I mean, Rick James was just a man-made image, the image I created. Just trying to live Rick James almost killed me.

Prison was a blessing. Going to prison was the greatest thing that happened to me. It showed me that I wasn't infallible. It showed me that I was just human. It showed me that I can be back with my ghetto brothers I grew up with and have a good time. It taught me to cool out. It taught me patience. It taught me that I didn't ever want to lose my freedom. It taught me that drugs bring on the devil. It taught me to grow up.

I decided to build up my band in Buffalo because Buffalo was where I had originally built up my own musical strength.

I'm too old to do crazy things anymore.

I can't hang out as loose as I used to, but I can still go down Jefferson Avenue and look in the faces of winos, pimps and junkies, all the things I'm made of.

I'm trying to change the root of funk, trying to make it more progressive, more melodic and more lyrically structured.

I think rap definitely has its place in the art world. I think it is an art form. But, just like any art form, you can misuse it.