I was a nerd academically. But I was also an athlete and a musician. I never wanted to be shut out of any situation. I think it was that more than anything.

As I've gotten older, now I've really got to back that up with record sales. Anytime showed me that I could still have some of those elements I wanted, but you still have to come with hit after hit after hit.

I've always been serious about music. After you've done it for so many years, you get back to the basics.

For me able to do the records I want to do and not have to worry about this producer or that producer or that trend, I'm not really interested in that.

I'll always write music. Whether I release a record, whether I let the public hear it or not, I'm always writing music.

It is great to have your own label; you can cultivate your own artists I've worked with pretty much everyone I wanted to.

I do not wear my emotions on my sleeve; I write about them.