--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hip-hop has always been speaking about…" description: "\"Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain is manipulated by stress and struggle because hip-hop is borne from struggle.\" — Vic Mensa" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg" --- # Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain… ![“Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain is manipulated by stress and struggle because hip-hop is borne from struggle.” quote by Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg) > “Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain is manipulated by stress and struggle because hip-hop is borne from struggle.” [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) ## 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 reflects and addresses mental stress caused by struggle, using music as a response to societal pressures. **In simple terms:** Hip‑hop voices stress from struggle. Key Takeaway Use art to process and express hardship. Themes music culture mental health social issues expression Mood reflective hopeful Type music social commentary When to use this quote - therapy - activism - community building - education Key Concepts stress struggle creative outlet social commentary Questions to Reflect On - How does hip‑hop influence mental health awareness? - Can music drive social change? A Different Perspective Art may not reach all audiences equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brain/) [Hip hop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hip-hop/) [Rapper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rapper/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [Meditation is the only way to freedom from stress as it is a dimension beyond the mind. All the stress and struggle are of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaggi-vasudev/meditation-is-the-only-way-to-freedom-from-stress-as-it-is-a/) [Jaggi Vasudev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaggi-vasudev/) > [That's something I can never lose: my love for the art of rap. As I grew older and became more interested in song writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/that-s-something-i-can-never-lose-my-love-for-the-art-of-rap-as-i/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [Eat you inside out like stress...You hear my voice, you see my face, you know my name / I take it out your ass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-murray/eat-you-inside-out-like-stress-you-hear-my-voice-you-see-my-face-you/) [Keith Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-murray/) > [Rev Run is a living legend of Hip-Hop, who's still making great music, but now he's also the dad to an amazing family, ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-disanto/rev-run-is-a-living-legend-of-hip-hop-who-s-still-making-great-music/) Tony DiSanto > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## More by Vic Mensa > [You can't even tell, but a lot of the time your favourite rappers are wearing a bunch of fake jewellery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/you-can-t-even-tell-but-a-lot-of-the-time-your-favourite-rappers-are/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [The Clash is pretty much my favorite band, and their songs like 'Rock the Casbah' are political dance tracks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/the-clash-is-pretty-much-my-favorite-band-and-their-songs-like-rock/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [By nature I can be a confrontational person. I don't feel like there's anything wrong with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/by-nature-i-can-be-a-confrontational-person-i-don-t-feel-like-there-s/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I can remember being a young kid, twelve, thirteen years old just with my headphones on, on the train, listening to rappers paint these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-can-remember-being-a-young-kid-twelve-thirteen-years-old-just-with/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I started taking my mental health seriously, really working with a therapist and a psychiatrist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-started-taking-my-mental-health-seriously-really-working-with-a/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [Because many people deny the Palestinian struggle. They deny them everything. They deny them humanity, they deny them the right to be on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/because-many-people-deny-the-palestinian-struggle-they-deny-them/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [My purpose is to unite people, to bring us together. And above all, to be a champion for justice and a vehement opponent of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/my-purpose-is-to-unite-people-to-bring-us-together-and-above-all-to/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I'm from a family of educators. I grew up with books in my house and in my hands and my parents in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-m-from-a-family-of-educators-i-grew-up-with-books-in-my-house-and/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I'm one of the only people I know that often sleeps in boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-m-one-of-the-only-people-i-know-that-often-sleeps-in-boots/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [That's something I can never lose: my love for the art of rap. As I grew older and became more interested in song writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/that-s-something-i-can-never-lose-my-love-for-the-art-of-rap-as-i/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I just thought I could broaden my impact and my reach by starting a non-profit and putting investment into our community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-just-thought-i-could-broaden-my-impact-and-my-reach-by-starting-a/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [The things I have to say on and off the record are important, and I say them because I want to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/the-things-i-have-to-say-on-and-off-the-record-are-important-and-i/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I think that everybody has their own interpretations of what it means to be American. But from my vantage point, being black and successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-think-that-everybody-has-their-own-interpretations-of-what-it-means/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [I'm not motivated by money or fame. I'm more driven by the electricity of creativity. The idea of being one of the legends that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/i-m-not-motivated-by-money-or-fame-i-m-more-driven-by-the-electricity/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) > [Anybody who's dealt with addiction and depression knows that sometimes they can make you forget who you are and kind of bring out a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/anybody-who-s-dealt-with-addiction-and-depression-knows-that/) [Vic Mensa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) [Explore all 98 Vic Mensa quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/) ## 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": "Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain is manipulated by stress and struggle because hip-hop is borne from struggle.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Vic Mensa" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-the-way-your-brain-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Always" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-the-way-your-brain-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/73c/vic-mensa-6550_always_hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-t_340828.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hip-hop has always been speaking about the way your brain is manipulated by stress and struggle because…” — Vic Mensa", "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": "Vic Mensa", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vic-mensa/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hip-hop has always been speaking about...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-the-way-your-brain-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vic-mensa/hip-hop-has-always-been-speaking-about-the-way-your-brain-is/#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 } } ] } ```