You only have one first chance to make one first impression that lasts a lifetime.

You don't want to disappoint. Especially someone like me who's been out of music for years and hasn't had an album in like, four years.

You have to keep your vision clear, cause only a coward lives in fear.

I like the way hip-hop is now. It's grown up enough so that it can get involved with politics if it feels like it.

When I made Illmatic, I was trying to make the perfect album. It comes from the days of Wild Style. I was trying to make you experience my life. I wanted you to look at hip-hop differently. I wanted you to feel that hip-hop was changing and becoming something more real.

I'm not talking about Russia in my music. I've never been to Russia. I'm not talking about Africa, Switzerland, China. I'm talking about me being American and growing up in a crazy world and helping to reflect all different sides of life.

All I need is one mic . All I need is one life, one try, one breath, I'm one man.