--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It isn't about being or not being a thug…" description: "\"It isn't about being or not being a thug. It's about being real. I think that is how street respect is earned.\" — Sisqo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/sisqo-4718_being-real_it-isn-t-about-being-or-not-being-a-thug_2122620.png" --- # It isn't about being or not being a thug. It's about being… ![“It isn't about being or not being a thug. It's about being real. I think that is how street respect is earned.” quote by Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/sisqo-4718_being-real_it-isn-t-about-being-or-not-being-a-thug_2122620.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/sisqo-4718_being-real_it-isn-t-about-being-or-not-being-a-thug_2122620.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/sisqo-4718_being-real_it-isn-t-about-being-or-not-being-a-thug_2122620.png) > “It isn't about being or not being a thug. It's about being real. I think that is how street respect is earned.” [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authenticity and respect on the streets come from being genuine, not from a tough image. **In simple terms:** Being real earns respect. Key Takeaway Be genuine. Themes authenticity respect street culture Mood defiant confident Type advice cultural When to use this quote - urban neighborhoods - peer groups - conflict resolution Key Concepts identity social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true while staying safe? - What does respect mean to you? A Different Perspective Authenticity alone may not protect against violence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [Respect Is Earned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect-is-earned/) [Street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/street/) ## Related quotes > [Respect is earned and not handed on a platter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-moores/respect-is-earned-and-not-handed-on-a-platter/) [Sarah Moores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-moores/) > [“Respect is and not given, respect is earned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beta-metani-marashi/respect-is-and-not-given-respect-is-earned/) [Beta Metani' Marashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beta-metani-marashi/) > [Respect is earned,it's not just given…To get respect,you have to give it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariah-sheree/respect-is-earned-it-s-not-just-given-to-get-respect-you-have-to-give/) [Mariah Sheree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariah-sheree/) > [Respect is EARNED but honor is GIVEN.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/respect-is-earned-but-honor-is-given/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“Respect is earned by effort not age, all things age without effort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-sean-mcgee/respect-is-earned-by-effort-not-age-all-things-age-without-effort/) [C. Sean McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-sean-mcgee/) > [“You are not given respect by default, regardless of your professional position or title. It cannot be measured by the size of your paycheck.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erick-the-black-sheep-g/you-are-not-given-respect-by-default-regardless-of-your-professional/) [Erick "The Black Sheep" G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erick-the-black-sheep-g/) > [“power is obtainable respect is earned loyalty is priceless and revenge is sweet these are the lessons we learn in life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blanco-vandam/power-is-obtainable-respect-is-earned-loyalty-is-priceless-and/) [blanco vandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blanco-vandam/) > [Respect is earned and not granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hutchinson/respect-is-earned-and-not-granted/) [David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hutchinson/) > [Respect is earned : Honesty is appreciated : Trust is gained : Loyalty is returned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/respect-is-earned-honesty-is-appreciated-trust-is-gained-loyalty-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Respect is earned, Honesty is appreciated, Love is gained and Loyalty is returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/respect-is-earned-honesty-is-appreciated-love-is-gained-and-loyalty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is learned only by living..respect is earned, never just given..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/life-is-learned-only-by-living-respect-is-earned-never-just-given/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“Rank is a paycheck. Respect is earned. If you find yourself reminding people of your rank, then you are just a paycheck.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-a-wood-jr/rank-is-a-paycheck-respect-is-earned-if-you-find-yourself-reminding/) [Michael A. Wood Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-a-wood-jr/) > [Respect is earned from trust, and love is earned from respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/respect-is-earned-from-trust-and-love-is-earned-from-respect/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Respect is earned,honesty is appreciated,love is gained & royalty is returned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr/respect-is-earned-honesty-is-appreciated-love-is-gained-royalty-is/) Dr > [Just because you're older, doesn't mean you deserve respect. Respect is earned not given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/just-because-you-re-older-doesn-t-mean-you-deserve-respect-respect-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Sisqo > [You know, I'm from Baltimore; nobody has anything. When somebody had talent, I was hiring my uncle, my cousin, you know? Getting people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-know-i-m-from-baltimore-nobody-has-anything-when-somebody-had/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [My videos, the ones I produced and co-directed and came up with a treatment from scratch - those are my babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/my-videos-the-ones-i-produced-and-co-directed-and-came-up-with-a/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [Me and Nokio have fought a lot of times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/me-and-nokio-have-fought-a-lot-of-times/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I called it 'Unleash the Dragon,' but I didn't exactly unleash the dragon. I kind of held back, mainly because I felt an obligation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-called-it-unleash-the-dragon-but-i-didn-t-exactly-unleash-the/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I come over here and a lot of people are like, "What's with the new hair?" I'm like, "Y'all must not have been looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-come-over-here-and-a-lot-of-people-are-like-what-s-with-the-new/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I will sing anybody under the table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-will-sing-anybody-under-the-table/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I'm the man. Usher cannot touch me. He ain't even close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-m-the-man-usher-cannot-touch-me-he-ain-t-even-close/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I never, ever wanted to be a solo artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-never-ever-wanted-to-be-a-solo-artist/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [Oh, Finland, I miss Finland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/oh-finland-i-miss-finland/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [The new artists with gimmicks have the most problems staying out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/the-new-artists-with-gimmicks-have-the-most-problems-staying-out-here/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [When we were creating and expressing ourselves, it was different from the traditional R&B. The same way that the Jackson 5 was different from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/when-we-were-creating-and-expressing-ourselves-it-was-different-from/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [You always know a smash because it just makes you grin from ear to ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/you-always-know-a-smash-because-it-just-makes-you-grin-from-ear-to-ear/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [I design all my own clothes with a guy named Jonathan Logan. He works with everyone from Marilyn Manson to Usher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/i-design-all-my-own-clothes-with-a-guy-named-jonathan-logan-he-works/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [Often, with my uptempo songs, people get the misconception that I'm a rapper or something of that nature. But a song like 'Dream' shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/often-with-my-uptempo-songs-people-get-the-misconception-that-i-m-a/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) > [No matter how many times people say I'm like this or that artist, it never sticks. Slowly but surely people are going to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sisqo/no-matter-how-many-times-people-say-i-m-like-this-or-that-artist-it/) [Sisqo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) [Explore all 107 Sisqo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sisqo/) ## More Being real quotes > [Don't be in such a hurry to condemn a person because she doesn't do what you do, or think as you think or as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcom-x/don-t-be-in-such-a-hurry-to-condemn-a-person-because-she-doesn-t-do/) [Malcom X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcom-x/) > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Going through unknown people's profiles and judging them by their pictures is totally normal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pradeep-chandra/going-through-unknown-people-s-profiles-and-judging-them-by-their/) Pradeep Chandra > [When you are important to another person, they will always find a way to make time for you - no excuses, no lies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-are-important-to-another-person-they-will-always-find-a-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you speak the truth watch the fuck niggas start hating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-speak-the-truth-watch-the-fuck-niggas-start-hating/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think about everyone in my life that was harsh with me or who gave me tough love and told me things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlamagne-tha-god/i-think-about-everyone-in-my-life-that-was-harsh-with-me-or-who-gave/) [Charlamagne Tha God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlamagne-tha-god/) > [Laugh at every mistakes and realize that no one is perfect. We are human. All of us are imperfect, so there's no point judging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/laugh-at-every-mistakes-and-realize-that-no-one-is-perfect-we-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Give yourself a chance to live because nobody will live it for you when you die](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/give-yourself-a-chance-to-live-because-nobody-will-live-it-for-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've noticed a change huh ? She doesn't text you as often . She never calls you anymore . When she does text you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delaney-ridnour/you-ve-noticed-a-change-huh-she-doesn-t-text-you-as-often-she-never/) [Delaney Ridnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delaney-ridnour/) > [I wish that one day you would finally realize that the person that is willing to love you forever is the person you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khat-leen/i-wish-that-one-day-you-would-finally-realize-that-the-person-that-is/) [Khat Leen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khat-leen/) > [..If you love her/him then why give up, nobody said love was easy and nobody said love was hard... a relationship is what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-bostic/if-you-love-her-him-then-why-give-up-nobody-said-love-was-easy-and/) [TEVIN BOSTIC](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-bostic/) > [I learned a tremendous amount about what was important to me as a head coach in that I was not in charge. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-carroll/i-learned-a-tremendous-amount-about-what-was-important-to-me-as-a/) [Pete Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-carroll/) > [Im loving you not because you're giving me what I need, Instead I'm loving you because you're giving me this feeling I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/im-loving-you-not-because-you-re-giving-me-what-i-need-instead-i-m/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Be who you want to be, not what people want to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-who-you-want-to-be-not-what-people-want-to-see/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There should be in eloquence that which is pleasing and that which is real; but that which is pleasing should itself be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/there-should-be-in-eloquence-that-which-is-pleasing-and-that-which-is/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) [Browse all 1,607 Being real quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-real/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It isn't about being or not being a thug. 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