Working with great people makes you great; you learn a lot and it also gives you the experience and confidence to move on with your own career.
The flaws, the mistakes I make - that's the real me.
Hip-hop is the streets. Hip-hop is a couple of elements that it comes from back in the days... that feel of music with urgency that speaks to you. It speaks to your livelihood and it's not compromised. It's blunt. It's raw, straight off the street - from the beat to the voice to the words.
'Life Is Good' represents the most beautiful, dramatic and heavy moments in my life.
I want to have fun. It's a beautiful life. You learn, you win, you lose, but you get up.
I just enjoy life now. I just enjoy every morning I get to wake up.
Once you make it to your point of making it, you'll appreciate the struggle.
I don't go out unless I'm working. My quality time is when I'm doing nothing.
You can't please everybody. You'd be crazy if you're trying to. So take some time out to do some things for yourself.
Some people say I'm conscious, some say I'm a gangsta rapper - it's just me doing me. I'm stomping in my own lane. I'm doing what I do.
Hip-hop artists, especially the older ones, are the ones who knew hip-hop was a worldwide phenomenon before the mainstream caught on, so hip-hop artists are forward thinkers. We want to stay with the new.
The sound of the '90s, to me, is a combination of soul and street - it's a feeling.
My earliest memories of rap music was mixed with my earliest memories of reggae music. They were big sounds around the way, heavy bass lines, strong messages, definitely.
I think marriage is a beautiful thing. I'm still a supporter of it.
Marley is someone before his time, man. He's - he's almost - he's like a deity, like almost, you know what I mean? I just talk about what's going on, but of course, you know, Bob, before rappers, was already laying that kind of thing down.
I never stood for any president in my life, never voted, before Barack Obama. It changed my life to vote. It starts there with me. I never cared for politics before Barack Obama. I never thought it mattered to people like me.
To me, creatively challenging myself is my version of owning the Nets.
I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still blessed with the opportunity to make music and pass out a message like, 'Life is good,' to the world.
My record company had to beg me to stop filmin' music videos in the projects. No matter what the song was about, I had 'em out there.
When I say 'hip-hop is dead,' basically, America is dead. There is no political voice. Music is dead.
