There's a bunch of people who sit around and make excuses for themselves and get upset with artists, but you already know what this is - it's an ego-driven business.

I really want to work with Rufus Wainwright. Michael Stipe from R.E.M. I would love to work with Kanye West.

I do music based upon who I like and who I think has the potential to win. I don't really judge them by "Oh somebody is hot right now". If I think the music is dope and I think the potential is there, I want to do it.

A song is a song and a hit record can change a life.

I feel like all of my records have potential to be hits. Sometimes it's promotion, sometimes it's bad timing, but yeah I take it very personally. I'm very hard on myself when it comes to my records. I really believe that if it's not number one, I've failed.

When you're an artist, you can only do your own stuff. Even if you only write for other people, you're really more focused on yourself. So while everybody's out touring, I'm working on records.

I'm excited about being able to write and produce songs from an executive standpoint as well as the business side of it and the political side of it. I'm working on angles when it comes to the music business because I feel like that's the only way you can become a mogul.