SCHOOLBOY Q

I think that's what most of us rappers do too often. We put too much information in some of our albums that could actually be on the next ones.

You've got to be like a fan at your show, just wild out. I make eye contact. I get in the crowd and kick it with 'em, stage dive, mosh. I make 'em laugh. I go out there and turn up, have fun. There's no set list; I don't have rehearsals.

I think we - the way to stop anything violent or anything wrong is by really just paying attention to your own circle. You only can help the world by helping the people next to you.

Nas always been my favorite rapper, but 50 Cent, he changed my way of thinking about music 'cause he was so detailed in his music, I knew that wasn't lying. I never felt Tupac that way; I never felt Biggie that way. I love Nas music, but I never felt and believed like, 'This is for real.' 'Cause I grew up that gangsta lifestyle.

The L.A. rap scene is popping again because rappers stopped saying 'West Coast.' Nobody says that anymore. Fans of L.A. music were reaching and saying, 'This is West Coast music,' because nobody else liked it.

I would ditch school if my CD was scratched up or I couldn't get batteries. I wasn't trying to get on the bus and not be listening to music.

'Habits & Contradictions' is the prequel to 'Setbacks.' I had all these titles already in my head before I even dropped 'em. Like 'Setbacks,' I knew that was gone be the first one; I knew 'Habits & Contradictions.' I knew 'Oxymoron.' I got two more albums that I already have the title to it, and I know how I'ma play the theme off of it.

People look at me and keep walking - but you can tell they know who I am. I want them to bug me. It's gonna be a sad day when they don't.

I knew school was stupid since the fifth grade.

I kept buying bucket hats. Next thing I knew, I felt like I didn't look right without one.

The more harder you work, the less you're out spending your money.

Lean gives you such stomach pain. I'll never forget the time I was at South by Southwest and had to do all these shows, and I sitting on the couch curled up, hours of pain...That wasn't the moment I quit, that was the moment when I said I need more.

Charisma, that's my strong point. My personality was always good, but with music I had to grow into it. I grew into who I am now.

I got a Lucifer soul. I'll be the Devil's son, Devil's work, gettin' work.

I'm a performer. That's what I do. That and making money - it's the passion and the care factor for the people that support your passion, the people that support you, it's the kind of people that go crazy and love your stuff.

I hate the business part of music. Music is just like the streets. There's loyal and disloyal people, people saying one thing and then don't do it.

I'm a real stubborn person. I'm still humble, not too cocky, but I'm big headed. I know what I wanna do and I know how I wanna do it and I know what needs to be done.

If I was with some other rappers who aren't as polished, or I was the only rapper, I don't think I would be where I'm, nor would I be rapping. They pushed me, we pushed each other on every record.

I didn't spend money on nothin'. Besides my daughter, bucket hats, and weed.

I remember listening to Sugar Free and Jay Z and I never really understood some of the stuff they used to say until years later. Then you hear it again like, Damn that's crazy. I just got what he's talking about.

I let my music do the talking. Ain't no TV show gonna help me. Ain't no hit single gon help me sell no records.

The streets helps you a lot in music, cause it let's you know that you can't trust nobody and that nobody's gonna wait for you. You can't just sit there with dope in your pocket and think that people are gonna come to you. You gotta put the product out there.

You already past 21 and you still talking about "I'ma be a rapper." You ain't did one show, niggas ain't seen you on TV. So Kendrick kind of went through the same thing I went through. He just had his mom's house to go to.

I would definitely want a hit record, but I still want the success to be around the album. Only the music can help me.

I'm one dude that writes his adlibs. I don't just go in there and say "Gimme a track." I say what I'ma say here [then] I put effects on my voice. Why not? I wrote it. Why not show the talent? Why be scared? That's why I hate certain fans who hate cause it's not like raw hip-hop, like boom bap.