I used to do poetry and write stories and stuff - I never really had anybody standing over my shoulder, like, "What did you write? Let me hear it." I hate that type of stuff.

I have been singing since I was kid.

Writing was something I always did but that turned into singing and rapping. That something that came out of my writing.

I have always loved music.

I was on the pom pom team, I was on the cheerleading team, I sang. I played football with the guys 'cause I didn't know how to play double dutch. Anything to get out the house.

It was dope to the point where I felt like Common almost admired me as much as I admired him. He took us to the hotel, and then he was going through his phone, rapping his raps to me. I was like, Is Common rapping to me right now, trying to get my feedback?

I was a good student. By 8th grade, you've basically learned everything. By senior year, we was drinking, we was kickin' it, we was rapping. It wasn't really like business, hard work.