I wanted to be as genuine as possible because all those people like Jimmie Lee Jackson - me, Mike Brown, all these people - we're all the same; we're not much different.
I always knew I'd be an actor. I always knew I'd at least be on a big screen somewhere.
When I was little, when I was a toddler or something, I would watch 'Jason's Lyrica' lot.
You can be the most intelligent person, and you can have so much potential, but if you don't have a guide by which to channel that energy, then a lot of times, it's futile.
I really like watching myself a lot because it gives me an opportunity to see it from outside the flesh, and when I view it like that, I can be a lot more cynical and see the things that need to be attacked.
I write poetry, and I put it to a beat - I mean, that's what they call rap.
Victorville gave me opportunity to go inside and explore my imagination a bit.
My focus is anything that allows me to express myself. Rap, dance, photography. Those are my forms of expression.
My producer, HH, makes sounds, so I'm writing to his beats.
I'm a little baby in a barrel just taking everything in. I'm just so fortunate to do whatever I'm doing.
Just listening and going back and forth and exchanging ideas with people. It's a beautiful thing. This is what's really important.
Although rap is about boasting, it's also about honesty and expressing your emotions.
I love 'Watch the Throne,' because Kanye was acting so ratchet.
I've done music since I would sit and make songs on my computer mic when I was 11.
Hip-hop is not all '2 Chainz' - although '2 Chainz' is awesome. How he does that with metaphors, I don't know.
I grew up very poor in a fractured family that was dysfunctional on both sides, but I sort of put up these reflectors to most of the negative things that have occurred in my life. I don't carry around much baggage.
I was kind of a weird kid in high school. I didn't have many friends in my age group because all they wanted to do was fight and have riots.
That was like my safe place with great teachers where everyone could let down their guard and not feel judged. As soon as we walk outside, it was like, 'Look at these weird drama club kids.' But we all had our own agreement that we were cool in our own way.
Some people look like they're lost causes, but they're not. Even if they're in a messed up situation, the one little thing you do to help can go a long way.
