--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to do…" description: "\"If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to do five years ago, I'd have told you I wanted to be Viktor Vaughn or The Game - I would want to be a rapper with a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/john-vanderslice-27175_eight-ball_if-you-d-asked-me-what-i-d-wanted-to-do_3165238.jpg" --- # If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to do five years ago… ![“If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to do five years ago, I'd have told you I wanted to be Viktor Vaughn or The Game - I would want to be a rapper with an eight ball of coke in my pocket and a wad of hundreds. Because that kind of freedom - well, perceived freedom - is where I want to be.” quote by John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/john-vanderslice-27175_eight-ball_if-you-d-asked-me-what-i-d-wanted-to-do_3165238.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/john-vanderslice-27175_eight-ball_if-you-d-asked-me-what-i-d-wanted-to-do_3165238.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ac/john-vanderslice-27175_eight-ball_if-you-d-asked-me-what-i-d-wanted-to-do_3165238.jpg) > “If you'd asked me what I'd wanted to do five years ago, I'd have told you I wanted to be Viktor Vaughn or The Game - I would want to be a rapper with an eight ball of coke in my pocket and a wad of hundreds. Because that kind of freedom - well, perceived freedom - is where I want to be.” [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker longs for a perceived freedom associated with a rebellious, lavish lifestyle, reflecting a desire to escape constraints. **In simple terms:** Wants a reckless, carefree life. Key Takeaway Pursue authentic freedom. Themes freedom identity rebellion materialism Mood defiant yearning reflective Type personal cultural When to use this quote - music career - personal branding - creative expression - risk‑taking - financial independence Key Concepts celebrity culture self‑image risk desire Questions to Reflect On - What does true freedom mean to you? - How does material excess affect personal identity? A Different Perspective Such freedom may be illusionary and unsustainable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eight ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight-ball/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) ## Related quotes > [You can say what you want to about a rapper in a movie, but look at what Ice Cube has done. Ice Cube has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-anderson/you-can-say-what-you-want-to-about-a-rapper-in-a-movie-but-look-at/) [Anthony Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-anderson/) > [I don't want to be a rapper that puts out, like, 600 songs a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-lean/i-don-t-want-to-be-a-rapper-that-puts-out-like-600-songs-a-year/) [Yung Lean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-lean/) > [I want to take my rapper money and start my own assisted living facilities in Houston because I see what it looks like when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-thee-stallion/i-want-to-take-my-rapper-money-and-start-my-own-assisted-living/) [Megan Thee Stallion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-thee-stallion/) > [My career is a development and that's a big thing because when I decided this was what I wanted to do it wasn't like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grieves/my-career-is-a-development-and-that-s-a-big-thing-because-when-i/) [Grieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grieves/) > [I've been writing since I was 10 or 11. I started with poetry because that was the easiest thing. It just kind of came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-grey/i-ve-been-writing-since-i-was-10-or-11-i-started-with-poetry-because/) [Sasha Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-grey/) > [It's all about the work. Nothing is going to fall into your lap. If you want to be a lawyer, see yourself as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/it-s-all-about-the-work-nothing-is-going-to-fall-into-your-lap-if-you/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [When I was young what made me really want to be a rapper was when I saw MC Lyte.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rapsody/when-i-was-young-what-made-me-really-want-to-be-a-rapper-was-when-i/) [Rapsody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rapsody/) > [When I heard my first rap song and figured out what that was, I kind've stuck to it. I always wanted to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle/when-i-heard-my-first-rap-song-and-figured-out-what-that-was-i-kind/) [Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle/) > [I didn't want to be a rapper full time. You know, Big L kinda - God bless the dead - influenced me to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cam-ron/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-rapper-full-time-you-know-big-l-kinda-god-bless/) [Cam'ron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cam-ron/) > [I secretly want to be a rapper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bilson/i-secretly-want-to-be-a-rapper/) [Rachel Bilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bilson/) > [She's the one you kidnap when you want the rapper to plea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/she-s-the-one-you-kidnap-when-you-want-the-rapper-to-plea/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“Kindered spiritsm Best when near it, Near the closest hand, Sounds heard loudest bland. Never near heart and soul... Emotions of love lost as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gale/kindered-spiritsm-best-when-near-it-near-the-closest-hand-sounds/) Michael Gale > [In life it pays to celebrate every win, no matter how small, because there will be many more times when we will find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/in-life-it-pays-to-celebrate-every-win-no-matter-how-small-because/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [I am very fortunate I can send my kids to private school, but everybody does not have the money. If you cannot get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-am-very-fortunate-i-can-send-my-kids-to-private-school-but/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [That's the NBA and professional sports. You have to take care of business when you have the chance and if you don't you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/that-s-the-nba-and-professional-sports-you-have-to-take-care-of/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) ## More by John Vanderslice > [Analog was perfected over 70 years, though. Digital will one day be fantastic. I'm sure of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/analog-was-perfected-over-70-years-though-digital-will-one-day-be/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [One day, digital will be it. Analog will just be another oddity, and that's fine, too. I have no great misgivings about it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/one-day-digital-will-be-it-analog-will-just-be-another-oddity-and/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [Caffeine gives me hope. Sometimes, when I brew my wicked strong Irish black tea just perfect, about halfway through the mug I feel a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/caffeine-gives-me-hope-sometimes-when-i-brew-my-wicked-strong-irish/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [Making love to robots will probably be great one day. It's just not a viable option right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/making-love-to-robots-will-probably-be-great-one-day-it-s-just-not-a/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [To make a live record - something that has a lot of life in it - is difficult. After slaving away for years in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/to-make-a-live-record-something-that-has-a-lot-of-life-in-it-is/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [One thing that has happened is a revolution in digital consumer recording, and overall, that's a great thing for art, but parallel to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/one-thing-that-has-happened-is-a-revolution-in-digital-consumer/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [Bands will always need studios. The more people there are recording at home, the more people there will be who are going to need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/bands-will-always-need-studios-the-more-people-there-are-recording-at/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [There is definitely a nostalgia, and I am very sentimental, so I don't begrudge people for having sentimental feelings towards vinyl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/there-is-definitely-a-nostalgia-and-i-am-very-sentimental-so-i-don-t/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [I wish I could go out farther from my musical history. I didn't realize how hard it was until I tried to do it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/i-wish-i-could-go-out-farther-from-my-musical-history-i-didn-t/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [The world is just going to continue to fragment, and that's a great thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/the-world-is-just-going-to-continue-to-fragment-and-that-s-a-great/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [There's nothing like space and the ability to make unlimited amounts of noise at any time, especially in San Francisco.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/there-s-nothing-like-space-and-the-ability-to-make-unlimited-amounts/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [I like vinyl because it's not quite random access. You have to pick up the needle, flip the record. I do think that an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/i-like-vinyl-because-it-s-not-quite-random-access-you-have-to-pick-up/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [In fact, it's in my interest to love digital recording, and I just spent a ton on a new digital recording system, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/in-fact-it-s-in-my-interest-to-love-digital-recording-and-i-just/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [When I tour with a band, things get more unconscious and more automatic as the tour goes on. Music has to be like natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/when-i-tour-with-a-band-things-get-more-unconscious-and-more/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [Usually I'm trying to get away from my discography. I don't think I could tear down everything I've done, the structures I've created -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/usually-i-m-trying-to-get-away-from-my-discography-i-don-t-think-i/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) [Explore all 21 John Vanderslice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) ## More Eight ball quotes > [That's the NBA and professional sports. You have to take care of business when you have the chance and if you don't you put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-caruso/that-s-the-nba-and-professional-sports-you-have-to-take-care-of/) [Alex Caruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-caruso/) > [I am very fortunate I can send my kids to private school, but everybody does not have the money. If you cannot get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-am-very-fortunate-i-can-send-my-kids-to-private-school-but/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [In life it pays to celebrate every win, no matter how small, because there will be many more times when we will find ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ash-sweeney/in-life-it-pays-to-celebrate-every-win-no-matter-how-small-because/) [Ash Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ash-sweeney/) > [“Kindered spiritsm Best when near it, Near the closest hand, Sounds heard loudest bland. Never near heart and soul... Emotions of love lost as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gale/kindered-spiritsm-best-when-near-it-near-the-closest-hand-sounds/) Michael Gale > [I didn't have a problem with rejection, because when you go into an audition, you're rejected already. There are hundreds of other actors. You're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-didn-t-have-a-problem-with-rejection-because-when-you-go-into-an/) [Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/) > [In America everyone plays bang ball, eight ball, nine ball, that kind of stupid crap, but in Canada and Europe they play snooker which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-negreanu/in-america-everyone-plays-bang-ball-eight-ball-nine-ball-that-kind-of/) [Daniel Negreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-negreanu/) > [My dad has some depressive issues, and he's really tough on himself. So sometimes he can say things that are not super supportive. Like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bamford/my-dad-has-some-depressive-issues-and-he-s-really-tough-on-himself-so/) [Maria Bamford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bamford/) > [I used to think success would be sustainability. Not being behind the eight ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-leo/i-used-to-think-success-would-be-sustainability-not-being-behind-the/) [Ted Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-leo/) > [“He looked like he’d poured his muscular body into a pair of faded Levi jeans with holes in the knees. Fine black hairs curled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kari-lee-harmon/he-looked-like-he-d-poured-his-muscular-body-into-a-pair-of-faded/) Kari Lee Harmon > [“I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-m-a-modern-man-a-man-for-the-millennium-digital-and-smoke-free-a/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [God is not a magic eight ball we shake up and peer into whenever we have a decision to make. He is a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/god-is-not-a-magic-eight-ball-we-shake-up-and-peer-into-whenever-we/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“Somedays you're the cue ball, somedays you are the eight ball”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo/somedays-you-re-the-cue-ball-somedays-you-are-the-eight-ball/) [Pablo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo/) > [“Depression is a painfully slow, crashing death. 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