My thinking is that if we're going to take from a culture, let's take from a culture that has exemplified success for thousands of years.

New York is traditional New York, you know what I'm saying? It's the stomping ground of the hustlers and go-getters

I love hip-hop, because you can do this like that and still be super successful! You ain't gotta hold your tongue.

My craziest ideas come from cartoons. I approach music by taking that cartoon extreme and the real life extreme and finding somewhere in the middle. The animated element lures people in, but the real-life substance puts the nail in the coffin.

For me the best thing about winning an award is when the people cheer for your win. When you can see that the people are really happy that you are winning something, that's the most reward thing in the world.

I am extremely happy. It's just an amazing feeling to be in this space at this stage of my life after all that I've gone through and still be able to make the music that is garnishing this powerful momentum in the game right now and you know, get the excitement of my record company and my family and my kids, coming home from school, talking about how their friends declare me the unanimously as the hottest artist in the game right now. All of that is the rewarding feeling you can't put a price tag on.

I try to really understand every aspect of the most high; for me, the most high is Allah... I live my life by Islam.