--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was always a laid-back, subdued person…" description: "\"I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try to let that speak through my music.\" — Rakim" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg" --- # I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try… ![“I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try to let that speak through my music.” quote by Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg) > “I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try to let that speak through my music.” [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist embraces a relaxed demeanor, allowing his calm personality to shape his musical expression. **In simple terms:** Keeps music calm and personal. Key Takeaway Stay true to your natural temperament in creative work. Themes music authenticity relaxation Mood reflective introspective Type creative philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - studio sessions - personal branding Key Concepts artistic identity emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - How does your calm affect your songwriting? - Can relaxation limit artistic intensity? A Different Perspective A laid‑back style may be misread as lack of ambition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Subdued](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subdued/) ## Related quotes > [“She went to him. She adjusted, became a quieter more subdued person. She didn't kill, but she seemed to die a little.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/she-went-to-him-she-adjusted-became-a-quieter-more-subdued-person-she/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [Where you fail to speak music says the words that were ment to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mee/where-you-fail-to-speak-music-says-the-words-that-were-ment-to-be-said/) [Mee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mee/) > [When it is possible that people don't understand my English, I take my guitar and speak with my music!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celedonio-romero/when-it-is-possible-that-people-don-t-understand-my-english-i-take-my/) Celedonio Romero > [“Finally, words cannot speak of music; they cannot elucidate nor illuminate. Both sounds enter through the ears, but only music travels throughout and animates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncredited-liner-notes/finally-words-cannot-speak-of-music-they-cannot-elucidate-nor/) Uncredited liner notes > [You can't speak Music with notes alone, but you can speak Music without notes at all!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-speak-music-with-notes-alone-but-you-can-speak-music/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Back in the day, I was afraid to speak out. When I get music behind me, it feels like I can soothe the hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradley/back-in-the-day-i-was-afraid-to-speak-out-when-i-get-music-behind-me/) [Charles Bradley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradley/) > [I believe that the talents of Static and Ben-El will speak to music lovers around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haim-saban/i-believe-that-the-talents-of-static-and-ben-el-will-speak-to-music/) [Haim Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haim-saban/) > [The hardest of all the arts to speak of is music, because music has no meaning to speak of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-rorem/the-hardest-of-all-the-arts-to-speak-of-is-music-because-music-has-no/) [Ned Rorem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-rorem/) > [“I will praise your madness, and in a language not mine, speak of music that wakes us, music in which we move. For whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilya-kaminsky/i-will-praise-your-madness-and-in-a-language-not-mine-speak-of-music/) [Ilya Kaminsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilya-kaminsky/) > [We are able to speak for ourselves through our music rather than being defined and put into the spotlight in a very male kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shingai-shoniwa/we-are-able-to-speak-for-ourselves-through-our-music-rather-than/) [Shingai Shoniwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shingai-shoniwa/) > [No matter what language you speak, music can relate to you in some way, and when that 'Tip Toe' beat drops, it can instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-derulo/no-matter-what-language-you-speak-music-can-relate-to-you-in-some-way/) [Jason Derulo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-derulo/) > [I can only speak for myself and my own music, because that is what I am most familiar with, and I write about things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/i-can-only-speak-for-myself-and-my-own-music-because-that-is-what-i/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [It is quite true that women like courage, and that boldness often goes a long way; but it is questionable whether with high-bred natures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-jefferies/it-is-quite-true-that-women-like-courage-and-that-boldness-often-goes/) [Richard Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-jefferies/) > [“And slowly, but surely she was coming out of her shell. Chrysalis was much subdued and prone to long bouts of silence, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-hall/and-slowly-but-surely-she-was-coming-out-of-her-shell-chrysalis-was/) [Marie Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-hall/) > [“Alex said, his voice subdued, tense. “So it would seem,” D.D.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/alex-said-his-voice-subdued-tense-so-it-would-seem-d-d/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) ## More by Rakim > [I love Jay-Z, I love Kanye, and I praise the way he's been able to bring more business out of the jungle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-love-jay-z-i-love-kanye-and-i-praise-the-way-he-s-been-able-to/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Feed me hip-hop and I start tremblin'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/feed-me-hip-hop-and-i-start-tremblin/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [To me, sometimes things outside of rap inspire me to rap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/to-me-sometimes-things-outside-of-rap-inspire-me-to-rap/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Elements burst, gave birth the the verse, get the pen from the nurse, but hook the mic up first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/elements-burst-gave-birth-the-the-verse-get-the-pen-from-the-nurse/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [I got a lot of vinyl, a lot of music in general in the house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-got-a-lot-of-vinyl-a-lot-of-music-in-general-in-the-house/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Whenever I write a song I see the whole song anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/whenever-i-write-a-song-i-see-the-whole-song-anyway/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [Sometimes I feel I'm the luckiest rapper in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/sometimes-i-feel-i-m-the-luckiest-rapper-in-the-world/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [I think rap was a better move for me but football's been my love since I learned how to walk. I was gonna be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-think-rap-was-a-better-move-for-me-but-football-s-been-my-love/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [There are certain things that I wish people knew - certain things that I feel I started and certain things that I'm responsible for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/there-are-certain-things-that-i-wish-people-knew-certain-things-that/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [So I start my mission- leave my residence Thinkin how could I get some dead presidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/so-i-start-my-mission-leave-my-residence-thinkin-how-could-i-get-some/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [My approach to writing rhymes went hand in hand with the music. I'd try to make different rhythms with my rhymes on the track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/my-approach-to-writing-rhymes-went-hand-in-hand-with-the-music-i-d/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [My whole thing is if it wasn't for people like ya'll and people like them I wouldn't be me. I love every minute of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/my-whole-thing-is-if-it-wasn-t-for-people-like-ya-ll-and-people-like/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [My son plays football so I coach a couple of his teams. My youngest son just started playing last year and I assistant coached…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/my-son-plays-football-so-i-coach-a-couple-of-his-teams-my-youngest/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [I always had deep respect for my peoples 'cause of the love they gave me and the know how that they showed me through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-always-had-deep-respect-for-my-peoples-cause-of-the-love-they-gave/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) > [When I broke up with Eric B., I went on a little hiatus. Then all I was trying do is find producers. It's real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/when-i-broke-up-with-eric-b-i-went-on-a-little-hiatus-then-all-i-was/) [Rakim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) [Explore all 247 Rakim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/) ## More Always quotes > [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/) [Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/) > [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/) [Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/) [William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/) [Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/) [Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/) > [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/) [Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/) > [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/) [Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/) > [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/) [Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/) [Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/) Browse all 36,048 Always quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try to let that speak through my music.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rakim" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person-and-i-just-try-to-let-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person-and-i-just-try-to-let-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0f/rakim-1390_always_i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person_701148.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was always a laid-back, subdued person, and I just try to let that speak through my music.” — Rakim", "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": "Rakim", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakim/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was always a laid-back, subdued...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person-and-i-just-try-to-let-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakim/i-was-always-a-laid-back-subdued-person-and-i-just-try-to-let-that/#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 } } ] } ```