If I told you that a flower bloomed in a dark room, would you trust it?
Toronto's one of my favourite places. If I were to move anywhere out of California, it would be Toronto. Definitely.
Am I the only one who measures time using songs? Oh it only took me 4 songs to get here! that's not to long!
Groups break up because they never got across what they wanted to do personally, and they have creative differences, and egos start to clash.
People gonna be they own individuals and have they own worlds and I can't knock it.
It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.
My whole thing is to inspire, to better people, to better myself forever in this thing that we call rap, this thing that we call hip hop.
I'm Machiavelli's offspring, I'm the king of New York, king of the coast, one hand, I juggle them both.
I've got an extra-specific story about Dr. Dre. I saw him when I was 9 years old in Compton -- him and Tupac. They were shooting the second 'California Love' video. My pops had seen him and ran back to the house and got me, put me on his neck, and we stood there watching Dre and Pac in a Bentley.
My folks ain't graduated from high school or nothing like that, so we always had to struggle in the family -- and I come from a big family.
I always thought money was something just to make me happy. But I've learned that I feel better being able to help my folks, 'cause we never had nothing. So just to see them excited about my career is more of a blessing than me actually having it for myself.
As long as my music is real, it's no limit to how many ears I can grab.
My mom's one of 13 siblings, and they all got six kids, and till I was 13 everybody was in Compton.
I always felt like there was a certain standard of music that I had to do from the beginning, even when I didn't have the recognition that I have now.
I learned, when I look in the mirror and tell my story, that I should be myself and not peep whatever everybody is doing.
People are used to music that justifies street culture but something that's not touched on is why these kids act the way they act, live the way they live.
My pops and my mom started playing Marvin Gaye and the Isley Brothers and all these people, but at the same time, they always had Snoop on right behind it in the same mix.
From the moment I started writing raps, I was always aware of the pressure. I always wanted to live up to how huge Snoop got, how huge Dre got, how huge Pac got. I was always aware.
The best thing is to always keep honest people around, because when you have a bunch of yes men around that know that you're making a mistake but let you go on with it, that's when it ruins your mind state as an artist.
I look at where I'm at today and realize that most of my success is owed to the mentors that was in my life.
We're in the last days, man -- I truly, in my heart, believe that. It's written. I could go on with biblical situations and things my grandma told me. But it's about being at peace with myself and making good with the people around me.
Eventually you get to this point where you understand what you want to do and get across and sound like.
I'm sticking to the script, I'm putting that organic feeling back in the game.
Being acknowledged for your work is always a great accomplishment, whether it's people in my city, kids in the street, all the way up to the Grammys.
I think my worst problem is actually living in the moment and understanding everything that's going on. I feel like I'm in my own bubble.
If my edge is dull, my sword is dull, and I don't want to fight another guy whose sword is dull. If you've got two steel swords going back and forth hitting each other, what's gonna happen? Both of them are going to get sharper. Everybody that's in the industry has lost their edge.
People have to go through trials and tribulations to get where they at. Do your thing -- continue to rock it -- because obviously, God wants you here.
When everybody looks at our generation of kids, they always call us the misfits -- you know, like we just don't give a damn.
When I ask OGs why there's so much division in the streets, nobody never really knows. But you know one thing that everybody always mention? A woman.
When I went back to my old high school, all these kids looking at me like I'm the real big homie, the same way I look at Jay Z, Nas, or Dr. Dre. You would've thought Michael Jackson walked through that joint off the excitement that they had.
My passion is bringing storylines around and constructing a full body of work rather than just a 16-bar verse.
My moms always told me, 'How long you gonna play the victim?' I can say I'm mad and I hate everything, but nothing really changes until I change myself.
When you go on your Twitter or look down your Timeline and it's all great positivity -- I love that. But at the same time, it can really divert you from what your purpose is or what you're trying to do. And I've seen artists get caught up in that.
I had to come from something, come from a place that was negative and positive but the majority of it is a negative place.
I don't really believe in the type of pressure that people are wanting to put on the type of music that I make.
I've been called a recluse. There's definitely truth in that. I like to spend time alone.
At first, I was scared to show fear because you can never be sure how people will perceive you. But I dared myself to do that, to stand out. Now I'll talk about being beaten up or robbed or making a stupid decision because of a girl or whatever.