--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Speaking out against rap music is…" description: "\"Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's futile. The reality is there's criticism for everything, but Jay-Z is one of the most remarkable ar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png" --- # Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's… ![“Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's futile. The reality is there's criticism for everything, but Jay-Z is one of the most remarkable artists of our time of any genre, and as a hip-hop artist he carries the weight of that art form with such splendor and grace and genius.” quote by Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png) > “Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's futile. The reality is there's criticism for everything, but Jay-Z is one of the most remarkable artists of our time of any genre, and as a hip-hop artist he carries the weight of that art form with such splendor and grace and genius.” [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizing rap is futile; the genre’s leaders embody artistic excellence and cultural weight. **In simple terms:** Rap criticism ignores its artistic significance. Key Takeaway Respect and understand hip‑hop’s cultural impact. Themes music criticism culture artistic value Mood analytical balanced Type cultural critical When to use this quote - music education - media analysis - community discussions - policy making Key Concepts hip‑hop as cultural artifact artist responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can criticism be constructive? - What responsibilities do artists hold? A Different Perspective Not all rap content is positive; nuance needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Against](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) [Any](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/any/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Artists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artists/) [Carries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carries/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticism Jay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism-jay-3738652/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Futile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/futile/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [He](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/he/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Jay Remarkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jay-remarkable-3738654/) [Jay z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jay-z/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [Our time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-time/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap/) [Rap music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rap-music/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reality Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality-criticism-3738655/) [Remarkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remarkable/) [Speaking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking/) [Speaking Rap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking-rap-3738653/) [Splendor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/splendor/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) [Weight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weight/) ## Related quotes > [You go to any Jay-Z concert, and he plays his hits. Comedians don't have hits. You have to have a whole brand-new hour. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aziz-ansari/you-go-to-any-jay-z-concert-and-he-plays-his-hits-comedians-don-t/) [Aziz Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aziz-ansari/) > [“. . . Around the time Solange went mortal combat on Jay-Z . . .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-jerome-dickey/around-the-time-solange-went-mortal-combat-on-jay-z/) [Eric Jerome Dickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-jerome-dickey/) > [I listen to Jay-Z, Nelly, Nas, Ludacris and all the young kids out there. I listen to them, and I have mad respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mills/i-listen-to-jay-z-nelly-nas-ludacris-and-all-the-young-kids-out-there/) [Stephanie Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mills/) > [I grew up listening to Bob Marley, Jill Scott, Floetry, Nas, Jay-Z, Beyonce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/i-grew-up-listening-to-bob-marley-jill-scott-floetry-nas-jay-z-beyonce/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [Beyonce is a beautiful, elegant woman who is also a wonderful dancer. And her voice is sublime. Just like her husband, Jay-Z, Beyonce has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azzedine-alaia/beyonce-is-a-beautiful-elegant-woman-who-is-also-a-wonderful-dancer/) [Azzedine Alaia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azzedine-alaia/) > [I have respect for the greats, like Jay-Z.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-barnes/i-have-respect-for-the-greats-like-jay-z/) [Harrison Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-barnes/) > [Jay-Z has always been a huge figure in hip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/jay-z-has-always-been-a-huge-figure-in-hip-hop/) [Fabolous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fabolous/) > [I'm the female Jay-Z. I never compared myself to other women artists. I compared myself with the best, and the best is Jay-Z.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/i-m-the-female-jay-z-i-never-compared-myself-to-other-women-artists-i/) [Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/) > [I respect Jay-Z. I like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-anka/i-respect-jay-z-i-like-him/) [Paul Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-anka/) > [When I'm not in the booth, I'm one of the most laid-back guys. But growing up, I liked DMX, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, and T.I.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meek-mill/when-i-m-not-in-the-booth-i-m-one-of-the-most-laid-back-guys-but/) [Meek Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meek-mill/) > [I'm a fan of Jay-Z, I'mma always be a fan of Jay-Z.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-m-a-fan-of-jay-z-i-mma-always-be-a-fan-of-jay-z/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [This game wears on you. It tears you down. It's perpetual motion for some people who've achieved a level of independence, like Madonna and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/this-game-wears-on-you-it-tears-you-down-it-s-perpetual-motion-for/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [“He better call Becky with the good hair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/he-better-call-becky-with-the-good-hair/) [Beyoncé Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [With Jay-Z, it's hard not to be amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/with-jay-z-it-s-hard-not-to-be-amazing/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I listened to a lot of Jay-Z and Kanye coming up, which would be unexpected for a boy bander like me. But I'd listen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-payne/i-listened-to-a-lot-of-jay-z-and-kanye-coming-up-which-would-be/) [Liam Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-payne/) ## More by Michael Eric Dyson > [Jeremiah Wright is one of the greatest prophetic preachers that black America has produced. What I find striking is that many white brothers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/jeremiah-wright-is-one-of-the-greatest-prophetic-preachers-that-black/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [ What are you for? It may be, to a degree, consoling that white brothers and sisters did not vote for \[Donald\] Trump, and do… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/what-are-you-for-it-may-be-to-a-degree-consoling-that-white-brothers/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [I went to school four years later than most people because I was a teen father, hustled on the streets, worked, lived on welfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-went-to-school-four-years-later-than-most-people-because-i-was-a/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [It is true that race is a social fiction, a myth perpetuated by a variety of peoples throughout the modern period, especially, to further…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/it-is-true-that-race-is-a-social-fiction-a-myth-perpetuated-by-a/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [ I've written a lot of other books and this book \[Tears we cannot stop\] was different. I couldn't just say what I wanted to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-ve-written-a-lot-of-other-books-and-this-book-tears-we-cannot-stop/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [“And there is a paradox that many of you refuse to see: to get to a point where race won’t make a difference, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/and-there-is-a-paradox-that-many-of-you-refuse-to-see-to-get-to-a/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [ Elvis \[Presley\] had a stepstool, if you will, to success because he came from the dominant culture. They identified with him. Michael Jackson had… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/elvis-presley-had-a-stepstool-if-you-will-to-success-because-he-came/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [I believe in a God of a second chance and a God of love and mercy, because I need so much more of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-believe-in-a-god-of-a-second-chance-and-a-god-of-love-and-mercy/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [Hurricane Katrina overwhelmed levees and exploded the conventional wisdom about a shared American prosperity, exposing a group of people so poor they didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/hurricane-katrina-overwhelmed-levees-and-exploded-the-conventional/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [I was very struck when Min. Farrakhan said if Jesus and Muhammad were here today, they'd be embracing each other. That's a tremendous message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-was-very-struck-when-min-farrakhan-said-if-jesus-and-muhammad-were/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [“O! save us, we pray thee, thou God of Heaven and of earth, from the devouring hands of the white Christians!!! . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/o-save-us-we-pray-thee-thou-god-of-heaven-and-of-earth-from-the/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [We can't exempt ourselves from the same moral calculus that we are willing to apply to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/we-can-t-exempt-ourselves-from-the-same-moral-calculus-that-we-are/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [New Orleans invented the brown paper bag party - usually at a gathering in a home - where anyone darker than the bag attached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/new-orleans-invented-the-brown-paper-bag-party-usually-at-a-gathering/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [“Whiteness is an advantage and privilege because you have made it so, not because the universe demands it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/whiteness-is-an-advantage-and-privilege-because-you-have-made-it-so/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [I'm just challenging white supremacy at its intellectual heart every day. It's a pedagogy that I deploy against some of the most vicious resistance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/i-m-just-challenging-white-supremacy-at-its-intellectual-heart-every/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) [Explore all 242 Michael Eric Dyson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) ## More Against quotes > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [We do not know which irresponsible Israeli prime minister will take office and decide to use nuclear weapons in the struggle against neighboring Arab…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mordechai-vanunu/we-do-not-know-which-irresponsible-israeli-prime-minister-will-take/) [Mordechai Vanunu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mordechai-vanunu/) > [In France they spend six months training policemen, then they give them a gun and put them on the streets, and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathieu-kassovitz/in-france-they-spend-six-months-training-policemen-then-they-give/) [Mathieu Kassovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathieu-kassovitz/) > [France has not only built a bureaucratic barrier against American culture, it has constructed a notorious intellectual case against it as well. The French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-cowen/france-has-not-only-built-a-bureaucratic-barrier-against-american/) [Tyler Cowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-cowen/) > [My problems are sort of more on a nuisance level. I can't stand scratchy clothes, I've got to have soft kinds of cotton against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/my-problems-are-sort-of-more-on-a-nuisance-level-i-can-t-stand/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [I don't have any regrets or hold any grudge against anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cooper-kupp/i-don-t-have-any-regrets-or-hold-any-grudge-against-anyone/) [Cooper Kupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cooper-kupp/) > [Ronaldo will always score against everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giorgio-chiellini/ronaldo-will-always-score-against-everyone/) [Giorgio Chiellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giorgio-chiellini/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) [Joe Pitts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-pitts/) > [It goes way, way back when we were under Sweden's rule. We always think they are better than us. We played against them so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saku-koivu/it-goes-way-way-back-when-we-were-under-sweden-s-rule-we-always-think/) [Saku Koivu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saku-koivu/) > [I'm against unanswerable concentrations of power, whether that be government or private industry or religious figures - anybody who is not accountable to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-suarez/i-m-against-unanswerable-concentrations-of-power-whether-that-be/) [Daniel Suarez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-suarez/) > [I'm an Indian and I shall not do anything that goes against my ethos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherlyn-chopra/i-m-an-indian-and-i-shall-not-do-anything-that-goes-against-my-ethos/) [Sherlyn Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherlyn-chopra/) [Browse all 2,190 Against quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/against/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's futile. The reality is there's criticism for everything, but Jay-Z is one of the most remarkable artists of our time of any genre, and as a hip-hop artist he carries the weight of that art form with such splendor and grace and genius.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Eric Dyson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useless-and-it-s-futile-the-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Against" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useless-and-it-s-futile-the-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d63/michael-eric-dyson-1424_against_speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useles_2843163.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Speaking out against rap music is useless, and it's futile. The reality is there's criticism for everything…” — Michael Eric Dyson", "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": "Michael Eric Dyson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Speaking out against rap music is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useless-and-it-s-futile-the-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/speaking-out-against-rap-music-is-useless-and-it-s-futile-the-reality/#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 } } ] } ```