When you have a voice and a platform and you know better, it becomes your moral obligation to support that community. And by extension, you're supporting your family.

So I just had to step up how I was doing it and the moment that I stepped up and the moment I focused all my energy on that is when things started to happen. So there's a direct relationship between my inspiration and my output.

I like collaboration because, first of all, I'm good at writing lyrics. I don't know how to make beats. I don't play instruments. I'm not a good singer. So even when you see a solo album of mine, it's still a collaboration.

Honestly, you have to take care of yourself. That's probably something I have learned on the road.

It doesn't get any more underground, conscious or indie than Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, but because they got a couple of really big pop hits, actually some of the biggest pop hits that hip-hop has ever seen, people are missing that part of their story. People are not counting that blessing.

But there's so many things in life like women, like children, like God and family that transcends the world of hip-hop.

I don't feel comfortable making empty music.