Most artists try to avoid cliches, but it's pretty hard to avoid them if you yourself end up being one.

I'm in the trenches; I do the best work I can always do. Having said that, the way that what I do converges with the outside world is fascinating to me. Because it ebbs and flows. People's interest and understanding, it changes all the time.

What I do isn't black music, it's just my music.

Nobody's going to sell 10 million records by not working hard.

Success and failure are equally surprising.

I have an English family and I've lived in England for years.

Any song I don't feel good about, I shelve. Anything you ever hear me sing, it's because I want to.