---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I come from an era where you just build…"
description: "\"I come from an era where you just build something. Me and Common built what we built from Chicago from scratch.\" — No I.D"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg"
---

#  I come from an era where you just build something. Me and…

![“I come from an era where you just build something. Me and Common built what we built from Chicago from scratch.” quote by No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg)

> “I come from an era where you just build something. Me and Common built what we built from Chicago from scratch.”

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker reflects on a past time of hands‑on creation without bureaucracy, emphasizing grassroots collaboration and starting from nothing.

**In simple terms:** They built things from scratch with a partner in Chicago.

Key Takeaway

Embrace DIY spirit and collaborative effort.

Themes

innovation collaboration grassroots entrepreneurship

Mood

nostalgic determined

Type

reflective inspirational

When to use this quote

- startup founding
- community projects
- product development
- learning by doing

Key Concepts

DIY culture founder mindset local ecosystems

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you recreate that DIY momentum today?
- What resources would you need to start from scratch?

A Different Perspective

Modern corporate structures can stifle such freedom.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Build Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/build-common-4897514/) [Built Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/built-chicago-1015143/) [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [Chicago Scratch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago-scratch-4897516/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Common Built](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-built-4897515/) [Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/era/) [Just Build](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-build-485917/) [Something](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/something/) [Where](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/where/)

## Related quotes

> [Illinois had the first aquarium built in Chicago. The very first skyscraper in the entire world was built in Chicago in 1885. The tallest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/illinois-had-the-first-aquarium-built-in-chicago-the-very-first/)

[Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/)

> [All of our deeply held dreams and aspirations require us to build on our common bonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-schwarzenegger/all-of-our-deeply-held-dreams-and-aspirations-require-us-to-build-on/)

[Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-schwarzenegger/)

> [My kind of mind-set is to just build and get better and better because it's a long season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sony-michel/my-kind-of-mind-set-is-to-just-build-and-get-better-and-better/)

[Sony Michel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sony-michel/)

> [Go build it. If you really believe in something, you should just build it. If you love it, it won’t feel like work. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-rose/go-build-it-if-you-really-believe-in-something-you-should-just-build/)

[Kevin Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-rose/)

> [“Don't just build a career, build a legacy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/don-t-just-build-a-career-build-a-legacy/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [If a castle gets destroyed, you just build a new one. If you wanted me to I'd build them over and over. Let's build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fuyumi-soryo/if-a-castle-gets-destroyed-you-just-build-a-new-one-if-you-wanted-me/)

[Fuyumi Soryo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fuyumi-soryo/)

> [Just build things and find out if they work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-silbermann/just-build-things-and-find-out-if-they-work/)

[Ben Silbermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-silbermann/)

> [If you want to make a serious, rugged, reliable robot, you can start with the Create platform and just build stuff on top of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/if-you-want-to-make-a-serious-rugged-reliable-robot-you-can-start/)

[Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/)

> [Why don't we just build you an house outside Hilly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-stockett/why-don-t-we-just-build-you-an-house-outside-hilly/)

[Kathryn Stockett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-stockett/)

> [I have the confidence, I know how to play so I just have to build my game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-have-the-confidence-i-know-how-to-play-so-i-just-have-to-build-my/)

[Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/)

> [“Mix a little time with some space, and suddenly good things fall right into place. No worries, don't doubt it - just build!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-f-hodge/mix-a-little-time-with-some-space-and-suddenly-good-things-fall-right/)

[T.F. Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-f-hodge/)

> [I'm going to do what I do and be aggressive and try to help the team in any area I can. And just build.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-m-going-to-do-what-i-do-and-be-aggressive-and-try-to-help-the-team/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [He brought a sensibility and a hard-edged reasonableness to operating restaurants that had a lasting impact on me and still affects how I run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bastianich/he-brought-a-sensibility-and-a-hard-edged-reasonableness-to-operating/)

[Joe Bastianich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bastianich/)

> [In the Tea Party era, it is the restless conservative Republican who has become passion's plaything, the toy of impetuous romance, an erotomania only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolcott/in-the-tea-party-era-it-is-the-restless-conservative-republican-who/)

[James Wolcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolcott/)

> [I don't think Joe Louis could take the punches today fighting in this era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-holmes/i-don-t-think-joe-louis-could-take-the-punches-today-fighting-in-this/)

[Larry Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-holmes/)

## More by No I.D

> [Ghostface, when it comes to hip-hop, was one of my favorite rappers and definitely one of my favorites in the Wu-Tang. He's also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/ghostface-when-it-comes-to-hip-hop-was-one-of-my-favorite-rappers-and/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [Part of my growth as a producer was not just about making beats but also helping in the process of inspiring the song and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/part-of-my-growth-as-a-producer-was-not-just-about-making-beats-but/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I'm not interested in anything besides making some good music, helping some artists, being an executive. I'm pretty happy with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-m-not-interested-in-anything-besides-making-some-good-music-helping/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> ['I Used To Love H.E.R.,' from a production standpoint, was a brainchild of the style I developed on 'Soul By The Pound.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-used-to-love-h-e-r-from-a-production-standpoint-was-a-brainchild-of/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [For me, the '80s was great because you had Boy George, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Cyndi Lauper. No one put boxes saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/for-me-the-80s-was-great-because-you-had-boy-george-michael-jackson/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [Trophies or no trophies, we are all just striving to do some really good art and help people's lives with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/trophies-or-no-trophies-we-are-all-just-striving-to-do-some-really/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [Most of the greatest albums in the history of music are one producer. It's just a fact. Or one collective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/most-of-the-greatest-albums-in-the-history-of-music-are-one-producer/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [There's so many things that Kanye does that I agree with and disagree with at times. I just say, 'You're in a different place,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/there-s-so-many-things-that-kanye-does-that-i-agree-with-and-disagree/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I'm not here to put my music out on the Internet with no support and then say I got creative freedom. I've got creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-m-not-here-to-put-my-music-out-on-the-internet-with-no-support-and/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I tried to embrace the concept of the sampler as an instrument, looking at how to take it artistically to another place where it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-tried-to-embrace-the-concept-of-the-sampler-as-an-instrument/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [There's not too many one-producer rap albums. There are lot of one-producer rock albums... and country albums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/there-s-not-too-many-one-producer-rap-albums-there-are-lot-of-one/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I am the guy that, if you catch me saying something, I don't do the, 'Don't tell anybody I said it.' If I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-am-the-guy-that-if-you-catch-me-saying-something-i-don-t-do-the-don/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> ['Take It EZ' was actually the first video I ever produced for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/take-it-ez-was-actually-the-first-video-i-ever-produced-for/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [A lot of my favorite artists didn't sell much out the gate. I didn't with Common at first. Neither did first albums from Outkast,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/a-lot-of-my-favorite-artists-didn-t-sell-much-out-the-gate-i-didn-t/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

> [I don't care whether something makes one dollar or a trillion because guess what? I don't know many happy rich people. And I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-don-t-care-whether-something-makes-one-dollar-or-a-trillion-because/)

[No I.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

[Explore all 53 No I.D quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/)

## More Chicago quotes

> [I'm proud to say I had a bet with a guy from Chicago who said Chicago is windier and colder than Wyoming. Wyoming dominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-leach/i-m-proud-to-say-i-had-a-bet-with-a-guy-from-chicago-who-said-chicago/)

[Mike Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-leach/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

> [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/)

[Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/)

> [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/)

[Uncle Arnie Mamath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uncle-arnie-mamath/)

> [This week I realized my dad will make you cry in the store if you make him mad. Also when your crossing the street…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-week-i-realized-my-dad-will-make-you-cry-in-the-store-if-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Whenever I was flying commercial, I would land in Chicago, and they would announce, 'Get your passports out.' It happened so often, I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shahid-khan/whenever-i-was-flying-commercial-i-would-land-in-chicago-and-they/)

[Shahid Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shahid-khan/)

> [I loved 'Chicago Code;' I watched that a lot. It was great because it really captured the city - I'm from Chicago, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessy-schram/i-loved-chicago-code-i-watched-that-a-lot-it-was-great-because-it/)

[Jessy Schram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessy-schram/)

> [As much as I want to stay on the team -- I love Chicago, I love the Bulls -- at the same time, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luol-deng/as-much-as-i-want-to-stay-on-the-team-i-love-chicago-i-love-the-bulls/)

[Luol Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luol-deng/)

> [I'm from Chicago. And I was an actor in high school and college, and I wanted to see if I could make a run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-chandrasekhar/i-m-from-chicago-and-i-was-an-actor-in-high-school-and-college-and-i/)

[Jay Chandrasekhar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-chandrasekhar/)

> [“I will have both of you," he said. "My Sentinel and my city. And the GP will learn exactly how stubborn we both can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-neill/i-will-have-both-of-you-he-said-my-sentinel-and-my-city-and-the-gp/)

[Chloe Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-neill/)

> [You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-jahn/you-d-never-think-of-taking-a-cab-if-you-had-to-walk-a-mile-down/)

[Helmut Jahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-jahn/)

> [Perhaps the most typically American place in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bryce/perhaps-the-most-typically-american-place-in-america/)

[James Bryce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bryce/)

> [I feel there's a really raw quality in the Chicago theater community that's really special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-layne/i-feel-there-s-a-really-raw-quality-in-the-chicago-theater-community/)

[KiKi Layne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-layne/)

> [Chicago is unique. It is the only completely corrupt city in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-edward-merriam/chicago-is-unique-it-is-the-only-completely-corrupt-city-in-america/)

[Charles Edward Merriam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-edward-merriam/)

> [Chicago, to me, is the best wrestling crowd on the planet. They are the best. They are loud, they are ruthless, and they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldust/chicago-to-me-is-the-best-wrestling-crowd-on-the-planet-they-are-the/)

[Goldust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldust/)

[Browse all 1,655 Chicago quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I come from an era where you just build something. Me and Common built what we built from Chicago from scratch.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "No I.D"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build-something-me-and-common-built/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Chicago"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build-something-me-and-common-built/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0f3/no-i-d-12775_chicago_i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build_2211325.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I come from an era where you just build something. Me and Common built what we built from Chicago from…” — No I.D",
                "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": "No I.D",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-i-d/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I come from an era where...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build-something-me-and-common-built/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-i-d/i-come-from-an-era-where-you-just-build-something-me-and-common-built/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
