I really want to do the unexpected, and I think that's what I did when I executed 'Long.Live.A$AP.' I wanted people to really see the message and that I'm an artist who not only has the capability of rapping, but of composing great music both for people of my generation and for people with different backgrounds.

I was ashamed to let anyone know that I was living in a shelter. I remember one time coming home and some kids saw me and were like, "What you doing here? This is a shelter!" But I was like, "My mom's working there." It was pretty embarrassing.

I used to go to Saks, I would go to Bergdorf, I would go to Barneys, I would go to thrift stores in SoHo.

I've been into fashion since birth. I grew up in the 'hood, and everybody in the 'hood wants to compensate for being in poverty, so they want to look good to keep themselves up.

I wanted to model when I was younger.

With clothes, I like mixing what different designers do until it becomes a personal expression of how I'm feeling that day.

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.