“I have no tattoos that I regret – I have had some that I have had changed according to how my life was.”

Life Is Good’ represents the most beautiful, dramatic and heavy moments in my life.

I can’t control what people think. They know who I am.

I definitely have plans to do more collaboration albums in the future.

I wish the music business was a much easier thing, but you know what? Nothing easy is worth anything. So it is what it is.

I never cared for politics before Barack Obama. I never thought it mattered to people like me.

I think I’m that guy. I’m still blessed with the opportunity to make music and pass out a message like, ‘Life is good,’ to the world.

The sound of the ’90s, to me, is a combination of soul and street – it’s a feeling.

Hip-hop artists, especially the older ones, are the ones who knew hip-hop was a worldwide phenomenon before the mainstream caught on, so hip-hop artists are forward thinkers. We want to stay with the new.

DJs need to challenge us rappers. They got so much power, they need to challenge us.

I don’t know who I will collaborate with, but there’s a great chance of something happening.

My record company had to beg me to stop filmin’ music videos in the projects.

Africa has been going through so much for so many years; it’s time that it stands up the way other nations are standing up.

Once you make it to your point of making it, you’ll appreciate the struggle.

Somebody like me who knows it firsthand and could relate… I had a best friend killed, plenty other friends killed. I been through it. I seen it.

Stillmatic’ is the rebirth of ‘Illmatic,’ my first debut album to come out in 1994. ‘Stillmatic’ is me coming full circle in my career and with everything, and just bringing pure hip-hop back.

I don’t have time for the news clippings. I got my own mission.

It seems some have chosen to ignore or have simply forgotten the big-picture vision promoted by Dr. King and his kin.

Some songs are too repetitive for me to be able to fashion a humorous set of lyrics around. Some songs flat-out just don’t work creatively for me.

You can play some schlock like New Kids On the Block.

My velvet Elvis means the world to me. Although he may not be worth much dough, he means more to me than some old Rembrandt or Van Gogh.

Of all the girls I ever knew some loved and some denied me And all the words I ever said have been no use to hide me.

I think it gives a symbolic boost, as well as those shows do bring down some monetary investments in the city.

We’ve got to look toward two years from now [January 2017] to at least provide some balance in congress.

My ministry’s always been one of social activism. I think a responsible minister must be at some levels involved in the social order.