The Best Inspirational and Entrepreneurial Quotes by Rappers

You know how your parents tell you that new music is "garbage" and that rappers are "untalented." Well they're wrong. The people on this list have taken criticism like that their entire life, and yet they still followed their dreams because they believed that they could make them a reality. Success transcends all occupations and fields of work, and almost all rappers have overcame extreme adversity in their life and become successful through their creativity and hard work. In this post, we will analyze our favorite quotes from rappers past and current, and explain how they apply to your life.

Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre embodies what it means to be both an artist and an entrepreneur. He was a pioneer of the gangsta rap movement, and he burst onto the scene with music group N.W.A. He started Death Row Records in 1991, then dropped his first solo album The Chronic in 1992. He then founded Aftermath Records in 1996, and signed Eminem and 50 cent to the label. He later co-founded Beats Electronics with Jimmy Lovine. Beats Music and Beats Electronics were bought by Apple in 2014 for an estimated total of $3 billion.

“You just have to find that thing that's special about you that distinguishes you from all the others, and through true talent, hard work, and passion, anything can happen.”

As Albert Einstein said, " Everybody is a Genius. But If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid."                                                

“You got to realize that when I was 20 years old, I had a house, a Mercedes, a Corvette and a million dollars in the bank before I could buy alcohol legally.”

Never base your goals and dreams around how old you are, what ethnicity you are, or any other obstacles. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to, regardless of how ridiculous it sounds.                                                                                                                         

“I've been living the American Dream for over 25 years - just being able to do what I do, be creative, and make money out of it. It's incredible.”

Take the risk of testing where your skills can get you in life (and work your ass off) and you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life.                                                                                   

“Everything in my life has been about sound and making music, so Beats represents just that - the improvement of sound and the dedication to everything I've been doing from the day I started.”

Every product or service you provide the world is a direct representation of your personal brand and personality.                                                                                                                       

“Every person walking has some kind of talent that they can get on tape.”

The emphasis here is on tape. Once you find your talent, put it out there for the world to see. This is how you gain exposure and establish a following.

Kanye West

This man needs absolutely no introduction. The rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur from Chicago has cemented himself as one of the most influential people not only in the United States, but on the face of this planet. He embraces his unique personality and mindset, which is why he has been so successful in life.

“Everyone’s always telling you to be humble. When’s the last time someone told you to be great?”

The influential figures in your life, be it parents, teachers, coaches or even your friends, could be holding you back. If you have ever been told a dream is "unreasonable" or "impractical" then this is the case. Never hesitate to follow your passions and test your limits, regardless of what anyone says.

“Nothing in life is promised except death”

If you can't be sure of anything except for death, why not take risks in life? Taking the road less traveled could be the best thing you ever do.

“You’ve got to be really dialed in to exactly who you are to the one hundredth power or you’re just everyone else.”

This is an area where Kanye truly stands out. He never doubts himself in any situation, which has resulted in him having such an influence in music and the world as a whole. Stay true to yourself and amazing things can happen.                                                                                     

“Would you believe in what you believe in if you were the only one who believed it?”

The two words most commonly used to describe Kanye are crazy and genius. That isn't a coincidence. He had a vision that nobody else believed in, he stuck with it and made it happen 

“Success is the best revenge”
 Everyone who has done something incredible has had people make fun of them, laugh at                     them, and tell them that they can't do it. Just stick to your plan, never doubt yourself, and                     before long you'll be the one laughing.

Jay-Z

Right next to Kanye on that list of influencers is Shawn Carter, better known as Jay-Z. Jay is an American rapper and businessman from Brooklyn, New York. He brought on the resurgence of a company known as Aspiro, and turned it into the streaming giant known as Tidal. Forbes estimated his net worth at a whopping $810 million, making him the second wealthiest hip hop artist in the US. You may be noticing a pattern here; Jay-Z is more than just a rapper, he is a brand. 

“Successful people have a bigger fear of failure than people who've never done anything because if you haven't been successful, then you don't know how it feels to lose it all.”

When you have accomplished as much as someone like Jay-Z, every risk has a lot on the line.If you are a young entrepreneur, the good news is you don't have to worry about that. While risks may seem intimidating in the moment, when you look at the grand scheme of things you do not have that much on the line.                                                                               

"I'm hungry for knowledge. The whole thing is to learn every day, to get brighter and brighter. That's what this world is about.”

This is practically a universal truth for successful people. They are willing to learn from anyone and anywhere. A major part of this is reading books. Numerous rappers, entertainers, and businessmen have spoken on how influential reading has been on their journey to the top. 

"I've never looked at myself and said that I need to be a certain way to be around a certain sort of people. I've always wanted to stay true to myself, and I've managed to do that. People have to accept that. Belief in oneself and knowing who you are, I mean, that's the foundation for everything great."

Be authentic no matter what your surroundings are like. Faking it can only get you so far, and             it will always come back to bite you. If you do not feel like you can be yourself around a                     person or group of people, don't be around them at all. It's that simple.

Nas

Nas is an American hip hop recording artist, rapper, record producer, actor,entrepreneur, and investor. He has sold over 25 million records worldwide, on top of releasing eight platinum and multi-platinum albums in a row. He created the Mass Appeal record label which includes artists such as Jay Electronica, Meek Mill, A$AP Ferg, and Young Thug.

“The flaws, the mistakes I make - that’s the real me.”

Nobody ever said greatness means perfection. In fact, the opposite is often true. Successful people make more mistakes than the average person, because they are always taking risks and never passing up opportunities.                                                                                                     

“Working with great people makes you great; you learn a lot and it also gives you the experience and confidence to move on with your own career.”

This is why it is so important to evaluate your inner circle.You are a reflection of the people you associate with. Spend time with smart and resourceful people, and you will become smart and resourceful; spend your time with lazy bums, and you will become a lazy bum.                                                       

"I think if I heard someone else talking about their life, describing all the problems I've had, they'd look like they were through. Done. But there's something about me - I'm smiling. Those things are really not bad enough to put me in a slump. I'm smiling with the opportunity to wake up every morning.”

Nas has never allowed his life situation to change his attitude, which is a big part of the reason he has been so successful. You will be way more productive when you have a positive attitude than you will be with a negative attitude.                                                                                         

"No matter who you are, black, white, green, there's going to be things in your way"

No matter who you are or what your goals are, you are going to have obstacles to overcome. You cannot allow the natural unfairness of life to knock you off your game.

Eminem

Marshall Mathers, or Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer, song writer, and actor. Rolling Stone has called him The King of Hip Hop, and he is one of the best motivational rappers to ever live. He is a true example of a rags to riches story, and has proven how tireless work coped with unwavering self confidence can make you legendary.

“I say what I want to say and do what I want to do. There’s no in between. People will either love you for it or hate you for it.”

Similar to Kanye, Eminem places very little value on what other people think about him. He is certainly not your typical rapper, and he embraces that uniqueness.                                                           

“The truth is you don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed.”

This world is full of twists, turns, ups, downs and everything in between. It is essential that you can adapt no matter what gets thrown your way.                                                                                          

“I was a smart kid, but I hated school.”

Like entrepreneurs, a lot of rappers end up dropping out of school. The point of this is not to encourage kids to do the same, but to show that a degree is certainly not the only path to success.                                                                                                                                           

“Dealing with backstabbers, there was one thing I learned. They’re only powerful when you got your back turned.”

This goes right back to evaluating your inner circle. Make sure that if you plan on going into business or entertainment with those people, that you trust them no matter what happens.

Tupac

It is impossible to go through a list of influencers in hip hop without mentioning Tupac Shakur. Tupac started making music to shine light on the injustices that African-Americans face in society. Not only has Pac gone down as a pioneer that paved the way for modern rappers, he will never be forgotten for his fight against social injustice.

“The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams”

A lot of the greats do not get a whole lot of sleep. While this probably sounds like a major inconvenience, if you can find something that you are that passionate about it then it is worth it.                                                                                                                                                       

“All I’m trying to do is survive and make good out of the dirty, nasty, unbelievable lifestyle they gave me.”

A lot of rappers and entrepreneurs had very rough backgrounds. While this is a hindrance, it just means that you will need to work that much harder to work your way to the top. Use your past as motivation, do not dwell on it.                                                                                           

“There’s nobody in the business strong enough to scare me.”

Tupac had no fear of his competition, which is why his legacy is cemented in history forever. No matter what field you go into, this mindset will benefit you endlessly.

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar was born and raised in Compton, California. This is one of the most violent cities in the United States, and it is extremely rare for youth to escape the violence and gangs of the error and do something meaningful in life. Despite these conditions, Kendrick Lamar did more than just escape the city; he became the face of modern rap. Kendrick Lamar is characterized by his legendary ambition and complete faith in his ability. Lamar is one of the most influential figures in pop culture, and has gained the respect of all his haters and naysayers in the industry.

“If I'm gonna tell a real story, I'm gonna start with my name.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                Authenticity needs to be the foundation of any personal brand. No matter what you are producing, it becomes a direct reflection of you, so make it personal.                                         

“I look at where I'm at today and realize that most of my success is owed to the mentors that was in my life.”

This yet again emphasizes how important it is to have an open mind and always be willing to learn. You need to push your ego aside and realize that there are always going to be people that know more than you about any field, and then learn from their successes and shortcomings.                                                                                                                                   

“The hardest thing for - not only an artist but for anybody to do is look themselves in the mirror and acknowledge, you know, their own flaws and fears and imperfections and put them out there in the open for people to relate to it.”

 Nobody is perfect. Accept that you have shortcomings and it will just make you stronger.            

“I think my worst problem is actually living in the moment and understanding everything that's going on. I feel like I'm in my own bubble.”

Especially in a day and age where some people are literally zombies to social media, you will be at a huge advantage if you can stay present at all times. If you can push the past and future out of your mind and focus only on what is going on right now, you will become so much happier and more productive.                                                                                                         

“I'm only as good as my last word, my last hook, my last bridge.”

This quote reflects the mindset that is making Kendrick legendary. He never rests, he never quits, and he is never satisfied.

J. Cole

Jermaine Cole is one of the most well respected lyricists and recording artists in the entire music industry. He is best known for going platinum with no features on each of his last two albums, 2014 Forrest Hills Dr and 4 Your Eyez Only. Cole grew up in Fayetteville, NC, and never knew his father after he left early in Jermaine's life. J.Cole is one of the few people on this list who went to college, as he graduated St. Johns University with a 3.8 GPA.

"I'm here to spread a message of hope. Follow your heart. Don't follow what you've been told you're supposed to do."

What so many people fail to realize is that following the "normal" path is a choice. You can make the decision to follow your passion, but you need to completely buy in if that is your decision.                                                                                                                                           

"You can't reverse fame. You can lose all the money, but you'll never lose people knowing you."

Your legacy is the only thing that will still be here after your time on this Earth.This is why life is about more than just the money, it's about who you influence on your journey and what you leave behind.                                                                                                                                    

"If I was to go to sleep before midnight, I would feel weird about myself, like I wasted a day. My most productive hours are between midnight and five."

Again, I'm not saying that never sleeping is the path to success. But, there is no set time where you can and can't be productive. Find what works best for you.                                                                                                                                                        

“I always feel like it's two key ingredients when it comes to following your dreams, making something happen that the average person deems difficult. If you truly believe it, that's step one. Step two, is, you know, the hard work that goes along with it.”

You need a vision on what you want to do, and then you need to work your ass off to make it happen. If you follow that blueprint you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.                               

As much as it might look like, to someone else, that I'm successful, I never feel like I'm anywhere. The further I go, I still feel equally further from my eventual goal. Because as I grow, I get more goals. I'm never content.

The greats keep the chip on their shoulder that was there when they started, even when they "make it." You can be proud of what you have accomplished, but never lose stop making new goals for yourself.                                                                                                                             

“College isn't in everyone's hearts. I am living proof, though, that school doesn't mess up your plans. It gives you more experiences to write about.”

No matter how you go about getting their, you can accomplish your wildest dreams. College is not necessarily a good or a bad thing, it is what you make it. If you do chose to go, take advantage of the exposure to mass audiences and the vast resources available to you.

What you should take away from this article is that there is no designated path to success. You need to find what's unique and special to you, and lock in on getting that out to as many people as possible. However crazy it sounds, not many people are willing to bet on themselves to make it big, because it's scary to do so. Take that risk and you will never regret it.

Did you like this article? If so check out Part 2 here. If not, let us know what we can do better in the comments below. Thanks for reading, check back for new content! Make sure to subscribe to the blog on our home page!