--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Fame is like getting across the street…" description: "\"Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination. It's like, \"I gotta ge..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/mos-def-3481_destination_fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-i_1923775.jpg" --- # Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if… ![“Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination. It's like, "I gotta get across the street, man! I gotta be there! I gotta be there!" Then you get across the street and you're like, "Yeah I'm here!" And then, that's…” quote by Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/mos-def-3481_destination_fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-i_1923775.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/mos-def-3481_destination_fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-i_1923775.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e9/mos-def-3481_destination_fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-i_1923775.jpg) > “Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination. It's like, "I gotta get across the street, man! I gotta be there! I gotta be there!" Then you get across the street and you're like, "Yeah I'm here!" And then, that's it. Fame doesn't make you particularly happy.” [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Fame is a hollow goal without meaningful purpose; reaching it feels empty and unsatisfying. **In simple terms:** Fame without purpose feels empty. Key Takeaway Seek purpose beyond fame. Themes purpose emptiness celebrity meaning happiness Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - career ambition - creative projects - personal fulfillment - public recognition Key Concepts Existentialism psychology of success social validation Questions to Reflect On - What purpose drives you beyond recognition? - How can you find meaning without external applause? A Different Perspective Fame can distract from deeper values and lead to dissatisfaction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Destination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destination/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Streets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/streets/) ## Related quotes > [Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-it-s-like-if-there-s-nothing/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I never heard so many kids talk about just doing anything to be famous. I mean, yeah, fame is part of the deal when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-heard-so-many-kids-talk-about-just-doing-anything-to-be/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I don't walk down the street like, "I'm famous." It's still weird to me when people ask for pictures. My close friends from high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-hadid/i-don-t-walk-down-the-street-like-i-m-famous-it-s-still-weird-to-me/) [Bella Hadid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-hadid/) > [If you don't have a policeman to stop traffic and let you walk across the street like you are somebody, how are you going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-white/if-you-don-t-have-a-policeman-to-stop-traffic-and-let-you-walk-across/) John C White > [ “\[…\] A brother don’t need a gate – he jumps the fence. That’s street.’ ‘Again, please?’ said Howard. ‘Street, street,’ bellowed Zora. It’s like,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/a-brother-don-t-need-a-gate-he-jumps-the-fence-that-s-street-again/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [The mixtapes be having more like the street feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moneybagg-yo/the-mixtapes-be-having-more-like-the-street-feel/) [Moneybagg Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moneybagg-yo/) > [I remember specifically my mother telling me growing up don't put my business in the street. I was like seven, and I am like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrine-steffans/i-remember-specifically-my-mother-telling-me-growing-up-don-t-put-my/) [Karrine Steffans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrine-steffans/) > [I just want to be known as a very normal person and be treated as that and be able to walk down the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schumacher/i-just-want-to-be-known-as-a-very-normal-person-and-be-treated-as/) [Michael Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schumacher/) > [I don't think about being famous, really. Being an author, I don't generally get stopped as I walk down the street. It's not like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-don-t-think-about-being-famous-really-being-an-author-i-don-t/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I'm not about to pay you $30 to take me four or five lights down the street. Like, it's not happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-kamara/i-m-not-about-to-pay-you-30-to-take-me-four-or-five-lights-down-the/) [Alvin Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-kamara/) > [Januzaj is someone a bit like Origi, there's no pressure and he plays like he's on the street.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-vertonghen/januzaj-is-someone-a-bit-like-origi-there-s-no-pressure-and-he-plays/) [Jan Vertonghen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-vertonghen/) > [I write from a personal perspective, but sometimes seeing something in the street like that will spark something that reminds me of my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlo-parks/i-write-from-a-personal-perspective-but-sometimes-seeing-something-in/) [Arlo Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlo-parks/) > [With rap music, because it's all so on the street, you get treated like a street cat: "All right, you've been eatin' enough, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/with-rap-music-because-it-s-all-so-on-the-street-you-get-treated-like/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [When I travel, sometimes I feel like a street blogger. I'll take pictures of people all over who are wearing cool things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-port/when-i-travel-sometimes-i-feel-like-a-street-blogger-i-ll-take/) [Whitney Port](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-port/) > [You've heard of the Wolf of Wall Street? I was like the Wolf of L.A.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-buffer/you-ve-heard-of-the-wolf-of-wall-street-i-was-like-the-wolf-of-l-a/) [Bruce Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-buffer/) ## More by Mos Def > [I have mad brims.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-have-mad-brims/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [And from the moment that I saw you, I knew you was trouble, But I disregarded detour signs, And did not stop til you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/and-from-the-moment-that-i-saw-you-i-knew-you-was-trouble-but-i/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [But even creeps deserve to live someplace halfway decent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/but-even-creeps-deserve-to-live-someplace-halfway-decent/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [If you're going to do Chuck Berry, you got to, you know, go all out, and the duck walk is just kind of you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/if-you-re-going-to-do-chuck-berry-you-got-to-you-know-go-all-out-and/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [The ability to have somebody read something and see it, or for somebody to paint an entire landscape of visual imagery with just sheets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/the-ability-to-have-somebody-read-something-and-see-it-or-for/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I'm growing as an individual, but your always growing. All of my albums are snapshots of where I am artistically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-m-growing-as-an-individual-but-your-always-growing-all-of-my-albums/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I don't want to waste anyone's time or money. I want to give people some truth and positive heart lift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-don-t-want-to-waste-anyone-s-time-or-money-i-want-to-give-people/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [Man, I smashed her like an Idaho Potato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/man-i-smashed-her-like-an-idaho-potato/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I'm blacked than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-m-blacked-than-midnight-on-broadway-and-myrtle/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I'm not shy about heated debate or passionate discourse, but when people get crazy or rude, that's a buzz kill. There's got to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-m-not-shy-about-heated-debate-or-passionate-discourse-but-when/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I was taught when there's somethin' you can change around keep quiet, you got nothin' to complain about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-was-taught-when-there-s-somethin-you-can-change-around-keep-quiet/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I don't hate nobody. I hate certain conditions that are inflicted upon the people - and they're helpless with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-don-t-hate-nobody-i-hate-certain-conditions-that-are-inflicted-upon/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [It’s one thing to be the greatest; it’s another thing to be necessary. The best are the most necessary: those who take less than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/it-s-one-thing-to-be-the-greatest-it-s-another-thing-to-be-necessary/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [We can be beautiful and feel beautiful about who we are everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/we-can-be-beautiful-and-feel-beautiful-about-who-we-are-everyday/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [Fame is like getting across the street. It's like, if there's nothing to be across the street for, it's a pointless destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/fame-is-like-getting-across-the-street-it-s-like-if-there-s-nothing/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) [Explore all 129 Mos Def quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) ## More Destination quotes > [It is a sweet thing that we serve a dissatisfied God who has destinations in mind for us that we would never choose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/it-is-a-sweet-thing-that-we-serve-a-dissatisfied-god-who-has/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [Loving yourself is a journey, not a destination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tess-holliday/loving-yourself-is-a-journey-not-a-destination/) [Tess Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tess-holliday/) > [Love is a voyage,not a destination ! <3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-a-voyage-not-a-destination-3/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [“The final destination is death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-final-destination-is-death/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [It was often this way, life consisted of a series of false beginnings, bluff declarations of arrival to destinations not even glimpsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-lethem/it-was-often-this-way-life-consisted-of-a-series-of-false-beginnings/) [Jonathan Lethem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-lethem/) > [India should emerge as a destination that attracts people to invest here, which, in turn, will give a boost to investment, industrial growth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-thakur/india-should-emerge-as-a-destination-that-attracts-people-to-invest/) [Anurag Thakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-thakur/) > [Do you want to make progress? If so, then take each problem not as a challenging rival, but as an encouraging friend of yours,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/do-you-want-to-make-progress-if-so-then-take-each-problem-not-as-a/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [We make a lot of detours, but we're always heading for the same destination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/we-make-a-lot-of-detours-but-we-re-always-heading-for-the-same/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“As you travel along the roads in life, there is a certain kind of peace that comes with knowing you're on the right path.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amaka-nkosazana/as-you-travel-along-the-roads-in-life-there-is-a-certain-kind-of/) [Amaka Nkosazana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amaka-nkosazana/) > [Without a destination in mind, every road will be a dead end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/without-a-destination-in-mind-every-road-will-be-a-dead-end/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [“If you’ve been there, done that, gotten the t-shirt, isn’t it time to move on to a new destination? Don’t waste a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-hale/if-you-ve-been-there-done-that-gotten-the-t-shirt-isn-t-it-time-to/) [Mandy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-hale/) > [The soil is the great connector of our lives, the source and destination of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-soil-is-the-great-connector-of-our-lives-the-source-and/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [Maine out of season is unmistakably a great destination: hospitable, good-humored, plenty of elbow room, short days, dark nights of crackling ice crystals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/maine-out-of-season-is-unmistakably-a-great-destination-hospitable/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [Science sees the process of evolution from the outside, as one might a train of cars going by, and resolves it into the physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/science-sees-the-process-of-evolution-from-the-outside-as-one-might-a/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) [Browse all 1,154 Destination quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destination/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Fame is like getting across the street. 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