In America, there are some artists who are more of an image than music; if your star status goes down there, you're finished.

With the artists that I named - Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Madonna, every time they come out with a new album, something's slightly different. In the case of Madonna, she'll come with one joint that'll be left, and then come totally right, but it's always hot. She's just got style. So, at the end, I want my name to be up there with those artists; for people to say, he's one of those iconic figures you can't put in a box.

A lot of times with my more up-tempo music, I try to take the approach of a hip-hop artist, but when it comes to imaging, I've been following the pattern of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Madonna.

Back in the day, even if they were singing about the same things, each artist was unique. That's why I try to stay away from the big-name producers, so I can prove that it's not about the producer, it's about the artist. A lot of R&B artists have gotten away from being artists and are just chasing after the next hot producer and it all starts to sound the same.

In America, there are some artists who are more of an image than music; if your star status goes down there, you're finished.

When I say R&B is dead, I'm pretty much saying the creativity is gone.

I come over here and a lot of people are like, "What's with the new hair?" I'm like, "Y'all must not have been looking - every album, I change."