We were coming out of the black community with this thing called rap music, which was basically black men yelling at the top of their lungs about what we liked and what we didn't like. It was disturbing to the status quo. It really shook things up. And those in power didn't know what to make of us, but they knew that we had to be silenced, stopped in any way from expressing our outrage.

Ever since I was a teenager, I was always kind of, like, checking myself. You know, like, "Come on man, don't get your head all swollen. Life and time itself will give you perspective on what you're doing." So, that's actually what's always been a reminder in my own head.

I think a good thing that needs to change is that people should be at least fearless about expressin' themselves.

The powers that be are trying to meld, shape, and corral the culture of hip-hop into another speaking voice for the government.

The minute I get swelled up about something, something has always brought me back down to earth.

I like to drive and I like to travel. When I drive on the open road, it's like sometimes the car turns into a pen and the road is a piece of paper.

If they can send you to war at 18, maybe it's beneficial for some people to think that most of us gotta go to war for our own existence.