I feel like I have a very unique perspective especially for someone in the hip-hop genre. I'm not afraid to explore it, and how my upbringing then shapes my music and being a New York kid and all of that stuff...that's really the most unique thing I can offer to the music in general.

I'm only concerned with making music that I love and that my fans will respond to. I am happy to see other really good young artists able to flourish and pursue their careers.

I've basically been able to do everything, I basically run my own career and the decisions I make - whether it's how I'm gonna roll out music, how I'm gonna play on tours, different strategies for releasing and marketing things - and that comes from being college educated and someone who's interested in that side of the business rather than only the music. If anything I think that's where the biggest direct influence comes from.

I like to write from my life and the relationships that make it up. I think its important to use music to change people's moods. I try to write my story in a way that people can take for themselves and their own life.

I've been writing songs and making music since I was probably ten years old...so my inspirations back then, I don't know - I guess it was something that was innate. I was really shaped to make hip-hop music and love hip hop.

There're always some notorious people in the crew who are doing crazy things, but I try to keep it a little more low-key. My crazy thing is always just the show and putting all my energy into it.

I think experimentation with other stuff is great. My real focus has been more-so trying to create a sound that I can build upon and get really comfortable with. I think almost everything is experimentation 'til you find what it is that your sound is.