [Its just easier for me to program and I like the node offs and mono pads. I can just do more with it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/its-just-easier-for-me-to-program-and-i-like-the-node-offs-and-mono/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [One of my favourite Donald Byrd tracks is 'Think Twice,' and I didn't want to sample it. I've always enjoyed when other people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/one-of-my-favourite-donald-byrd-tracks-is-think-twice-and-i-didn-t/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [Im a record shopping fanatic. I already got a nice stash here and I got a warehouse full of records in Detroit, its ridiculous.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/im-a-record-shopping-fanatic-i-already-got-a-nice-stash-here-and-i/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [Detroit is a hard city.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/detroit-is-a-hard-city/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [I still got the crib and then actually all my equipment is out there. Im looking for a crib now so I can ship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/i-still-got-the-crib-and-then-actually-all-my-equipment-is-out-there/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [I don't want nobody to ever say, 'I coulda done that beat' or 'I know where you got that from.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/i-don-t-want-nobody-to-ever-say-i-coulda-done-that-beat-or-i-know/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [I started with the SP-12 then moved to the SP-1200 and then shortly after that the MPC-60, then the MPC-62, then the MPC3000 and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/i-started-with-the-sp-12-then-moved-to-the-sp-1200-and-then-shortly/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [What happened was that the doctor told me that I'd ruptured my kidney from being too busy and being stressed out and not eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/what-happened-was-that-the-doctor-told-me-that-i-d-ruptured-my-kidney/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [I started making beats when Big Mouth came out, whatever year that was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/i-started-making-beats-when-big-mouth-came-out-whatever-year-that-was/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [Don't sell yourself to fall in love, With those things you do...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/don-t-sell-yourself-to-fall-in-love-with-those-things-you-do/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [No one will ever be able to come against me on the beats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/no-one-will-ever-be-able-to-come-against-me-on-the-beats/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) > [I thought about New York but in New York the studio would get crowded with a lot of people. In LA, you look outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/i-thought-about-new-york-but-in-new-york-the-studio-would-get-crowded/) [J Dilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) [Explore all 17 J Dilla quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/) ## More Basement quotes > [When I go to my health club, and it's in the basement, you have to take the elevator down. And this drives me crazy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-i-go-to-my-health-club-and-it-s-in-the-basement-you-have-to-take/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [Every time I get in an elevator, the operator says the same thing to me: 'Basement?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/every-time-i-get-in-an-elevator-the-operator-says-the-same-thing-to/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [White Zombie was a bunch of kids with the worst equipment playing in a basement. But that is what is so great about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-zombie/white-zombie-was-a-bunch-of-kids-with-the-worst-equipment-playing-in/) [Rob Zombie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-zombie/) > [When you're writing a novel, you spend four years sitting in your basement and a year waiting for the book to come out and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/when-you-re-writing-a-novel-you-spend-four-years-sitting-in-your/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [I love getting into the basement of a courthouse, and all the dusty records - all that stuff makes me really happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-cameron/i-love-getting-into-the-basement-of-a-courthouse-and-all-the-dusty/) [Sharon Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-cameron/) > [I like the Hotel Costes, on rue Saint Honore, a boutique hotel near the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Tuileries. I love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-temperley/i-like-the-hotel-costes-on-rue-saint-honore-a-boutique-hotel-near-the/) [Alice Temperley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-temperley/) > [All the green-screen stuff - all the special effects stuff - I shot right there in my house, in the basement in my theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vickie-winans/all-the-green-screen-stuff-all-the-special-effects-stuff-i-shot-right/) Vickie Winans > [My most vivid memory of my father centers on the day he left. It was warm, and my mother was especially short with Rhonda…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deval-patrick/my-most-vivid-memory-of-my-father-centers-on-the-day-he-left-it-was/) [Deval Patrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deval-patrick/) > [“In the basement of Sydney's new house is a little room that is about the size and shape of a coffin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/in-the-basement-of-sydney-s-new-house-is-a-little-room-that-is-about/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [After I left the Pumpkins, I went home and just sat around. I have a studio in my basement, and I found myself writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-chamberlin/after-i-left-the-pumpkins-i-went-home-and-just-sat-around-i-have-a/) [Jimmy Chamberlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-chamberlin/) > [I might be in the basement. I'll go upstairs and check. We adore chaos because we love to produce order. I don't use drugs;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/i-might-be-in-the-basement-i-ll-go-upstairs-and-check-we-adore-chaos/) [M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/) > [“He had no idea what was wrong, but he knew something was wrong. It turned out that the heart of the fire had not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-kahneman/he-had-no-idea-what-was-wrong-but-he-knew-something-was-wrong-it/) [Daniel Kahneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-kahneman/) > [“lacking is a panic room in the basement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-m-sutter/lacking-is-a-panic-room-in-the-basement/) C.M. Sutter Browse all 141 Basement quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J Dilla" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-all-because-i-d-be-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-all-because-i-d-be-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a9/j-dilla-30666_because_there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-a_1155211.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day.” — J Dilla", "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": "J Dilla", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-dilla/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There'd be days when I wouldn't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-all-because-i-d-be-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-dilla/there-d-be-days-when-i-wouldn-t-eat-at-all-because-i-d-be-in-the/#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 } } ] } ```