All I had was a CD with beats. I wrote to every beat on that CD, and when I got off punishment, I put out my first mixtape. I passed it out all around school. I started going to the studio. I started doing shows.

I was really artistic. I did a lot of poetry, a lot of writing.

I used to sing when I was younger. I left it alone for a long time, 'cause I was like, I don't even know if I know how to sing for real.

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.

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.

All I had was a CD with beats. I wrote to every beat on that CD, and when I got off punishment, I put out my first mixtape. I passed it out all around school. I started going to the studio. I started doing shows.

I like to go in the corner, in the quiet, 'cause I got to hear my thoughts. If I hear the beat for, like, five seconds, I basically got the tempo, and I don't need to hear it no more. I just focus and write.