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That's why I make mixtapes. That's why I work with Don Cannon; that's why i work with Big Sean. Even though I don't rap, I got love and acceptance in that community, and that's something that I really take seriously and hold close to my heart.

I know about hip-hop culture, whether it's graffiti writing or DJ-ing or being an MC.

Most artists don't understand what they do, and I don't think we have to. Other people do that better - they understand what I do better than I do!

I love rap, and I try to write a bit like a rapper, to have a flow.

With rap, it's a funny thing. You can say things, and people can take 'em the way they wanna take 'em.

When you do rap albums, you got to train yourself. You got to constantly be in character.

I just feel like, with rappers, there's so much complacency. It's like, 'Oh, I'm a rapper. I'm successful. I make money. That's all that matters.' But there's a lot of stuff going on in the world. Whether or not you're aware of it, it's happening.

If only the people around you know you're an artist, then you're doing something wrong.

I think the problem with people, as they start to mature, they say, 'Rap is a young man's game,' and they keep trying to make young songs. But you don't know the slang - it changes every day, and you're just visiting. So you're trying to be something you're not, and the audience doesn't buy into that.

There's no borders or lines you can't cross anymore. Everything is getting blended with everything. That's the dope thing about music now. Some people don't like it, more of the older people. They want to, you know, go back to old-school New York hip-hop.