---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Back in the early 1980s when rappers…"
description: "\"Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in the fancy venues because the police were too racist and scared, it was the punk venues letting..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg"
---

#  Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in…

![“Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in the fancy venues because the police were too racist and scared, it was the punk venues letting them in to perform.” quote by JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg)

> “Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in the fancy venues because the police were too racist and scared, it was the punk venues letting them in to perform.”

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He recounts early hip‑hop artists finding venues in punk spaces due to police bias.

**In simple terms:** Racism forced rappers into unconventional venues.

Key Takeaway

Seek allies and alternative platforms.

Themes

racism creativity community

Mood

critical hopeful

Type

cultural inspirational

When to use this quote

- music industry
- grassroots events
- artist solidarity

Key Concepts

subcultural exchange systemic oppression

Questions to Reflect On

- What modern venues support marginalized artists?
- How can cross‑genre collaboration challenge bias?

A Different Perspective

May simplify complex social dynamics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punk/) [Rappers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rappers/)

## Related quotes

> [All the rappers in rave music are like the sloppy seconds of rappers who couldn't make it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watkin-tudor-jones/all-the-rappers-in-rave-music-are-like-the-sloppy-seconds-of-rappers/)

[Watkin Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watkin-tudor-jones/)

> [If I was a white rapper, the bar for me would be Eminem. Of course his white skin helped him excel to heights that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/if-i-was-a-white-rapper-the-bar-for-me-would-be-eminem-of-course-his/)

[Charlamagne tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/)

> [People in rock had this idea that rappers aren't talented. In my opinion we're better writers, we think deeper, and our concepts are harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/people-in-rock-had-this-idea-that-rappers-aren-t-talented-in-my/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [There's no right or wrong way to do things and I think a lot of the SoundCloud rappers with their DIY music are proving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/there-s-no-right-or-wrong-way-to-do-things-and-i-think-a-lot-of-the/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I don't think rappers have a responsibility, but for me, I gotta say something. I can't just look at injustice and keep quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-don-t-think-rappers-have-a-responsibility-but-for-me-i-gotta-say/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [It's hard to find rap that I love, you know. I'm one of those rapping a\*\* rappers, but I just fall into a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eskeerdo/it-s-hard-to-find-rap-that-i-love-you-know-i-m-one-of-those-rapping-a/)

[Eskeerdo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eskeerdo/)

> [Rappers shouldn't have to file taxes because they itemize everything they own in songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-fahey/rappers-shouldn-t-have-to-file-taxes-because-they-itemize-everything/)

[Damien Fahey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-fahey/)

> [Pete Rock, CL Smooth, all this East Coast stuff - that's kind of, like, the rappers I first admired. I wanna rap just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle/pete-rock-cl-smooth-all-this-east-coast-stuff-that-s-kind-of-like-the/)

[Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle/)

> [I don't dislike rappers or hip-hop or people who like it. I went to the Def Jam tour in Manchester in the '80s when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-gallagher/i-don-t-dislike-rappers-or-hip-hop-or-people-who-like-it-i-went-to/)

[Noel Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-gallagher/)

> [I mean, it's not just the rappers, you know what i'm saying? People want to attack anybody that's a large figure, you know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-notorious-b-i-g/i-mean-it-s-not-just-the-rappers-you-know-what-i-m-saying-people-want/)

[The Notorious B.I.G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-notorious-b-i-g/)

> [I like all different kinds of music. I never heavily molded myself after rappers. Sometimes they say when you think something and you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/i-like-all-different-kinds-of-music-i-never-heavily-molded-myself/)

[Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/)

> [Ghostface, when it comes to hip-hop, was one of my favorite rappers and definitely one of my favorites in the Wu-Tang. He's also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/ghostface-when-it-comes-to-hip-hop-was-one-of-my-favorite-rappers-and/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I like Biggie. Like 'Pac, he was one of the best rappers in the business. Why would I try to do something to him?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suge-knight/i-like-biggie-like-pac-he-was-one-of-the-best-rappers-in-the-business/)

[Suge Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suge-knight/)

> [You can't even tell, but a lot of the time your favourite rappers are wearing a bunch of fake jewellery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/you-can-t-even-tell-but-a-lot-of-the-time-your-favourite-rappers-are/)

[Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/)

> [I prefer rappers who have something intelligent to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jemele-hill/i-prefer-rappers-who-have-something-intelligent-to-say/)

[Jemele Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jemele-hill/)

## More by JPEGMAFIA

> [I am used to experiencing so much trauma, that when I see it, I have to speak out. I don't think rappers have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-am-used-to-experiencing-so-much-trauma-that-when-i-see-it-i-have-to/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I started producing when I was listening to The Diplomats. The first time I heard Cam'ron was 'Dead or Alive.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-started-producing-when-i-was-listening-to-the-diplomats-the-first/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [America to me is where I grew up: in Brooklyn, around other black and Latino people who helped and loved each other. I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/america-to-me-is-where-i-grew-up-in-brooklyn-around-other-black-and/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [Well, me and Freaky been knowing each other for a while, and he was always playing crazy music in his room, but he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/well-me-and-freaky-been-knowing-each-other-for-a-while-and-he-was/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [Most of my experience with racism comes from living in the South.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/most-of-my-experience-with-racism-comes-from-living-in-the-south/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [My music experience living in Baltimore was life-altering. To this day, there is no scene that works as hard or puts as much effort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/my-music-experience-living-in-baltimore-was-life-altering-to-this-day/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [Bjork for sure. Definitely, I would like to do like something with Tommy Genesis, too. There's a lot of people actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/bjork-for-sure-definitely-i-would-like-to-do-like-something-with/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [Rick Rubin is interesting. He doesn't wear shoes, I think? No wait, he wears shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/rick-rubin-is-interesting-he-doesn-t-wear-shoes-i-think-no-wait-he/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I don't rely on the strength of my image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-don-t-rely-on-the-strength-of-my-image/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I'd rather be dead than work in a warehouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-d-rather-be-dead-than-work-in-a-warehouse/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [The idea of me being an icon or something is a very funny thing, just because of my own weird insecurities. But, yeah... probably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/the-idea-of-me-being-an-icon-or-something-is-a-very-funny-thing-just/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [The only real thing I took away from the military is that it just reinforced all the things I already thought about the underbelly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/the-only-real-thing-i-took-away-from-the-military-is-that-it-just/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I've been watching anime for a minute, so I know like real weird deep anime that people probably don't care about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-ve-been-watching-anime-for-a-minute-so-i-know-like-real-weird-deep/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [I don't think rappers have a responsibility, but for me, I gotta say something. I can't just look at injustice and keep quiet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/i-don-t-think-rappers-have-a-responsibility-but-for-me-i-gotta-say/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

> [It just seems like Baltimore, talent-wise, nothing can touch it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/it-just-seems-like-baltimore-talent-wise-nothing-can-touch-it/)

[JPEGMAFIA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

[Explore all 87 JPEGMAFIA quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/)

## More Back quotes

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I honestly would like to get that Frankie fight back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-mendes/i-honestly-would-like-to-get-that-frankie-fight-back/)

[Chad Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-mendes/)

> [Drumming's pretty physical. We sit at the back of the stage getting beat up like a workhorse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/drumming-s-pretty-physical-we-sit-at-the-back-of-the-stage-getting/)

[Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/)

> [I never want to look back on any moment and say I could have done more. So I go all in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-haze/i-never-want-to-look-back-on-any-moment-and-say-i-could-have-done/)

[Scott Haze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-haze/)

> [I wish that I had known back then that a mastery of process would lead to a product. Then I probably wouldn't have found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/i-wish-that-i-had-known-back-then-that-a-mastery-of-process-would/)

[Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/)

> [It's what the people wanted at the time, but the country could not be half-segregated and half-integrated, just as it could not be half-slave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/it-s-what-the-people-wanted-at-the-time-but-the-country-could-not-be/)

[George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/)

> [I've always stuck my arms behind my back anyway when trying to block a shot in the penalty area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/i-ve-always-stuck-my-arms-behind-my-back-anyway-when-trying-to-block/)

[Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/)

> [I'm sure at some point I will get back into coaching, but right now I need to focus completely on my kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-ewing/i-m-sure-at-some-point-i-will-get-back-into-coaching-but-right-now-i/)

[Patrick Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-ewing/)

> [Any time someone achieves success before they've earned it, it always comes back to haunt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-white/any-time-someone-achieves-success-before-they-ve-earned-it-it-always/)

[Ron White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-white/)

> [In Congress, Florida Republicans worked with the Trump administration to secure funding for coastal restoration projects following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Irma and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltz/in-congress-florida-republicans-worked-with-the-trump-administration/)

[Michael Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltz/)

> [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/)

[Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/)

> [We're all painfully aware of how suddenly violence can occur, how crippling it is, and how survivors have to find a way back from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dini/we-re-all-painfully-aware-of-how-suddenly-violence-can-occur-how/)

[Paul Dini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dini/)

> [Ronaldo is just an athlete. He works so hard and back to back; he is always there. But if you work hard, can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/ronaldo-is-just-an-athlete-he-works-so-hard-and-back-to-back-he-is/)

[Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/)

> [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/)

[Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/)

> [British Forces should be in a position to give back in a ten fold measure any attack that the Germans may attempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-banting/british-forces-should-be-in-a-position-to-give-back-in-a-ten-fold/)

[Frederick Banting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-banting/)

Browse all 9,709 Back quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in the fancy venues because the police were too racist and scared, it was the punk venues letting them in to perform.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "JPEGMAFIA"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-couldn-t-perform-in-the-fancy/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Back"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-couldn-t-perform-in-the-fancy/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc2/jpegmafia-7848_back_back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-cou_361295.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Back in the early 1980s when rappers couldn't perform in the fancy venues because the police were too racist…” — JPEGMAFIA",
                "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": "JPEGMAFIA",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jpegmafia/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Back in the early 1980s when...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-couldn-t-perform-in-the-fancy/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jpegmafia/back-in-the-early-1980s-when-rappers-couldn-t-perform-in-the-fancy/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
