I'm definitely light-spirited, but I just felt like my music had to have a little more depth.

Art is supposed to spark conversation and make people think.

I was rapping at eight.

I always try to be optimistic, but not to the point where I'm getting on people's nerves.

I take my spoken-word stuff extremely seriously because I feel like that's true writing, true lyricism.

I was raised by my grandmother. She instilled everything into me. She taught me right from wrong from day one. I remembered everyday, being 4 or 5 years old, and walking to school, she would be like, Raise your right hand and stay on the right side of the street and make sure you do the right thing in school.

I am not worthy to be on a Mariah Carey record. She's a true artist, so I just step back and watch the genius occur.