...As an artist, you need the naysayers and the nonbelievers to add fuel to your creative fire.

Before rap came along, I was, actually, actively in the streets; getting in trouble, doing the wrong thing.

I think all music - not just rap - has fallen into this very diluted, delusional state, where everyone's singing about money and having cars, and having all this fun; when really, people are losing their homes.

Dealing with the old school rappers, you see a lot of humility. When you're new, nothing is wrong. Everything is tight. Because you're trying to hype the world into believing in you.

Well, I am very happy that I was able to play a part in bringing music from the streets onto the radio and into modern culture, I worked very hard and always believed in the sounds I was creating.

I never know if the person I'm shaking hands with is coming to kill me. That's something you have to live with when you cross the lines.

I'm at a point where I don't have to wait for the income from the record to survive, so I'm in a comfortable zone, but I'll make rap records as long as I feel I have something to rap about.