--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is about black people selling out…" description: "\"This is about black people selling out other black people.\" — John Mellencamp" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg" --- # This is about black people selling out other black people. ![“This is about black people selling out other black people.” quote by John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg) > “This is about black people selling out other black people.” [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A critique of betrayal within a community, highlighting how some exploit others for personal gain. **In simple terms:** People sometimes betray their own community for profit. Key Takeaway Beware of exploitation and support solidarity. Themes betrayal community exploitation solidarity Mood cautious reflective Type advice social commentary When to use this quote - workplace - neighborhood - political activism - business partnerships Key Concepts social dynamics trust economic pressure Questions to Reflect On - How can we foster trust within marginalized groups? - What mechanisms prevent exploitation? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Not all intra‑community conflicts are betrayals; sometimes competition drives progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-selling-330856/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Selling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling/) [Selling Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling-black-3553621/) [Selling out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selling-out/) ## Related quotes > [Selling out is a myth. Bill Gates isn't selling out, is he? Richard Branson isn't selling out. Why can't black people make money?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-walters/selling-out-is-a-myth-bill-gates-isn-t-selling-out-is-he-richard/) [Ashley Walters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-walters/) > [I'm always happy when I hear about people selling records or selling books or selling movies. It makes me proud of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-always-happy-when-i-hear-about-people-selling-records-or-selling/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I buy when other people are selling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/i-buy-when-other-people-are-selling/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [“At some point, we have to stop selling every black child in this country the idea that he or she only needs to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxane-gay/at-some-point-we-have-to-stop-selling-every-black-child-in-this/) [Roxane Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roxane-gay/) > [I have no trouble selling out—I’m a benevolent hack, in a certain way—but I want to pander for something I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/i-have-no-trouble-selling-out-i-m-a-benevolent-hack-in-a-certain-way/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [I don't care if people perceive me as always selling out because I'm doing a studio picture. For me, the whole thing is you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-don-t-care-if-people-perceive-me-as-always-selling-out-because-i-m/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [As long as I'm not selling out the people that ride or die with me, I'm glad I'm not an MC. I'm a motivational…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-jeezy/as-long-as-i-m-not-selling-out-the-people-that-ride-or-die-with-me-i/) [Young Jeezy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-jeezy/) > [We were being put somewhere interesting from being involved with analog, to working with digital. Those two worlds just collided and it felt great!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazzie-b/we-were-being-put-somewhere-interesting-from-being-involved-with/) [Jazzie B](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazzie-b/) > [You get moments all the time that kind of make you pinch yourself, some of them make you quite emotional. Winning a BRIT was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/you-get-moments-all-the-time-that-kind-of-make-you-pinch-yourself/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [I was just worried that someone was gonna think that I had been commissioned by Jamba Juice to make cartoons about Jamba Juice. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-was-just-worried-that-someone-was-gonna-think-that-i-had-been/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [My goals have changed throughout my life. At one time it was winning awards, selling out concert dates, selling more albums than anyone else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reba-mcentire/my-goals-have-changed-throughout-my-life-at-one-time-it-was-winning/) [Reba McEntire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reba-mcentire/) > [I didn't want to do film or commercials or television. That was cheap. That was selling out. I was the classic liberal, left-wing, 'Theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-moyer/i-didn-t-want-to-do-film-or-commercials-or-television-that-was-cheap/) [Stephen Moyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-moyer/) > [I'm not selling out, denying who I am or where I've come from, not at all. I acknowledge that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-not-selling-out-denying-who-i-am-or-where-i-ve-come-from-not-at/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) > [I'm not in any way selling out by having a record that's good enough for radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnis/i-m-not-in-any-way-selling-out-by-having-a-record-that-s-good-enough/) [Donnis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnis/) > [I admire Mark Zuckerberg... for not selling out, for wanting to make a company. I admire that a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/i-admire-mark-zuckerberg-for-not-selling-out-for-wanting-to-make-a/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More by John Mellencamp > [My grandmother made sure that I went to church every Sunday. And she'd come over and pick us boys up, and we would go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-grandmother-made-sure-that-i-went-to-church-every-sunday-and-she-d/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I thought I knew a lot about music. Then you start digging and the deeper you go, the more there is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-thought-i-knew-a-lot-about-music-then-you-start-digging-and-the/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [You shouldn't even be in a band if you can't play Buddy Holly's Not Fade Away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/you-shouldn-t-even-be-in-a-band-if-you-can-t-play-buddy-holly-s-not/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Oh, I think country has changed tremendously. I think country has totally changed. Country music when I was a kid was Hank Williams. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/oh-i-think-country-has-changed-tremendously-i-think-country-has/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I'm looking for trouble. A lot of people get to be a certain age and they just kind of lose interest or they give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-looking-for-trouble-a-lot-of-people-get-to-be-a-certain-age-and/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I know there's a balance/I see it when I swing past.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-know-there-s-a-balance-i-see-it-when-i-swing-past/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Growing up leads to growing old and then to dying And dying to me don't sound like all that much fun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/growing-up-leads-to-growing-old-and-then-to-dying-and-dying-to-me-don/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [This is not a rock opera. This is not Tommy. I can write songs that emote, and that's it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-not-a-rock-opera-this-is-not-tommy-i-can-write-songs-that/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Hold on to 16 as long as you can,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/hold-on-to-16-as-long-as-you-can/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Country sure has changed in the last 10 years. It was one thing, then it was another. Country has slowly marched toward a rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/country-sure-has-changed-in-the-last-10-years-it-was-one-thing-then/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I just think if the song's good, sing it. I don't care who's doing it. I don't care if it's a country act. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-just-think-if-the-song-s-good-sing-it-i-don-t-care-who-s-doing-it-i/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I'm not a nostalgic person. I'm not nostalgic about much of anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/i-m-not-a-nostalgic-person-i-m-not-nostalgic-about-much-of-anything/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Most people in life, give up too early.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/most-people-in-life-give-up-too-early/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [My voice has gotten better from smoking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/my-voice-has-gotten-better-from-smoking/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [Music actually meant something when I started doing it. Too bad I wasn't mature enough to write anything that meant anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/music-actually-meant-something-when-i-started-doing-it-too-bad-i-wasn/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) [Explore all 100 John Mellencamp quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This is about black people selling out other black people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Mellencamp" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-other-black-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-other-black-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/63f/john-mellencamp-5745_black_this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-o_3212903.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This is about black people selling out other black people.” — John Mellencamp", "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": "John Mellencamp", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This is about black people selling...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-other-black-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/this-is-about-black-people-selling-out-other-black-people/#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 } } ] } ```