I think people are enticed by indie rap and every time you have a group going against the grain, they're gonna be like, 'Wow, you did it yourself in 2012, that's impressive - how did you do it? What're you doing that's different? And how can I be a part of it?'
I don't feel like I'm grown up. I feel like I'm a kid.
I'm someone that examines culture and tries to break down why things are the way that they are whether its hip-hop music, sex, race, or consumerism. I try to examine it and scrutinize it to the point where I can write a song.
My partner has to have good sized bones.
Sampling is kind of prehistoric, given the technology and the textures you can create.
I shop at thrift shops probably five times a week.
I find that when I put my spiritual life first, the rest of my life is easy. When I put my career first, that's when I have problems.
Its easy to view politicians as corrupt and voting essentially an act of picking the lesser of two evils. I understand that perspective and feel it's valid.
I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.
When I write, I don't have any expectation of what kind of song it will become or who it might reach.
You have major labels that are willing to take unconventional approaches because the old model is crumbling in front of us.
I definitely use 'smiling while rapping' as a tool in the booth. I want to have fun while recording.
Reading a piece of poetry with no beat in front of 20 people is way more challenging than rocking for 10,000 people.
The fame and the money and all that stuff that comes along with it is all great, but that's not the sole purpose of why I make music.
I think that there will always be artists out there who think they need to sign a major label deal in order to be successful. And that machine is what is going to work for them - there's tons of examples of pop stars who need that machine.
You need to get outside of your comfort zone to write songs that are interesting, songs that are compelling, songs that are different from what other people are writing.
I'm a very conceptual writer.
I think that civil rights issues take a lot of time to develop.
I'm not more or less conscious than any other rapper out there.
I don't want to look back and be like, 'You had it all, and you weren't even present for it. You weren't able to enjoy it.' I want to be here, be now and be grateful.
