You're nobody 'til somebody kills you.
I can't even see me wasting my time or my talent to disrespect another black man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of valuing oneself and avoiding negativity towards others, especially within one's own community.
In this quote, The Notorious B.I.G. communicates a strong message about self-respect and community respect. He reflects on the futility of wasting one's talents and time in a harmful manner towards others, particularly emphasizing the importance of uplifting rather than disrespecting fellow members of his own community. This highlights the broader themes of unity and the responsibility one has towards others, advocating for a positive approach to relationships among individuals.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting about local issues, one could quote this to emphasize the importance of unity and respect among members.
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Armed and dangerous, ain't too many can bang with us_x000D_ _x000D_ Straight up weed no angel dust, label us Notorious_x000D_ _x000D_ Thug ass niggaz that love to bust, it's strange to us_x000D_ _x000D_ Y'all niggaz be scramblin, gamblin_x000D_ _x000D_ Up in restaraunts with mandolins, and violins_x000D_ _x000D_ We just sittin here tryin to win, tryin not to sin_x000D_ _x000D_ High off weed and lots of gin_x000D_ _x000D_ So much smoke need oxygen, steadily countin them Benjamins
If you don't love yourself, I'll make you see your own heart.
I'm living everyday like a hustle. Another drug to juggle. Another day, another struggle.
I can't never stop nobody, can't knock nobody hustle.
Similar quotes
I think sometimes in the focus on deep friendships and on romantic relationships, we can lose sight of how important the small connections we make are with strangers and with people that we may encounter for just a few seconds or a few minutes, whether it's the barista at our coffee shop or the stranger next to us on the subway.
My Jewishness and queerness are very interwoven, and, although they sometimes conflict culturally, intellectually and spiritually they deepen one another for me.
And I think that's what our world is desperately in need of - lovers, people who are building deep, genuine relationships with fellow strugglers along the way, and who actually know the faces of the people behind the issues they are concerned about.
The most creative social strategy we have to offer is the church. Here we show the world a manner of life the world can never achieve through social coercion or governmental action. We serve the world by showing it something that it is not, namely, a place where God is forming a family out of strangers.
The trouble is, I can't find a part of myself where you're not important. I write in order to be worth your while and to finance the way I want to live with you. Not the way you want to live. The way I want to live with you. Without you I wouldn't care. I'd eat tinned spaghetti and put on yesterday's clothes. But as it is I change my socks, and make money, and tart up Brodie's unspeakable drivel into speakable drivel so he can be an author too, like me.
At some point, you grow out of being attracted to that flame that burns you over and over and over again.