When we say a rapper, a rapper can say a rhyme. But an MC can rock a party.

If somebody wants to kill people, they don't need a gun to do it.

You've got the Wall Street situation, the sub-prime situation. You've got a black president. We've got wars. We've got unemployment. But the music doesn't reflect that. And I challenge anybody to show me a music that's on the radio that reflects that.

I like crime movies where the crime is so incredible that, attractive as it seems, you don't wanna do it because it's just too dangerous.

I didn't start off with the responsibility because I didn't think anybody would care. But as you do meet these people influenced by your music, then you start to understand you have a responsibility. I don't think you initially know it until you feel the power of what you're really doing.

A lot of people play single to work some angle. I'm always about keeping it real. If that's how I'm living, that's how I'm living.

I always knew that I had to direct. That was something I'd wanted to do. Finally, I was just looking at the situation and I said, "I wanna document hip-hop, as an art form, seeing how a lot of people don't take it seriously."