"To me, the job of the artist is to provide a useful and intelligent vocabulary for the world to be able to articulate feelings they experience everyday, and otherwise wouldn't have the means to express in a meaningful and useful way"

In this quote, Mos Def expresses his belief that the function of an artist is to create a language that enables individuals to reveal their emotions and experiences in a meaningful and reliable way. He sees art as a tool for interaction, supplying a vocabulary that can catch the complexities of human emotions and experiences. By doing so, artists can assist others articulate and comprehend their own sensations, which they may have a hard time to reveal by themselves. Mos Def likewise highlights the value of this language being both beneficial and smart, recommending that art needs to not just be visually pleasing, however also serve a function in assisting people browse and understand their lives.