Hip-hop is too young to put a definition on it

I used to have weird practices in crowded used-book stores in New York where I'd go in and just stomp my foot and see what fell from the shelf. And of course, because it's an unexpected encounter, there's always some magic that comes from it.

The most powerful political voices are those with a different way of seeing and processing the world and the sounds that emanate from it.

Talk to strangers when the family fails and friends lead you astray when Buddha laughs and Jesus weeps and it turns out God is gay. 'Cause angels and messiahs love can come in many forms: in the hallways of your projects, or the fat girl in your dorm, and when you finally take the time to see what they’re about perhaps you find them lonely or their wisdom trips you out.

There's so much to be found in literature, especially if you don't have the money to travel or the means to get out of your neighborhood or get off work.

You can travel through literature, and you can expand your mind through literature. It's so cheap to buy that kind of ticket.

Hip-hop is still cool at a party. But to me, hip-hop has never been strictly a party; it is also there to elevate consciousness.