I was a black sheep, but now I'm just a goat

My folks ain't graduated from high school or nothing like that, so we always had to struggle in the family - and I come from a big family.

As I've grown as an artist, I've learned that my mission statement is really self-expression. I don't want anybody to classify my music. I want them to say, "This is somebody who's recognizing his true feelings, his true emotions, ideas, thoughts, opinions, and views on the world, all on one record." I want people to recognize that and to take it and apply it to their own lives. You know what I'm saying? The more and more I get out and talk to different people, I realize they appreciate that - me being unapologetic in whatever views and approach I have.

There's a lot of other artists doing things outside of that depth that I enjoy - that music that I can actually have fun to, and not be in depth and think about, then I appreciate that.

Build your own pyramids, write your own hieroglyphs.

I am from the inner city, the ghetto. If I can use my platform to carry on a legacy and talk about something that's real, I have to do that, period.

Life Will Put Many Red Lights In Front Of You, But Sometimes We Must Push On The Gas And Trust God