When somebody shows up and they believe in you, it makes all the difference.

I just do what I do and hope it's accepted by the public at large. It's different from when Marvin Gaye and Stevie revolutionized what music was 25 years ago. Now there's all this technology that's available to everyone. It's tough to be ahead of anyone.

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.

People don't like when you point out to them and remind them that they're not very smart.

I'm constantly being courted by labels and their backing. Obviously the market is there when you talk about the economics and the numbers, but it's hard to give up the freedom of being able to do whatever you want.

When somebody shows up and they believe in you, it makes all the difference.