"I just don't think it's very dignified to ask people to like you. You can just wind up being somebody's ottoman"

This quote by Mos Def is a reminder to be confident in yourself and not to count on the approval of others. It suggests that if you are too desperate for people to like you, you can wind up being benefited from and used as a tool for someone else's advantage. It is necessary to be pleased with who you are and to not let the opinions of others define you. It is better to be respected than liked, and it is more dignified to be independent and fearless. Mos Def is advising us that it is much better to be strong and confident in ourselves than to be dependent on the approval of others.