The word mantra comes from two Sanskrit words man, ("to think") and tra ("tool'). So the literal translation is "a tool of thought." And that's how mantras are used in Buddhist and Hindu practices, as tools that clear your mind of distractions. Because when you focus on repeating that mantra over and over again, soon the noise will die down and all you will hear is your inner voice.

Poverty and lack of knowledge must be challenged.

Meditation helps everything.

Music is the noise that surrounds the stillness of the art form.

I think the artist's job throughout history has been to tell - to say things that people are inspired by.

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.

No matter how rich you are, you cannot transport yourself to the future or the past.