I signed Jay-Z because he was on fire. I wasn't a genius. The record was great. I put it on The Nutty Professor soundtrack and we signed him.

The difference between blues, jazz, rock n' roll and rap is that rap stayed poor. Even the white rappers are poor. It's scarier to look at poor people; it makes everyone uncomfortable. Their pain is something that people would like to see swept under the rug.

The seconds of presence are where most inspiration comes. There are sunsets that promote it.

The poets who do this are uniquely conscious of this silence, this stillness.

If you want to say something profound, writing from your heartbeat is different than writing from the loud voices you get from music. If they're rapping from noise, it's about robbing people. It's that simple.

A clear and focused mind will last a lifetime. Getting your mind in shape is nothing less than the key to sustainable success in the world.

I think it's very important. I've gone into prisons to meditate with inmates. It's something I plan to do with Tim Robbins soon.