--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is…" description: "\"Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but Motorhead?\" — Mos Def" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/mos-def-3481_hell_hip-hop-is-rock-roll-what-the-hell-is-wu_1301221.png" --- # Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but… ![“Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but Motorhead?” quote by Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/mos-def-3481_hell_hip-hop-is-rock-roll-what-the-hell-is-wu_1301221.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/mos-def-3481_hell_hip-hop-is-rock-roll-what-the-hell-is-wu_1301221.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc1/mos-def-3481_hell_hip-hop-is-rock-roll-what-the-hell-is-wu_1301221.png) > “Hip-hop is rock & roll. What the hell is Wu-Tang but Motorhead?” [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. Hip‑hop shares rebellious energy with rock; genre boundaries blur creatively. **In simple terms:** Hip‑hop equals rock. Key Takeaway Embrace genre fusion. Themes music culture genre Mood energetic creative Type musical analytical When to use this quote - music production - DJ sets - concerts Key Concepts innovation identity expression Questions to Reflect On - How does genre blending affect identity? - What new sounds emerge? A Different Perspective Purists may resist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock/) [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) ## Related quotes > [My era was '90s Carhartt-and-Timberlands hip-hop. That's my rock n' roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheo-hodari-coker/my-era-was-90s-carhartt-and-timberlands-hip-hop-that-s-my-rock-n-roll/) [Cheo Hodari Coker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheo-hodari-coker/) > [Hip-hop took some lessons from rock 'n' roll, and rock 'n' roll took some lessons from hip-hop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/hip-hop-took-some-lessons-from-rock-n-roll-and-rock-n-roll-took-some/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I have no confidence issues with the impact or the quality of the music. No one in hip-hop, before this point and to this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-have-no-confidence-issues-with-the-impact-or-the-quality-of-the/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [I just love experimenting sounds. I guess the only person I can really compare it to is Kid Rock - I always knew that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jelly-roll/i-just-love-experimenting-sounds-i-guess-the-only-person-i-can-really/) [Jelly Roll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jelly-roll/) > [I like hip-hop and rock music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giannis-antetokounmpo/i-like-hip-hop-and-rock-music/) [Giannis Antetokounmpo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giannis-antetokounmpo/) > [A lot of people forget that R&B put hip-hop on, R&B put rock on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel/a-lot-of-people-forget-that-r-b-put-hip-hop-on-r-b-put-rock-on/) [Miguel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel/) > [I feel like your city - with hip hop in particular, because we're always beating our chest and shouting where we're from - your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/i-feel-like-your-city-with-hip-hop-in-particular-because-we-re-always/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [No matter what though, there's always rock & roll. There's rock 'n' roll in hip-hop, there's rock & roll in pop music, there's rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-varvatos/no-matter-what-though-there-s-always-rock-roll-there-s-rock-n-roll-in/) [John Varvatos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-varvatos/) > [I think hip-hop has more to do with rock and roll. Kanye West is, in many ways, a rock artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-astbury/i-think-hip-hop-has-more-to-do-with-rock-and-roll-kanye-west-is-in/) [Ian Astbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-astbury/) > [I think hip hop allows us to talk about everything, and Africa is what I choose to talk about now. If people are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-hip-hop-allows-us-to-talk-about-everything-and-africa-is-what/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [Rev Run is a living legend of Hip-Hop, who's still making great music, but now he's also the dad to an amazing family, ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-disanto/rev-run-is-a-living-legend-of-hip-hop-who-s-still-making-great-music/) Tony DiSanto > [For me, growing up in hip-hop culture, it's all about having the next style, the new fashion, the new way to express yourself, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/el-p/for-me-growing-up-in-hip-hop-culture-it-s-all-about-having-the-next/) [El-P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/el-p/) > [Wherever I go, I bring the culture with me, so that they can understand that it's attainable. I didn't do it any other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/wherever-i-go-i-bring-the-culture-with-me-so-that-they-can-understand/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [By the time you get into other kinds of music - R&B, country, or whatever - it becomes something that's romantic. It becomes something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/by-the-time-you-get-into-other-kinds-of-music-r-b-country-or-whatever/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) ## 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 Hell quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Just when I thought that I was gtting better, boy was I wrong.. Things just turned to hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cupecake/just-when-i-thought-that-i-was-gtting-better-boy-was-i-wrong-things/) Cupecake > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Hey...Hey...What's up?. Nothing much, you? Nothing. K!..What the hell was the point of this communication?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-hey-what-s-up-nothing-much-you-nothing-k-what-the-hell-was-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 8,212 Hell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hip-hop is rock & roll. 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