I get some letters from girls that if their mothers knew what they were writing me in these letters, they'd get their butts whipped.

My teacher said I would either be a hoodlum, or a great entertainer.

I didn't even think I would make it that long. I thought I would drug overdose, like Jimi Hendrix. I thank God every day to even be here.

I'm too old to do crazy things anymore.

Now is my time. Everything I've done up to this point is just a warm up. This is where it all begins.

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

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