“I never think about myself as an artist working in this time. I think about it in macro.”

It’s not always easy to be transparent about your emotions and sometimes the music can get heavy.

My music definitely comes from a place of experience. Everything connects to a truth.

The Internet made fame wack and anonymity cool.

Of course awards matter.

There’s just some magic in truth and honesty and openness.

I believe that I’m one of the best in the world at what I do, and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.

We were poor. But my mom never accepted that. She worked hard to become a residential contractor – got her master’s with honors at the University of New Orleans. I used to go to every class with her. Her father was my paternal figure.

I’m in this business to be creative – I’ll even diminish it and say to be a content provider.

I’m big on what’s in good taste.

My TV ain’t HD, that’s too real

I respect Drake not only as a creative person but as a business mind as well. I think Drake’s important.

I don’t intend to stop making music.

I booked my first studio at like 12 or 13. Somewhere in that season of my life, singing along with the radio became me wanting to be on radio.

I won’t touch on risky, because that’s subjective. People are just afraid of things too much. Afraid of things that don’t necessarily merit fear.

Those who are heartless, once cared too much.

Smile, it’s easier than explaning why you’re sad.

I remember being backstage in my full look and the make-up artist said to me: ‘Did you hear? Kendall Jenner is here.’ ‘And I said, ‘She is? Oh my God!’

I’m not a Reggaeton artist and I’m not a Crunk artist either.

I work hard. I focus on myself and putting food on my dinner table before anything else. I don’t worry about other artists. Worrying about the next person in a negative way is the wrong way to be.

Social media is so powerful now, and with all these blog sites and YouTube channels and videos, it makes it more and more relevant to bridge artists together.

I would venture to warn against too great intimacy with artists as it is very seductive and a little dangerous.

At the end of the day, I don’t know what makes any artist say what he says. Everyone has a reason for whatever it is they do.

The object of the artist is the creation of the beautiful. What the beautiful is another question.

Even though Prince wasn’t rapping and it was a whole different era, it shows how artists expressed themselves without saying too much, and that was the real beauty of the art.