Madlib Quotes
Born: October 24, 1973
Madlib is a visionary force in the world of Innovation & Tech, whose radical approach to creativity has reshaped how we think about design and problem-solving. As a pioneering producer and artist, he built a legacy on the philosophy of raw experimentation—believing that true breakthroughs emerge from chaos, not convention. His quotes resonate because they strip away pretense, urging creators to trust their instincts and embrace failure as a necessary tool. Madlib’s wisdom speaks to anyone who dares to build something new, reminding us that the most profound innovations often come from the most unexpected places.
Madlib Quotes (59)
"Past, present, and future is where I'm at."
— Madlib"If I sample a song, I usually make samples out of the whole album. Then I move on after that. Doesn't mean I'm going to release that whole album, but I do that."
— Madlib"I think a lot of guys are influenced by 'Pinata.' I fathered a lot of styles off that album."
— Madlib"I do it for myself and for like-minded people. Half the time I don't know why I make what I do. I'd do this if no one was listening. I'm stuck. I've got the curse."
— Madlib"The equipment doesn't matter, it's the vibe you put into it. If the music sounds good, music sounds good."
— Madlib"Dilla was a John Coltrane-type dude. He was always on a higher level. He inspired my music to become looser and more soulful."
— Madlib"There were a certain amount of people that were down with me, and we would just sit in the room and make music."
— Madlib"People only know me for what they've heard, but that only represents about 10 percent of what I've done."
— Madlib"I'll take two months off just to listen to records and not do any music so I can absorb all that and then when I go do my music. It's all in me. I'll listen to a different genre every two days or something, study it, 24 hours straight."
— Madlib"I do a few shows every year, but I'm mostly at home, making music. Day and night."
— Madlib"I studied jazz at home with my grandparents. They always had jazz dudes at the house, but I didn't study formally. I just hung around a lot of musicians."
— Madlib"I used to memorize music when I was real young. Schoolwork, not so much. But music I could remember."
— Madlib"It's not easy to sound like Dilla, but you can make beats like Dilla with your computer, so that's why everybody sounds like Dilla."
— Madlib"My computer? I never use a computer. It's too easy."
— Madlib"Dizzy Gillespie would come by, eating gumbo. It was crazy. My grandparents were friends with all of them. Dee Dee Bridgewater, all of them, they'd come through."
— Madlib"I'm all about the music."
— Madlib"As a kid, I was trying to copy what I heard. Namely, I was just listening to producers I looked up to, like 45 King and Marley Marl, and trying to do what they were doing."
— Madlib"I listen to a lot of different things. I'll be listening to prog rock, then the next couple of hours - Indian."
— Madlib"I try to challenge my ears. I get bored easily."
— Madlib