--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He revolutionized music videos. Before…" description: "\"He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson, MTV refused to play African-American artists.\" — Spike Lee" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/spike-lee-3057_african-american_he-revolutionized-music-videos-before-mi_1912263.jpg" --- # He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson… ![“He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson, MTV refused to play African-American artists.” quote by Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/spike-lee-3057_african-american_he-revolutionized-music-videos-before-mi_1912263.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/spike-lee-3057_african-american_he-revolutionized-music-videos-before-mi_1912263.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a0a/spike-lee-3057_african-american_he-revolutionized-music-videos-before-mi_1912263.jpg) > “He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson, MTV refused to play African-American artists.” [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Michael Jackson broke racial barriers, forcing MTV to feature African‑American artists. **In simple terms:** Jackson opened doors for Black artists. Key Takeaway Support diverse media representation. Themes race media breakthrough Mood reflective hopeful Type historical cultural When to use this quote - music industry - television programming - artist promotion - racial equity Key Concepts cultural change industry bias Questions to Reflect On - How did MTV’s policies affect other artists? - What role does media play in cultural inclusion? A Different Perspective Change was gradual and faced resistance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [African american](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/african-american/) [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Mtv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mtv/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-video/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Video](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/video/) ## Related quotes > [My favorite artist in the world is Michael Jackson, and he revolutionized the music video aspect of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chance-the-rapper/my-favorite-artist-in-the-world-is-michael-jackson-and-he/) [Chance the Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chance-the-rapper/) > [I just do what I do and hope it's accepted by the public at large. It's different from when Marvin Gaye and Stevie revolutionized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-just-do-what-i-do-and-hope-it-s-accepted-by-the-public-at-large-it/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [Starting in the mid-1990s, the end-to-end ubiquity of the Internet, combined with its cheapness, spontaneously combusted to give us Napster - a site that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-keiser/starting-in-the-mid-1990s-the-end-to-end-ubiquity-of-the-internet/) [Max Keiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-keiser/) > [Five years after I started CD Baby, when it was a big success, the media said I had revolutionized the music business. But 'revolution'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/five-years-after-i-started-cd-baby-when-it-was-a-big-success-the/) [Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/) > [First of all you got ESPN, Fox Sports, all that, you don't miss one thing. People don't understand that. Like you could watch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/first-of-all-you-got-espn-fox-sports-all-that-you-don-t-miss-one/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [We had always used found sound, but we had always used it in an analogue way. And it was the early days of using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/we-had-always-used-found-sound-but-we-had-always-used-it-in-an/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [ I was trying to think of a word that was not offensive. Yeah, Harry \[Elfont\] is right - it is kind of a different… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-kaplan/i-was-trying-to-think-of-a-word-that-was-not-offensive-yeah-harry/) [Deborah Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-kaplan/) > [I preferred MTV as it used to be when it was about the music - I don't like it that now they just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-may-jagger/i-preferred-mtv-as-it-used-to-be-when-it-was-about-the-music-i-don-t/) [Georgia May Jagger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-may-jagger/) > [I was inspired by a lot of people when I was young. Every band that came through town, to the theater, or the dance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quincy-jones/i-was-inspired-by-a-lot-of-people-when-i-was-young-every-band-that/) [Quincy Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quincy-jones/) > [I measure success in terms of the connection with the audience, which we've been able to do in spades. I mean, it's very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-freston/i-measure-success-in-terms-of-the-connection-with-the-audience-which/) [Tom Freston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-freston/) > [MTV has always been about redefining itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-quinn/mtv-has-always-been-about-redefining-itself/) [Martha Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-quinn/) > [We just need the laws to change - it's 2012," JWoww said to MTV News. "I want to see my best friend get married,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jwoww/we-just-need-the-laws-to-change-it-s-2012-jwoww-said-to-mtv-news-i/) JWoww > [When people see you have a song on MTV, they think you are doing well - but you know, the way the traditional label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-sobule/when-people-see-you-have-a-song-on-mtv-they-think-you-are-doing-well/) [Jill Sobule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-sobule/) > [Every artist obviously wants to sell a million records and do the MTV cribs thing, but I'm realistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jd-era/every-artist-obviously-wants-to-sell-a-million-records-and-do-the-mtv/) [JD Era](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jd-era/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) ## More by Spike Lee > [Mike Tyson is the most complex person I've ever met in my life. I've known Mike since 1986. We're both from Brooklyn. I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/mike-tyson-is-the-most-complex-person-i-ve-ever-met-in-my-life-i-ve/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [A spine to my films that's become more evident to me is that many are about the choices people make, and the reverberations of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/a-spine-to-my-films-that-s-become-more-evident-to-me-is-that-many-are/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I am very fortunate I can send my kids to private school, but everybody does not have the money. If you cannot get your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-am-very-fortunate-i-can-send-my-kids-to-private-school-but/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I really don't deal with hypotheticals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-really-don-t-deal-with-hypotheticals/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I've never seen black men with fine white women. They be ugly. Mugly dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-ve-never-seen-black-men-with-fine-white-women-they-be-ugly-mugly/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I may have been born yesterday, but I stayed up all night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-may-have-been-born-yesterday-but-i-stayed-up-all-night/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I consider Madonna a friend, and she sure knows how to work the publicity machine. Of course, I don't have breasts. If I did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-consider-madonna-a-friend-and-she-sure-knows-how-to-work-the/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [If you can't take a hit, you're not going to last long, that's for sure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/if-you-can-t-take-a-hit-you-re-not-going-to-last-long-that-s-for-sure/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [America doesn't have the moral right to tell other people what to do. To say the whole world has to fall into line is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/america-doesn-t-have-the-moral-right-to-tell-other-people-what-to-do/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I'm worried just as much about Donald Trump as that crazy guy in North Korea - and he has a nuclear code. I'm worrying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-m-worried-just-as-much-about-donald-trump-as-that-crazy-guy-in/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I think the best actors in the world are here in New York City. And this city is just so vibrant the energy is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-think-the-best-actors-in-the-world-are-here-in-new-york-city-and/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [People sometimes forget all the films that we've done. They remember the likes of 'Malcolm X' and 'Do the Right Thing.' But I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/people-sometimes-forget-all-the-films-that-we-ve-done-they-remember/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I ain't Martin Luther King. I don't need a dream. I have a plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-ain-t-martin-luther-king-i-don-t-need-a-dream-i-have-a-plan/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [Any film I do is not going to change the way black women have been portrayed, or black people have been portrayed, in cinema…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/any-film-i-do-is-not-going-to-change-the-way-black-women-have-been/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) > [I think if people looked at my body of work, they'd see a great breadth of work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-lee/i-think-if-people-looked-at-my-body-of-work-they-d-see-a-great/) [Spike Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) [Explore all 141 Spike Lee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-lee/) ## More African american quotes > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. 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I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's unfortunate that a lot of people think African-American female artists are monolithically R&B this-or-that, don't have to do anything by default.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/it-s-unfortunate-that-a-lot-of-people-think-african-american-female/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Whereas our ancestors (not of choice) were the first successful cultivators of the wilds of America, we their descendants feel ourselves entitled to participate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-allen/whereas-our-ancestors-not-of-choice-were-the-first-successful/) [Richard Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-allen/) > [It may be changing, but still it's the one place, that total control of an institution, that African Americans have. 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