I pay attention to lyrics and I know what rap fans care about. I try to write for the average listener and I'm conscious of the mainstream without selling out.

It's no coincidence that all the greatest rappers - whoever you put in your top five - I guarantee you they a great storyteller.

My parents were divorced by the time I was even conscious - like I don't remember them ever being together.

Barack Obama would not be President if he were dark skin. You know what I mean? That's just the truth. I might not be as successful as I am now if I was dark skin.

Keep grindin' boy, your life can change in one year, And even when it's dark out, the sun is shining somewhere

I don't like to think of it as being fired. Instead, I prefer to think of it as being on indefinite leave with a sabbatical flair.

Usually I start with a beat, I start making a beat, and my producer side is making the beat. And on a good day, my rapper side will jump in and start the writing process - maybe come up with a hook or start a verse. Sometimes it just happens like that. A song like 'Lights Please' happens like that.