I learned, when I look in the mirror and tell my story, that I should be myself and not peep whatever everybody is doing.

I always tell people that if I move anywhere it would be Toronto.

I want you to recognize that I'm a proud monkey...

There are so many people pulling at me at one time - some want the business, some want my love, some just want my support, just to be there or to acknowledge them the same way I used to. To be able to figure that out is an ongoing process, because there's always another show, another album, another moment that I don't want to miss. But I'm pacing myself. I hope the powers that be keep me on a straight course.

Everybody has their own way of hearing songs. My fans are usually pretty on point. Sometimes they go all the way to the bottom of it. It's fascinating to me how far an idea can go. I wrote most of my first album in my mom's kitchen, and now I can go around the world and hear people recite those lyrics, and understand the story, even though they're not from the same area I grew up in.

Look inside my soul and you can find gold and maybe get rich. Look inside of your soul and you can find out it never exists.

I penetrate the hearts of good kids and criminals