Wadada Leo Smith

I have been in dialogue with my family about what can actually be done. We've come up with this philosophy that in a truly multicultural society, the only way to have liberty and justice for everybody is to have multiple parties. And by multiple parties, I mean 50 parties, not one or two.

When you live in the South, you're constantly part of the civil rights movement.

From now back to the past, we can observe clearly that none of us is free.

I started composing when I was around 13, and back then, people used to say that I needed to be a composer or a performer, but I can't be good at both of them. I could never understand why anyone would say that. Jellyroll did both, Bessie Smith did both, and so did I.

We have these old fashioned ideas. For instance, here in America, we talk about democracy - but we don't have a democracy. There are elements of a democracy.

I'm an optimist. I have always been, and I will continue to be. So I believe there's always a possibility of transforming or changing or doing something different.

The artist is the consciousness of society... but musicians' role is very special.

Seeing the bigger picture opens your eyes to what is the truth.

When Barack Obama was elected, it immediately brought out all the differences in society.

I wanted to identify that the black experience is American experience.

There's nothing unnatural in creation.

I think all art is, by nature, intended to motivate society for change, and the only reason change doesn't happen is because within the target population, courage is lacking.