It's difficult to really be an artist nowadays. People are just on another page. You have a society that needs you to say something, but they don't want to give you the environment to be able to be just a functioning, happy, normal person. It's like, the industry is at odds with you, the society is at odds with you. You start to live in this very confined box where it's like, It's "me" and "them."

I began to fear that Mos Def was being treated as a product, not a person, so I've been going by Yasiin since '99. At first it was just for friends and family, but now I'm declaring it openly.

I'm not shy about heated debate or passionate discourse, but when people get crazy or rude, that's a buzz kill. There's got to be a better code of conduct, some basic etiquette.

Fear not of men because men must die. Mind over matter and soul before flesh.

To me, it's like happiness is about happiness, but happiness is a fight.

My presence speaks volumes before I say a word.

I guess something that you love to do, you gotta ease up off it and give it a little space, come back and be fresh to it.