Black Buck Quotes

“An opportunity means change. An opportunity means action. But most of all, an opportunity means the chance of failure. And it's the potential for failure, more than failure itself, that stops so many people from beginning anything.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Ain’ no Black people need no therapists, ’cause we don’ be havin’ those mental issues. OCD, ADD, PTSD, and all those other acronyms they be comin’ up with every day. I’m tellin’ you, the only acronyms Black folk need help with is the NYPD, FBI, CIA, KKK, and KFC, ’cause I know they be puttin’ shit in those twelve-piece bucket meals to make us addicted to them. All that saturated fat, sodium.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“It’s the duty of every man and woman who has achieved some success in life to pass it on, because when we’re gone, what matters most isn’t what we were able to attain but who we were able to help.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“My teeth are status quo and powerful, also known as white and straight...”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“The day that changed my life was like every other day before it, except that it changed my life.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“can’ nothin’ grow without fertile soil or the right hands for it. This right here,” he said, touching a dusty finger to my temple, “is soil. Jus’ like this garden. And only you can decide what grows and who you allow to get their hands in it. Understand?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“in any game, you gotta have a short-term memory. Someone tell you some shit you don’ like? Forget it the minute they mouth close. Someone tell you some shit you do like? Man,” he said, sucking his teeth so hard that I swore he was about to swallow them, “you betta forget that shit even quicker.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“In the middle of every difficulty lies an opportunity,”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“The media feeds off of black blood like vampires. They want more of it, and they’ll pit us against each other jus’ to see it fly like firecrackers on the Fourth of July.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“An opportunity means change. An opportunity means action. But most of all, an opportunity means the chance of failure. And it’s the potential for failure, more than failure itself, that stops so many people from beginning anything.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“What, you think we live in a world where innocent Black men don’t spend five, twenty, or thirty years in jail only to be let out with an apology? Get real, Buckaroo.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Shit, it could’ve just been as small as a friend laughing at you when you told them your dreams, and that little laugh, that seed of doubt, crushed you. You felt less than, like you weren’t worthy of being more, of being better. Like who you were wasn’t good enough.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“You see, it's easy for someone to walk around telling everyone that they're "jus' waitin' for the right opportunity," but an entirely different thing when they actually receive it. An opportunity means change. An opportunity means action. But most of all, an opportunity means the chance of failure. And it's the potential of failure, more than failure itself, that stops so many people from beginning anything.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Connections, like treasury bonds, are issued to every rich white person upon exiting the womb. Whenever one of them gets high and crashes their parents’ car, whenever they get busted for buying coke from an undercover, whenever they get caught messing with the wrong gangsters on vacation, they make a call, send a text, or whip out their AMEX.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“And it was then, as I walked out of his office past the hundreds of salespeople laughing as they saw their fearless leader fall, that I realized it was freedom that had motivated me from the very beginning. Not money, power, the need to prove myself, or even to make Ma proud, but the freedom to breathe where I want, when I want, how I want, and with whom I want in my beautiful brown skin.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Whether you sell someone on yes or they sell you on no, a sale is always made.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“It’s called Ambien, Xanax, and some cough syrup mixed with Sprite,”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Because neither of you wanna stay here forever. Jason,”—I turned to him—“you wanna sell Chicken McNuggets for the rest of your life? Or go back to pushin’ weight?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“I’ve only seen you on TV, but has anyone ever told you that you look like Morgan Freeman? You must charm all the ladies, eh?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Fuck, fuck, fuck. I hoped I hadn’t had sex with her. I had a strict no white women policy, a policy I’d never violated before on account of what Wally Cat said all those months ago. I wasn’t superstitious, but I preferred being on the safe side.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“But fucking what? I can’t believe what I’m hearing right now. Why do I always have to push you to accept a golden opportunity? Do you think you’re too good for this? For us? Are you trying to start your own thing, is that it?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“What about you? World domination? Best salesman in the world? Trophy wife who sucks you off every night?” I shook my head. “No. I just want to make my mom proud.” “I wasn’t expecting that.” She finally faced me. “Is she hard on you?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Only friends are allowed in, and they must be people of color. We’re not against white people, but we are simply ignoring them. They’ve had a mile head start and we’re only a few feet off the starting line.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“What it look like? Makin’ an honest livin’. Prolly more than I can say for you.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Let’s switch gears. I have a question for you, Darren. As a young Black man, how are you able to go into work and sell a product you know has the potential to kill young women, especially young Black women, like Donesha Clark?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Something like that,” Rose said, stepping forward. “Who the fuck are you, the Black Ronald McDonald?” “Chill,” I said. “These are old friends.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“I think you don’ know who you’re talkin’ to, halal. Now back the fuck up before I show you.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“That you, Darren? I ain’ seen you in what, half a year, nigga? How you doin’?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“You didn’ fuck no snow bunnies, did you?” His grip was tight, with grave concern in his voice. “Nah,” I quickly whispered. He laughed. “Good. Seven years bad luck, don’ forget now. You gon’ be stickin’ ’round a while?”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck

“Wally Cat was an OG and having his respect meant a lot, but I still had bridges to rebuild. And he couldn’t do that for me.”
― Mateo Askaripour, Black Buck