--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But this is one of the things that makes…" description: "\"But this is one of the things that makes rap at its best so human. It doesn't force you to pretend to be only one thing or another, to be a saint or a ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/jay-z-713_angel_but-this-is-one-of-the-things-that-makes_1946243.jpg" --- # But this is one of the things that makes rap at its best… ![“But this is one of the things that makes rap at its best so human. It doesn't force you to pretend to be only one thing or another, to be a saint or a sinner. It recognizes that you can be true to yourself and still have unexpected dimensions and opposing ideas. Having a devil on one shoulder and…” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/jay-z-713_angel_but-this-is-one-of-the-things-that-makes_1946243.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/jay-z-713_angel_but-this-is-one-of-the-things-that-makes_1946243.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5f5/jay-z-713_angel_but-this-is-one-of-the-things-that-makes_1946243.jpg) > “But this is one of the things that makes rap at its best so human. It doesn't force you to pretend to be only one thing or another, to be a saint or a sinner. It recognizes that you can be true to yourself and still have unexpected dimensions and opposing ideas. Having a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other is the most common thing in the world. The real bullshit is when you act like you don't have contradictions inside you, that you're so dull and unimaginative that your mind never changes or wanders into strange, unexpected places.” [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. Rap thrives on embracing contradictions, allowing authentic self‑expression with multiple facets. **In simple terms:** Rap values authentic, complex selves. Key Takeaway Accept and express your contradictions. Themes authenticity complexity self‑expression Mood reflective inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - personal branding - mental health - conflict resolution Key Concepts identity duality creativity Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile opposing aspects of yourself? - What benefits arise from embracing contradictions? A Different Perspective Ignoring inner contradictions can lead to inauthentic art. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Be true to yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-true-to-yourself/) [Being true](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-true/) [Bullshit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bullshit/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Contradictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradictions/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Devil Shoulder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil-shoulder-1096368/) [Dimensions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dimensions/) [Don Contradictions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-contradictions-3131492/) [Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Having Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-devil-3131491/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Like you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-you/) [Makes Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/makes-rap-1531308/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Never change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-change/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulders/) [Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinner/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [True to yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-to-yourself/) [Unexpected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected/) [Unexpected places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unexpected-places/) [Wander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wander/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The story of the rapper and the story of the hustler are like rap itself, two kinds of rhythm working together, having a conversation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/the-story-of-the-rapper-and-the-story-of-the-hustler-are-like-rap/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [The world is all the richer for having a devil in it, so long as we keep our foot upon his neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/the-world-is-all-the-richer-for-having-a-devil-in-it-so-long-as-we/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [Devil on my shoulder, the lord is my witness. So on my libra scale I'm weighing sins and forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/devil-on-my-shoulder-the-lord-is-my-witness-so-on-my-libra-scale-i-m/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [On my libra scale I weighing sins and forgiveness.. Devil on my shoulder the lord is my wittness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/on-my-libra-scale-i-weighing-sins-and-forgiveness-devil-on-my/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Satan is around y'all. Devil on your shoulder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/satan-is-around-y-all-devil-on-your-shoulder/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [“You don’t tap on the Devil’s shoulder unless you’re willing to dance to his tune.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-don-t-tap-on-the-devil-s-shoulder-unless-you-re-willing-to-dance/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I constantly have a devil on my shoulder telling me that what I'm doing is really horrible, and then somehow the lightning strike happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elson/i-constantly-have-a-devil-on-my-shoulder-telling-me-that-what-i-m/) [Karen Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elson/) > [Devil on my shoulder, the lord as my witness. So on my Libra scale, I'm weighing sins and forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/devil-on-my-shoulder-the-lord-as-my-witness-so-on-my-libra-scale-i-m/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Devil on my shoulder, the lord as my witness. So on my Libra scale, Im weighing sins and forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/devil-on-my-shoulder-the-lord-as-my-witness-so-on-my-libra-scale-im/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Be true to yourself- and keep things simple. People complicate things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/be-true-to-yourself-and-keep-things-simple-people-complicate-things/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [“True love can blossom in unexpected places. This is Jaden pretending not to notice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-klein/true-love-can-blossom-in-unexpected-places-this-is-jaden-pretending/) [Katie Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-klein/) > [One of the things I think is unique and signature about Blizzard is that whenever they do their games, and with Warcraft in particular,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duncan-jones/one-of-the-things-i-think-is-unique-and-signature-about-blizzard-is/) [Duncan Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duncan-jones/) > [Life greatest rewards often appear in unexpected places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-greatest-rewards-often-appear-in-unexpected-places/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If you are in difficulties with a book,” suggested H. G. Wells, “try the element of surprise: attack it at an hour when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/if-you-are-in-difficulties-with-a-book-suggested-h-g-wells-try-the/) [Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/) > [“…he’d assumed their relationship would go on forever. It was going on now, but in another way, like the rearrangement of the stars, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-spaid/he-d-assumed-their-relationship-would-go-on-forever-it-was-going-on/) [Graham Spaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-spaid/) ## 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 Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But this is one of the things that makes rap at its best so human. It doesn't force you to pretend to be only one thing or another, to be a saint or a sinner. It recognizes that you can be true to yourself and still have unexpected dimensions and opposing ideas. Having a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other is the most common thing in the world. 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