I like challenging myself. I like the challenge of rapping to fast beats, rapping to beats that are super slow, whatever. I like the challenges, so I’m not afraid to take on any piece of music and create a song to it if it feels right to me.
I have only been funny about seventy four per cent of the time. Yes I think that is right. Seventy-four per cent of the time.
You definitely feel a little exposed, because some of your friends call you like, “Man, I need that much.”
Since I was eight years old, I went to Trinity. I mean, I listened to Reverend Wright since I was a kid and I always heard him preach sermons of love and inspiration.
I’ve always associated consciousness with artists like Bob Marley or Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan. You know, artists that really talked about what was going on in the world and really artists that are timeless.
I was one of the richest rappers in 2008. But it was definitely a strange feeling.
It would be great to be able to follow in the footsteps of Bill Murray. I really respect his ability as a comedian, obviously, but even more so as an actor.
It’s nice to be in a place where I can be a little more selective, and to be sought out for ideas that I have.
You have to listen a lot, and you have to be open and ready to adjust to anything. It kind of provides a framework that you use all the time. You never really shut off that part of your brain when you’re doing something. It’s invaluable to have.
If you set up an environment where failing is encouraged then you want to try everything. It’s obviously the best way to work.
I don’t even consider myself an impressionist, really.
I laugh like a fool when I watch a movie that I’ve done several years down the road when it’s on cable, i’ll just watch and sadly laugh along.
I am a bit of a gourmet chef. I love cooking mostly Thai food. And a lot of times on movies, you have these trailers that have these little ovens and kitchenettes. A lot of actors never use them, but I would cook lunch just about every day.
I built a jail in my closet and I would incarcerate my family from time to time.
I think it just came with me evolving as a person and me understanding that it’s not right to judge or to say anything derogatory about other people, especially if I don’t know them.
Every time I do a partnership with the corporation, it’s usually – I mean, it is – reflective of me and they really want who I am. They want what I’ve established for my brand and the respect and quality that I’ve established.
Now we have food networks and everything. CNN was the beginning of all of that.
I never put too much pressure on myself when I’m the central thing, just because I don’t think I could handle it mentally. I haven’t really thought about the implications of carrying a movie. It still has to be just a fun, weird thing.
I’m a panicked karaoke participant because I am always searching for a song in the moment. I don’t have my go to song. I will be driving along and I will be like, “That should be my karaoke song!” and then I forget what song it is.
Though I know consciousness kind of boxes you in, it still encompasses the artists that I knew were conscious throughout history of music – they’re the ones that you look at as the legends.
I think whatever an artist does, it just has to be quality and good. I think the way Kanye’s doing what he’s doing with the Auto-Tune is actually creative because he just writes good melodies. He just writes good songs. He’s just gifted.