[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.

Nowadays, everybody wanna be weird. We know how to manifest being weird.

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.

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

All of the young people - the artsy people, people who get overlooked because they're weird or they don't have hype around them - need to get some shine.

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

[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.