--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All these ways we classify things as R&B…" description: "\"All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and rock... It's bullshit. It's all music. If you put yourself in that box, then you won't be able..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png" --- # All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and… ![“All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and rock... It's bullshit. It's all music. If you put yourself in that box, then you won't be able to hear that it's all music at its soul.” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png) > “All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and rock... It's bullshit. It's all music. If you put yourself in that box, then you won't be able to hear that it's all music at its soul.” [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Genre labels limit perception; music is a universal language beyond categories. **In simple terms:** Labels restrict how we hear music. Key Takeaway Listen beyond genre boundaries. Themes music creativity labels perception Mood inspirational challenging Type philosophical musical When to use this quote - playlist curation - education - cross‑genre collaborations Key Concepts cultural studies aesthetics identity Questions to Reflect On - How do labels shape musical taste? - Can we appreciate music without any labels? A Different Perspective Some listeners find comfort in categories. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bullshit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullshit/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [“We classify things as easy or difficult, but this is not right, tasks should be classified as possible or impossible and the possible ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hatem-a-aly/we-classify-things-as-easy-or-difficult-but-this-is-not-right-tasks/) Hatem A. Aly > [We definitely classify things in order to get closer to what we believe in - so it serves a purpose to really think about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-pecknold/we-definitely-classify-things-in-order-to-get-closer-to-what-we/) [Robin Pecknold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-pecknold/) > [There are so many artists these days that are trying to imitate other artists and go for a certain style; there's a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mister-lies/there-are-so-many-artists-these-days-that-are-trying-to-imitate-other/) [Mister Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mister-lies/) > [If bullshit was music, that fellow would be a brass band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-crosbie/if-bullshit-was-music-that-fellow-would-be-a-brass-band/) Paddy Crosbie > [I make soul music for hip-hop heads. It's music I'd want to sample if I were a rapper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-make-soul-music-for-hip-hop-heads-it-s-music-i-d-want-to-sample-if/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [That's why this generation is the least racist generation ever. You see it all the time. Go to any club. People are intermingling, hanging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/that-s-why-this-generation-is-the-least-racist-generation-ever-you/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I can think of no one more relevant and credible in the hip-hop community to build upon Def Jam's fantastic legacy and move the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-can-think-of-no-one-more-relevant-and-credible-in-the-hip-hop/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I noticed that difference early on, like if you were successful in rock 'n' roll, that was a really bad thing, you almost had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-noticed-that-difference-early-on-like-if-you-were-successful-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Which is the other reason hip-hop is controversial: People don't bother trying to get it. The problem isn't in the rap or the rapper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/which-is-the-other-reason-hip-hop-is-controversial-people-don-t/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Hip-hop is a perfect mix between poetry and boxing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/hip-hop-is-a-perfect-mix-between-poetry-and-boxing/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [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/) > [“Poetry is the music of the soul”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jana-ghossein/poetry-is-the-music-of-the-soul/) Jana Ghossein > [I've never had a very quiet voice. I tried in choir to make it smaller, and it just didn't work out. And I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-ve-never-had-a-very-quiet-voice-i-tried-in-choir-to-make-it-smaller/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [It's bluesy, rocky jazz. I call it soul music, but it's not James Brown soul music. It comes from my soul. It comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinsel-korey/it-s-bluesy-rocky-jazz-i-call-it-soul-music-but-it-s-not-james-brown/) [Tinsel Korey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinsel-korey/) > [“I would shape the world to fit the music in my soul. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jae-jones/i-would-shape-the-world-to-fit-the-music-in-my-soul-i/) [S. Jae-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jae-jones/) ## More by Jay-Z > [At 42 be better than 24, I carried the 4-5, mastered 48 laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/at-42-be-better-than-24-i-carried-the-4-5-mastered-48-laws/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [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/) > [Everyone who makes music is a good collaborator at their foundation because in order to make music, you have to connect to it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/everyone-who-makes-music-is-a-good-collaborator-at-their-foundation/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [New York - I'm connected. This is my core. I feel like if I'm not connected to New York, then I don't even know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/new-york-i-m-connected-this-is-my-core-i-feel-like-if-i-m-not/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [It was a very intense and stressful situation. There was playing in the Johnny-pump (an opened fire hydrant) and the ice-cream man coming around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/it-was-a-very-intense-and-stressful-situation-there-was-playing-in/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“THEY NEVER TAUGHT MARCUS GARVEY IN OUR SCHOOL CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS IS THEIR GOLDEN RULE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/they-never-taught-marcus-garvey-in-our-school-christopher-columbus-is/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I'm a person that works off of music. I let the music dictate the direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-m-a-person-that-works-off-of-music-i-let-the-music-dictate-the/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Tears on the mauseoleum floor. Blood stains the coliseum doors. Lies on the lips of a priest. Thanksgiving disguised as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/tears-on-the-mauseoleum-floor-blood-stains-the-coliseum-doors-lies-on/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Around 20. I'd been trying to transition from the streets to the music business, but I would make demos and then quit for six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/around-20-i-d-been-trying-to-transition-from-the-streets-to-the-music/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work-all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/there-s-the-gift-there-s-the-spirit-and-there-s-the-work-all-three/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [All black everything, Ni\*\*a you know my fresh code. Im out here fightin for you, dont increase my stress load.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-black-everything-ni-a-you-know-my-fresh-code-im-out-here-fightin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [I couldn't even think about wanting to be something else; I wouldn't let myself visualize another life. But I wrote because I couldn't stop.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-couldn-t-even-think-about-wanting-to-be-something-else-i-wouldn-t/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Lord forgive me I never would've made it without sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/lord-forgive-me-i-never-would-ve-made-it-without-sin/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [In trouble waters I had to learn how to float](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/in-trouble-waters-i-had-to-learn-how-to-float/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Their gunnin' for me, want to see me fall, you know my story, been through it all, times I felt like dyin', but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/their-gunnin-for-me-want-to-see-me-fall-you-know-my-story-been/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) [Explore all 397 Jay-Z quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and rock... It's bullshit. It's all music. If you put yourself in that box, then you won't be able to hear that it's all music at its soul.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jay-Z" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b-and-hip-hop-and-rock-it-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b-and-hip-hop-and-rock-it-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/115/jay-z-713_able_all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b_957662.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All these ways we classify things as R&B and hip-hop and rock... It's bullshit. It's all music. If you put…” — Jay-Z", "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": "Jay-Z", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All these ways we classify things...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b-and-hip-hop-and-rock-it-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/all-these-ways-we-classify-things-as-r-b-and-hip-hop-and-rock-it-s/#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 } } ] } ```