My little bro Kendrick Lamar. I've been saying it for the times even when I was on Warner when everybody knew him as K-Dot. I used to tell people all the time, watch when K-Dot step out the box, he's going to be a problem.
I was on Warner Bros. for a minute.
When you're a kid, you live carefree. You notice things that go on around you, but you live like a kid with no worries until you get to that certain age where trials and tribulations come and you gotta fight and stay on your toes.
I broke my leg and cracked my pelvis.
A lot of haters been downing me but I never gave up and that's what the fans love.
I always wanted to do a record called, 'The Three J's,' because you got me, Jay Rock, you got J. Cole, and you got Jay Z. I thought that it would be dope. I said, if I couldn't get Jay Z, we'll get Jay Electronica.
I done been to so many funerals.
My mother is home. Your mother is your home. Everybody is a momma's boy or a momma's girl. That's where we came from, from a woman's womb. She always gave me good advice because mothers know best at times. She gives me advice and I take it, run with it and share that with somebody else.
From where I come from, it's gutter, dog. I look back on that and I think, 'That's strong.' Without growing up where I came from, I wouldn't be the man I am today, a strong minded individual.
When the time right, you might get a Black Hippy album.
That's what I used to do; I would just go into the studio and just rap. But it's all about coming up with dope concepts and dope hooks.
We always hear Compton and Long Beach, but Watts is always overlooked.
We all knew how talented K.Dot is. We knew how dope he was lyrically.
Growing up in the projects, I've been around music all my life. Marvin Gaye, everything man.
When I was 6, 7 years old, I was raised on all the old-school stuff. My momma used to play oldies in the house. That's all my momma used to play around the house was oldies.
I never expect those type of dudes to even listen to my music but for one of those Juggalos to come up to me like, 'Man, that 'All My Life' record, man you was talking to me.' That struck me like, 'Damn, maybe people, you never know who's listening and who you might be touching with your music.'
With gangs, there could be a positive outlook because it takes the older guys to come school these younger guys on the right roles.
Kendrick Lamar, he has stood up for peace and love in our community. When he could have just stood up for himself.
I fell in love with rhyming when I turned 13. I was in junior high. I got into it, but I wasn't serious. It was just for fun.
I started writing poetry when I was in the fifth grade, just rhyming in class.
