As a late teenager, the punk movement pushed me further. In particular, the Clash, which happened to leak through the time of disco, showed me that there was this cross-cultural sound that could cut across genres and audiences. Like punk was to disco, rap music was a rebellion against R&B, which had adopted disco and made it worse.

If you go get a passport, it might encourage you to at least consider the world around you.

My work throughout my life is always representative of the time we live in. It's all about keeping it in order and keeping it in gear.

I became tired of submitting my art to a panel of corporate strategists who decide if it meets their standard of what gets into stores or not. It was quite simple for me: they act like judge and jury of my art, and that is unacceptable. I wanted to give it right to the public.

Oh, America is slipping away from the rest of the consciousness of the planet - slipping away.

You can't master time, but you have to work your hardest to manage it.

I grew up as a sports fan, and I know that a hall of fame is very different than an award for being the best of the year. It's a nod to the longevity of our accomplishment.