My real name's Rakim - my parents named me after the god MC himself.

I haven't been a gay activist. I haven't protested for gay rights or none of that, but one thing I can say is that a lot of the designers I wear are gay and I like their clothes.

I don't cook, 'cause I don't know how to cook.

[I want to be] Something that really touched you - and as far as image and change goes, I just really want a lot of people to respect my music and treat me... [as] inspiration.

I want to inspire people to really open up their minds and not be one-sided or biased or hypocritical.

For me, growing up in Harlem and then migrating down to SoHo and the Lower East Side and chillin' down there and making that my stomping ground... That was a big thing, because I'm from Harlem, and downtown is more artsy and also more open-minded. So I got the best of both worlds.

I would not consider myself to be a quote unquote real New York rapper. I don't even like New York rappers.