“I think hip-hop could help rebuild America, once hip-hoppers own hip-hop… We are our own politicians, our own government, we have something to say. We’re warriors. Soldiers.”

Anybody I’m dating, I don’t want them to talk about my music. I don’t talk about my music to them.

I go with the rhythm of it and the words start to come to my mind and those words could be based on things that’s been on my mind for the past year, the past month, the past week, whatever; I write it.

I love PBS! I grew up on it. If I had to say which channels were good, I’d say, you got your PBS, your History Channel, your Discovery.

The things that I have said when I was young and curious about whatever the subject matter was, I respect those – those are growing pains.

Let’s not forget, art can sell. You ain’t gotta front all the time on your records.

Divorce can be crazy. Man, if you’re happy… Love is a beast, man. Hold on. Be prepared for any way it may go, and be honest.

To me, creatively challenging myself is my version of owning the Nets.

I think the fact that I made enough noise in the world that I might be remembered is an amazing achievement. You can’t ask for more than that.

Anybody can be a rapper, but not anybody can be a classical artist.

Unfortunately, man, a lot of places in America have to deal with unnecessary violence.

You know, rap is sort of like a form of talking, right? So it’s like you can hear, you know, the slaves doing it.

Hip-hop is the streets. Hip-hop is a couple of elements that it comes from back in the days… that feel of music with urgency that speaks to you.

It’s never been seen that a street artist go as far as I’ve gone – keep consistent without wanting to do a bunch of ventures outside of music to keep my face out there.

I’m not talking about Russia in my music. I’ve never been to Russia. I’m not talking about Africa, Switzerland, China.

No one’s promised anything. You could have the biggest record on radio and sell no records.

I talk about life, and I make universal music with an American style – and that’s what I do.

I won’t say I’m the baddest, or portray that role, But I’m in the top 2, and my father’s gettin’ old.

Rappers act so wild, and love to profile, Frontin’ hard, but ain’t got no style.

I know you like the way I am freakin’ it. I talk with slang and I’m never gonna stop speakin’ it.

So, I really enjoyed doing the Strickland Banks album. But there’s no point in my trying to release underground hip-hop music on a major label. That part of my talent, or part of my art, had to live somewhere else and feature film was the perfect vehicle for it.

I don’t know enough about hip-hop, though I’ve heard some great hip-hop. I just did a thing with Qwest Love – we did a performance together in Memphis at the Folk Alliance Festival, and we had a great jam and a conversation.

With hip-hop music, it allowed me to talk about political and social things but also to tell stories.

There’s a lot of hip-hop that would be great with a banjo in it. It would just groove like crazy, and I hope I get to be one of the guys who does that, because it’s coming. It’s coming.

Hip-hop is making a lot of noise. It should get some more spotlight.