--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the early '90s, when I really started…" description: "\"In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice, I was reading a lot of books, and I was moved by the writers, like Chinua Achebe, and I want..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png" --- # In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice… ![“In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice, I was reading a lot of books, and I was moved by the writers, like Chinua Achebe, and I wanted to be able to write rhymes that were as potent as what I was reading.” quote by Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png) > “In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice, I was reading a lot of books, and I was moved by the writers, like Chinua Achebe, and I wanted to be able to write rhymes that were as potent as what I was reading.” [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. Describes how reading powerful writers inspired him to craft equally potent lyrics. **In simple terms:** Read great works to strengthen your own voice. Key Takeaway Learn from masters to improve your art. Themes inspiration craft literature hip‑hop Mood motivational reflective Type advice creative When to use this quote - songwriting - literary analysis - creative workshops - personal artistic development Key Concepts creative writing musical composition Questions to Reflect On - Which writer influences your style? - How can you translate literary power into music? A Different Perspective May oversimplify the complexity of artistic growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye … I realized that people like me, girls with skin the color of chocolate, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/because-of-writers-like-chinua-achebe-and-camara-laye-i-realized-that/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“My rhymes are so potent that in this small segment I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant. Yes, sometimes my lyrics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flight-of-the-conchords/my-rhymes-are-so-potent-that-in-this-small-segment-i-made-all-of-the/) [Flight of the Conchords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flight-of-the-conchords/) > [What I take from writers I like is their economy - the ability to use language to very effective ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/what-i-take-from-writers-i-like-is-their-economy-the-ability-to-use/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [Im very proud of who I am as a vocalist from where I started. The voice was always there, I was just so insecure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lopez/im-very-proud-of-who-i-am-as-a-vocalist-from-where-i-started-the/) [Jennifer Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lopez/) > [It's pretty interesting how it all started out. After The Voice, I got introduced to some of my publishing people. We were out in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-grimes/it-s-pretty-interesting-how-it-all-started-out-after-the-voice-i-got/) [Curtis Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-grimes/) > [I knew I could sing. That one thing I did believe in was that I could sing, but then constantly getting rejected, it started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-ferguson/i-knew-i-could-sing-that-one-thing-i-did-believe-in-was-that-i-could/) [Rebecca Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-ferguson/) > [I started voice lessons when I was eight years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirstin-maldonado/i-started-voice-lessons-when-i-was-eight-years-old/) [Kirstin Maldonado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirstin-maldonado/) > [What I take from writers I like is their economy - the ability to use language to very effective ends. The ability to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/what-i-take-from-writers-i-like-is-their-economy-the-ability-to-use-2/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [As I've gotten older, I've started to find my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skai-jackson/as-i-ve-gotten-older-i-ve-started-to-find-my-voice/) [Skai Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skai-jackson/) > [I sat in the barber's chair in David Miller's makeup shop, hours and hours of trial and error. While David poked at me with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-englund/i-sat-in-the-barber-s-chair-in-david-miller-s-makeup-shop-hours-and/) [Robert Englund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-englund/) > [When I was a child, there were two Nigerian writers in every bookshop: Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayobami-adebayo/when-i-was-a-child-there-were-two-nigerian-writers-in-every-bookshop/) [Ayobami Adebayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayobami-adebayo/) > [My books are often shelved around those of Chinua Achebe and Margaret Atwood, or Chimamanda Adichie and Monica Ali. All of this depends, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-abani/my-books-are-often-shelved-around-those-of-chinua-achebe-and-margaret/) [Chris Abani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-abani/) > [“When I began going to school and learned to read, I encountered stories of other people and other lands. In one of my essays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/when-i-began-going-to-school-and-learned-to-read-i-encountered-2/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [How does the saying go? When two locusts fight, it is always the crow that feasts.' Is that a Luo expression?' I asked. Sayid's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/how-does-the-saying-go-when-two-locusts-fight-it-is-always-the-crow/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. Don't be hardheaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-williams-garcia/dear-delphine-when-you-are-older-i-want-you-to-find-chinua-achebe-i/) [Rita Williams-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-williams-garcia/) ## 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 Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice, I was reading a lot of books, and I was moved by the writers, like Chinua Achebe, and I wanted to be able to write rhymes that were as potent as what I was reading.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mos Def" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-to-find-my-voice-i-was-reading/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-to-find-my-voice-i-was-reading/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/mos-def-3481_able_in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-t_2727308.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the early '90s, when I really started to find my voice, I was reading a lot of books, and I was moved by…” — Mos Def", "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": "Mos Def", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the early '90s, when I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-to-find-my-voice-i-was-reading/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/in-the-early-90s-when-i-really-started-to-find-my-voice-i-was-reading/#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 } } ] } ```