--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing about hip-hop is that it's from…" description: "\"The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png" --- # The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground… ![“The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized.” quote by Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png) > “The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized.” [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) ## 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 emerges from marginalized voices, expressing experiences ignored by mainstream culture. **In simple terms:** Hip‑hop is a voice for the unheard. Key Takeaway Support underground creators. Themes culture expression inclusion Mood defiant hopeful Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - music festivals - community workshops - media platforms - youth outreach Key Concepts social marginalization creative resistance Questions to Reflect On - How can we amplify underground artists without co‑opting them? - What barriers keep voices out of the mainstream? A Different Perspective Mainstream adoption can dilute authenticity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Underground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/underground/) ## Related quotes > [There's constantly this melancholy about British hip-hop. People are always waiting for it to explode like American hip-hop, but it might just be that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/there-s-constantly-this-melancholy-about-british-hip-hop-people-are/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [I want to fight poverty and ignorance and give opportunity to those people who are locked out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-want-to-fight-poverty-and-ignorance-and-give-opportunity-to-those/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [If you asked me to sing a modern song, I wouldn't be able to - I can't easily slip into that groove. But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ophelia-lovibond/if-you-asked-me-to-sing-a-modern-song-i-wouldn-t-be-able-to-i-can-t/) [Ophelia Lovibond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ophelia-lovibond/) > [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/) > [I like Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Common. But I like the underground stuff like Young Jeezy, Black Rob and Shine. I also love heavy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/i-like-jay-z-50-cent-and-common-but-i-like-the-underground-stuff-like/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [What a curious picture it is to find man, homo sapiens, of divine origin, we are told, seriously considering going underground to escape the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-william-fulbright/what-a-curious-picture-it-is-to-find-man-homo-sapiens-of-divine/) [J. William Fulbright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-william-fulbright/) > [“When he had first arrived, he had found London huge, odd, fundamentally incomprehensible, with only the Tube map, that elegant multicolored topographical display of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/when-he-had-first-arrived-he-had-found-london-huge-odd-fundamentally/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [In many ways, my entire graphic novel career was a long diversion. Originally, all I wanted to do was to be an underground cartoonist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/in-many-ways-my-entire-graphic-novel-career-was-a-long-diversion/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Nailbomb was never really a big record. It's big in the underground. It's huge and it developed a big cult following.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-cavalera/nailbomb-was-never-really-a-big-record-it-s-big-in-the-underground-it/) [Max Cavalera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-cavalera/) > [When I was very little, I was into Michael Jackson. At six or seven, it was Madonna, but she's not what she used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lykke-li/when-i-was-very-little-i-was-into-michael-jackson-at-six-or-seven-it/) [Lykke Li](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lykke-li/) > [The challenge artists face today is whether to be an underground, unheard genius, or to dilute their art for the marketplace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-challenge-artists-face-today-is-whether-to-be-an-underground/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [Couples without kids have each other, their friends, families, and Siri to talk to. It's not like they're quarantining themselves in an underground bunker,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-kirkman/couples-without-kids-have-each-other-their-friends-families-and-siri/) [Jen Kirkman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-kirkman/) > [We been bubblin' in the Los Angeles underground for years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xzibit/we-been-bubblin-in-the-los-angeles-underground-for-years/) [Xzibit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xzibit/) > [I was young, but to me that was underground music. I had never heard anything like Venom or any of that stuff growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pajo/i-was-young-but-to-me-that-was-underground-music-i-had-never-heard/) [David Pajo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pajo/) ## More by Russell Simmons > [I'm born into the cycle of giving that we're all born into, and I recognize it. So just because something is a good business,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-m-born-into-the-cycle-of-giving-that-we-re-all-born-into-and-i/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Compassion is the ultimate expression of your highest self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/compassion-is-the-ultimate-expression-of-your-highest-self/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [If you don't break a hole through the brick wall, don't just start digging a new hole. Keep going until you break through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/if-you-don-t-break-a-hole-through-the-brick-wall-don-t-just-start/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [A large portion of American citizens, especially people of color, have lost confidence in our criminal justice system. Many have called for appointing special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/a-large-portion-of-american-citizens-especially-people-of-color-have/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [There's one overriding issue, namely, that we live in a police state so long as the police get to police themselves. And that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/there-s-one-overriding-issue-namely-that-we-live-in-a-police-state-so/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I used to think anxiety and insomnia drove me to success, but it was the stillness that let me be good at anything. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-used-to-think-anxiety-and-insomnia-drove-me-to-success-but-it-was/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [ \[Performing artists\] are making greater percentages. People are going to live events more and it's a big success story for everyone - except the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/performing-artists-are-making-greater-percentages-people-are-going-to/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I think I will always have a connection to young people, to try to bring their voices to the polls, bring their voices wherever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-think-i-will-always-have-a-connection-to-young-people-to-try-to/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [The best defense for any group of people is what we do to defend other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-best-defense-for-any-group-of-people-is-what-we-do-to-defend/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [You have to be present, awake and happy now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/you-have-to-be-present-awake-and-happy-now/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Culture in America and everywhere else comes from the suffering, from those who don't want the old ways. They want to bring in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/culture-in-america-and-everywhere-else-comes-from-the-suffering-from/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [I try to use my voice. I know that celebrity is valuable, and people do listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-try-to-use-my-voice-i-know-that-celebrity-is-valuable-and-people-do/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [They're lacking culture in Hollywood. That gives me a big up, right? I know something about pop culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/they-re-lacking-culture-in-hollywood-that-gives-me-a-big-up-right-i/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [Meditation helps everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/meditation-helps-everything/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [If you talk about the prison-industrial complex, I've fought against the prison-industrial complex when I called for a repeal of the Rockefeller drug laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/if-you-talk-about-the-prison-industrial-complex-i-ve-fought-against/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) [Explore all 335 Russell Simmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) ## More Hip hop quotes > [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/) > [Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-i-am/everything-affects-hip-hop-the-question-is-how-does-it-affect-the/) [will.i.am](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-i-am/) > [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/) > [God is never late, we're just impatient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lecrae/god-is-never-late-we-re-just-impatient/) [LeCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lecrae/) > [I gave birth to most of them MC's... So when it comes around to the month of May, Send me your royalty check for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roxanne-shante/i-gave-birth-to-most-of-them-mc-s-so-when-it-comes-around-to-the/) Roxanne Shante > [Couples Therapy' is pretty big for me because it's opening the door to a new audience - a hip-hop following, which I feel is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/couples-therapy-is-pretty-big-for-me-because-it-s-opening-the-door-to/) [Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/) > [If you scared to take chances, you'll never have the answers...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/if-you-scared-to-take-chances-you-ll-never-have-the-answers/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [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/) > [If you don't know hip-hop, at least a little bit of it, you can't even call yourself an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/if-you-don-t-know-hip-hop-at-least-a-little-bit-of-it-you-can-t-even/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [I come from a young, hip-hop, urban world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-t-jackson/i-come-from-a-young-hip-hop-urban-world/) [Brandon T. Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-t-jackson/) > [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/) > [It's not about a salary, it's all about reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krs-one/it-s-not-about-a-salary-it-s-all-about-reality/) [KRS-One](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krs-one/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [If you watch wrestling, you now know the hip-hop culture is being represented with wrestling. For the longest time, the cultures have almost been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/if-you-watch-wrestling-you-now-know-the-hip-hop-culture-is-being/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [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/) [Browse all 3,272 Hip hop quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have mostly been locked out, who have not been recognized.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Russell Simmons" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-from-the-underground-ideas-from/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hip hop" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-from-the-underground-ideas-from/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ca/russell-simmons-900_hip-hop_the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-fro_316593.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The thing about hip-hop is that it's from the underground, ideas from the underbelly, from people who have…” — Russell Simmons", "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": "Russell Simmons", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The thing about hip-hop is that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-from-the-underground-ideas-from/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/the-thing-about-hip-hop-is-that-it-s-from-the-underground-ideas-from/#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 } } ] } ```