Done Quote by Miles Davis
“As long as I've been playing, they never say I done anything. They always say that some white guy did it.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Jazz at the Philharmonic, 1963
Davis highlights racial bias in music criticism, noting that white musicians receive praise while black artists are often dismissed.
In simple terms: Racism skews artistic recognition.
Key Takeaway
Challenge racial double standards in criticism.
Themes
race
music
media
bias
Mood
reflective
defiant
Type
social
political
When to use this quote
- music reviews
- industry awards
- public discourse
- education curricula
Key Concepts
cultural critique
systemic racism
artistic merit
Questions to Reflect On
- What steps can ensure fair evaluation of artists?
- How does bias affect artistic innovation?
A Different Perspective
Some may argue talent alone determines success, ignoring systemic barriers.
![“Back in 2007, I met this white guy [director Peter Byck] with a lot of hair and a video camera, at a conference that I happened to be attending for the launch of an organization called Blacks in Green. I had never heard of him and Peter had never heard of me. We just started talking; he liked what…” quote by Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/244/van-jones-984_attending_back-in-2007-i-met-this-white-guy-direct_2563243.jpg)
![“[Prince] could very well be the Duke Ellington of Rock 'n' Roll.” quote by Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/0fa/miles-davis-1842_dukes_prince-could-very-well-be-the-duke-ellin_142140.jpg)
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
