Daveed Diggs Quotes

Powerful Daveed Diggs for Daily Growth

About Daveed Diggs

Daveed Diggs, a renowned American actor, rapper, and playwright, was born on January 24, 1982, in Oakland, California. Raised by his mother, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Berkeley, he developed an early interest in music and theater. Diggs attended Brown University, where he studied Latin American history before dropping out to pursue his artistic career. Influenced by hip-hop legends such as Tupac Shakur and A Tribe Called Quest, Diggs formed the rap duo Clipping with William Hutson in 2009. The group gained recognition for their experimental approach to electronic music and provocative lyrics. Diggs' career took a significant turn when he joined Hamilton: An American Musical on Broadway as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, a role that earned him a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2016. In addition to his success with Clipping and Hamilton, Diggs co-wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed rap musical "Blindspotting," which explores gentrification and racial tension in Oakland. The film won the Sundance Film Festival's U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Acting in 2018. Diggs continues to push boundaries as an artist, infusing his performances with a unique blend of rap and theatricality. His work serves as a testament to the power of storytelling through music and theater, resonating deeply with audiences across the globe.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"Art can change the world if people will it."

This quote underscores the transformative power of art when coupled with intentionality from individuals. It suggests that art, in its various forms, has the capacity to bring about positive change in the world if people are willing to use it as a tool for social impact. This could involve creating art that raises awareness about important issues, using art to inspire and motivate others, or even harnessing the collective power of communities to effect change through shared artistic expressions. Ultimately, the quote serves as a reminder that art is not just a form of entertainment, but a potent force for change if wielded with purpose and conviction.


"You don't have to be anything other than yourself to make something of yourself."

This quote by Daveed Diggs emphasizes self-acceptance as a crucial foundation for personal success. It suggests that one should not feel compelled to conform to societal norms or expectations, but rather embrace their authentic identity to achieve their goals. In other words, your true self is the key to unlocking your unique potential and making significant contributions in life. The message encourages individuality, authenticity, and self-belief as vital elements on the path to success.


"The most dangerous thing you can do is not try at all."

This quote emphasizes that inaction, or not trying at all, is the riskiest choice one can make. It implies that the fear of failure should never prevent us from attempting something. Every effort we make, whether successful or not, brings us valuable learning experiences that contribute to our personal growth and development. Therefore, it's essential to step out of our comfort zones and take calculated risks in life.


"I think when you're in a room full of artists, there's this unspoken agreement that we're all in this together, and I want the world to feel like it's possible for anyone who wants to be an artist."

This quote by Daveed Diggs highlights a sense of camaraderie and inclusivity among artists. He suggests that in an artistic community, there is an unspoken understanding that everyone is working towards a common goal. Moreover, he expresses his desire for the world at large to emulate this sentiment, fostering an environment where anyone who wishes to pursue art can do so without barriers or limitations. Essentially, Diggs is advocating for a supportive and welcoming atmosphere in both artistic circles and society as a whole.


"We have to give ourselves permission to tell our own stories because we know them best."

This quote emphasizes the importance of self-empowerment in storytelling, particularly within the context of diverse communities. Daveed Diggs suggests that individuals should feel confident and validated in sharing their unique narratives, as they possess a deep understanding and connection to them. By telling our own stories, we can offer authentic representations and foster a more inclusive and diverse narrative landscape.


I liked being on stage because it gave me a reason to be around people. The other great thing about acting is it allows you to imagine circumstances different from your own. I was a poor Bay Area kid getting to pretend to be a Russian aristocrat.

- Daveed Diggs

Reason, Bay Area, Other, Great Thing

I have a recognizable silhouette.

- Daveed Diggs

Recognizable, Silhouette

I think people understand I'm not actually the real Thomas Jefferson.

- Daveed Diggs

Think, I Think, Actually, Jefferson

The reason you write something that is exciting and visceral is to force people to hear what you have to say, especially if you're in any kind of marginalized community where people don't want to listen. You have to come up with tricks to make them listen.

- Daveed Diggs

Reason, Listen, Visceral, Marginalized

The act of being nice to somebody at Starbucks is actually a huge thing. It's a real change you can effect in somebody's life every day.

- Daveed Diggs

Change, Every Day, Starbucks, Huge Thing

Everybody from the Bay has a superiority complex because we're dope.

- Daveed Diggs

Superiority, Everybody, Bay

I've always gravitated toward technical music in general. I love jazz fusion.

- Daveed Diggs

Love, Always, General, Fusion

At some point, I'll do more McDonald's commercials if I have to.

- Daveed Diggs

More, Some, Commercials, McDonald

It wasn't until I got out in the world and started worked professionally when I realized that the people I admired were the ones who had taken the little snippets of what they learned that worked for them - and strung them together in their own technique.

- Daveed Diggs

Own, Had, Technique, Strung

My mom is a white Jewish lady, and my dad is black. The cultures never seemed separate - I had a lot of mixed friends. When I was young, I identified with being Jewish, but I embraced my dad's side, too.

- Daveed Diggs

Side, Separate, Seemed, Identified

To walk into a casting room full of people who look like you is a crazy thing. What is the thing that necessitates all of us having the exact same shade of skin and having the same hair? What about this deodorant commercial needs that?

- Daveed Diggs

Skin, Commercial, About, Casting

The fact that rap has a strict meter and stays to a click means that you have to make your thoughts concise.

- Daveed Diggs

Rap, Stays, Means, Concise

Clipping is a very specific, concept-y thing. We have all these rules: we don't sample drums. We create all our own sounds. I don't speak in the first person. We come from a background of experimental music like John Cage... Philip Glass.

- Daveed Diggs

Rules, Own, Very, Sample

Neither of my parents live in Oakland anymore. They both got priced out.

- Daveed Diggs

Anymore, Got, Neither, Oakland

I've been sort of gentrification-obsessed. Right before I left Oakland in 2012, I was feeling it. Now I go back sporadically, and the change is drastic.

- Daveed Diggs

Change, Been, Before, Oakland

As a kid, you don't have a ton of spaces where you are honored, where what you think is honored and what you say is revered.

- Daveed Diggs

Think, Revered, Ton, Spaces

There's a lot of spaces that care about what kids are buying. There are a lot of spaces that care about what kids are watching. But there aren't a lot of spaces that care about what kids are saying.

- Daveed Diggs

Buying, About, Lot, Spaces

I call myself a nerd all the time.

- Daveed Diggs

Time, Myself, Call, Nerd

Writing rap songs is about flow, about one word blending seamlessly into the next and creating a thing that is possible to perform in a way that feels natural.

- Daveed Diggs

Next, Rap, Feels, Flow

That's the great thing about being a teenager. You think you're a genius.

- Daveed Diggs

Genius, Think, Great Thing, Teenager

Recording vocals has the same kind of physical demands as you experience a lot in theater work.

- Daveed Diggs

Kind, Same, Lot, Vocals

I've always been very supported. I've never really been sad. I've just been broke. They are very different things.

- Daveed Diggs

Always, Been, Very, Different Things

What writing a poem really does - and what figuring how to perform effectively really does - is forces people to listen to you. It frames your thoughts in such a way that grabs people's attentions and forces them to hear the things that you're actually saying.

- Daveed Diggs

Listen, How, Your, Such A Way

Being an emcee onstage is mostly about crowd control, about monitoring energy levels.

- Daveed Diggs

Crowd, About, Mostly, Emcee

TV is really about keeping things fresh and making sure you have the most energy possible for these very short spurts of time.

- Daveed Diggs

Making, Very, TV, Fresh

I'm an artist, so days don't start on any regular time.

- Daveed Diggs

Start, Artist, Days, Regular

I have all of Kendrick Lamar on vinyl.

- Daveed Diggs

Vinyl

That's what hip-hop is - it's about meeting the music where you are, and then you add on top of that. It's about coming at it with your full self.

- Daveed Diggs

Add, About, Then, Hip-Hop

Hip-hop was indifferent to Broadway. We didn't need Broadway, but I think Broadway needed hip-hop.

- Daveed Diggs

Think, Broadway, I Think, Hip-Hop

I think it's important that your work is in conversation with artists in your community.

- Daveed Diggs

Think, Important, I Think, Conversation

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