Even when I'm singing on record there's a lot of times when I'll fight for a bit of imperfection. I might not have quite hit the note to the perfect pitch, but there was a soul in there and feeling that,to me, delivers the emotion of that moment. For me, doing a show, the excitement of singing live, and the possibility that you're not going to be perfect - that's the thrill of it.

Gangsta rap was a ploy to convince black people to kill each other. Gangsta rap didnt exist.

We listen so much to everybody - more than ever, because we have a kabillion voices whose opinion we can access - and we care so much if everybody agrees with us. To bust through all of the noise is very challenging.

I think what happens in the world, and I think it's part human nature and part programming, is we become an emulation of what we see. We become clones of each other.

I see what happens when one gets very attached to material things. That's just not what my life is.

I would hate to make music and people love me for something that isn't me.

If you treat me fairly, I'll give you all my goods.