I'm really excited about breaking new acts. While I'm trying to preserve the culture and make sure I fight for the acts that the major labels have thrown away, you can't throw away Musiq Soulchild, Kelly Price and Jon B.

Don't be lazy. Learn your instrument and the kids should be learning that stuff. We have to get back to the musicianship of the music. It's called music, so at some point somebody has to learn how to play an instrument.

I'm usually writing or producing for other people. I'm like Burger King most of the time; I let people have it their way like "You want it like this? I'll give it to you like this."

The major labels, they roll with whatever is making money. I don't know if R&B turned into making banjo music and it sounded like blue grass, they'll buy it if it's selling.

If you listen to Bryson Tiller's record, there's some real music. There's some trap stuff, but if you listen to what's on top of that stuff, that's real music. I look at that and I know it's real. I respect it immensely.

I think we have to change our thinking and the music industry has to shift and look at how people are acquiring their music now. They want it differently. They're getting it in a different way and you just have to adjust.

Prince didn't want to sound like Michael Jackson. Neither of them wanted to sound like Luther Vandross. They didn't want to sound like David Bowie. They were all different, but brilliant.