Negroes are in no mood to shoulder guns for democracy abroad while they are denied democracy here at home.
Animals play a big part in my life, on tour or at home.
I grew up in Haifa and enjoyed the wonderful beaches and Mount Carmel that rolls into the Mediterranean Sea. From my early days at home, I remember a strong encouragement to study.
My grandfather, Arthur Baskerville, he played and still plays a little bit piano and trombone, and so when I was a kid, I always heard jazz around the house, but I also went to his gigs, whether it be a Saturday brunch in my hometown Columbus, Ohio. We'd go and hear him play with some of the local musicians.
I love L.A., but Pittsburgh just is home. This is what I know. This is where I was born and raised. This is what molded me to make me who I am.
Pittsburgh's home. This is where it all started. This is always going to be home. I always have to get back to Pittsburgh and get some work done.
When I was younger, I'd always forget stuff. I think there was probably 4-5 times where we'd drive 30 minutes to a town for the baseball tournament, and all of a sudden, I'd get to the field and look in my bag, and I didn't have my cleats. So my dad had to race all the way home to get my cleats and get back before the game started so I could play.
When you're facing a different guy every at-bat, he's coming at you with his best stuff. There's no warm-up; there's no 'see a pitch.' You've got to be locked in from the very first pitch... The biggest thing is do your homework before the game starts.
That's your dream, to play professional baseball. When you get the opportunity like that, getting drafted - especially by Oakland, a California team, pretty close to home - it was tempting. At the time, I just didn't think I was ready or mature enough mentally or physically to start pro ball.
If I'm sitting at home playing video games, and I've got a couple of minutes to myself before bed, I'm listening to music and putting a couple of playlists together. I'm passionate about music.
