Miriam Makeba Quotes

It is crucial that rappers have the chance to express the truth that is in their heart.

If you come across an American artist right now who has no political opinions or is afraid of talking politics, be very concerned.

But I think theatre in a repressive society is an immensely exciting event and theatre in a luxurious old, affluent old society like ours is an entertaining event.

Not all artists have a responsibility to be socially or politically aware, but they do have a responsibility to make great art. They have to find some truth and put that in their music.

Artists speak the truth to the public without fear of retribution or damage to their careers.

My work is drawn to the political but avoids an agenda. There is no inherent critique or support.

I'm an entertainer. Not a journalist or spokesman for anybody. Truth is, a lot of my listeners absolutely hate what I have to say.

Chinese artists have been subversive over thousands of years, taking what they think of the government and embedding it in their art. There might be censorship of not going as far as they might.

I do struggle with how much and in which way, as an artist or celebrity, that you voice your political views.

I am not brave enough to not pay my income tax and risk going to jail. But I can say rather freely what I want to say with my art.

It is the glory and good of Art, That Art remains the one way possible Of speaking truth, to mouths like mine at least.

I don't feel that as an artist my job is to offer PR propaganda, whether for the good or for the bad.

Not many people were speaking truth to power in the '80s. I had a really good time doing it - I found it gratifying. It was a joy to have an opportunity to say what you believed. It's challenging to do it in fiction, but I liked writing the novels. I liked writing 'Democracy' particularly.

My shows aren't about trying to save some place, because I don't feel that's the right venue for it. That's my politics right there: Don't bring politics to my shows.

I have a more direct avenue to expression as an artist than I ever would as a politician.

Self-censorship is a lie to yourself; if you are going to be trying to seriously create art, to create literary art, and you decide to hold back, to censor yourself, then you are a fool to yourself and it would be better that you kept your mouth shut and did not speak.

I think comics should test people, I think it's our job to go too far. That way we know as a society what too far is. Where else are you going to hear it?

I'm not comfortable with just entertaining. Although I like entertaining, I also like bringing forward the truth of our times as minstrels used to in the old days.

I think my first album opened a lot of doors for me to push the freedom of speech to the limit.

I personally think artists should criticize the government as much as possible since, unlike politicians, they do not have to obtain votes.

If artists didn't exist in the United States, conservative politicians would have to invent them.

In 2003, I wrote a New York Times best-seller called 'Shut Up & Sing,' in which I criticized celebrities like the Dixie Chicks & Barbra Streisand who were trashing then-President George W. Bush. I have used a variation of that title for more than 15 years to respond to performers who sound off on politics.

The privilege I've had over 15 movies over a very long time has been to make movies that were ambitious or grown-up, complex, that had themes in them that were sometimes political, sometimes challenging, to make these movies on a scale.

People use the guise of art, and artistic expression, to do all kinds of hateful things. It's like Trump and everybody else using the guise of humor to say hateful things, the excuse being, 'I was just being funny.'

Literature is a far more ancient and viable thing than any social formation or state. And just as the state interferes in literature, literature has the right to interfere in the affairs of state.