Killer Mike Quotes

The success that Pantera had, I could have never, ever forecasted or predicted, and I always felt a responsibility to try to pay even a bit of it forward.

I do know many a band out there, because believe me, we've played with most of them, who are together because they have to be. They might not talk to each other offstage, but they realize they can earn a living by going out and keeping that music alive.

I actually have two songs I did with Nicki Minaj. We didn't even plan on doing it that way, but it was an organic connection and just a really solid connection she and I had musically.

And it was a very, very fruitful and great relationship between the Stones and The Beatles. It was very, very friendly.

Johnny Mercer was my father's best friend and became mine as well. And Harold Arlen, whom I would call Uncle Harry, and Harry Warren: those were ones who I really became close to.

I'd love to work with some of the people I've remixed for - Ed Sheeran or Chris Martin or The Weeknd. But it's not just big names like these guys that I want to collaborate with.

You can always know, when it comes to a Gucci Mane or Migos project, there is no such thing of them putting out a project without me being a part of it. These are guys that I'm really close with, and we built a sound together, and we got a certain chemistry.

I came up with Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Those guys, they took me under their wing at an early age.

Getting to write a song with Steve Vai - he was my first support.

Howie Epstein was a kind, patient, and extremely talented musician. He took two years out of his life and dedicated his undivided attention to the making of two of my records. Those records changed my life thanks to Howie.

I really love working with Ramona from Nite Jewel. We've kind of grown up together.

If it wasn't for the Porcaro brothers, I don't know where I'd be right now. My life would be completely different.

I've been blessed to work with so many wonderful musicians and engineers and friends over the years.

In the 1990s music was a beautiful collaborative process between the composer, lyricist and director. They would exchange ideas and magic used to happen.

I've learned a lot from every musical collaboration I've ever had, but there's something about my relationship with Bjork that is special to me.

Generally, as a composer, it's perceived as an employer-employee relationship.

I really don't believe in going too far out of your way to hunt down somebody to do a song.

I've been working with Riccardo Tisci from Givenchy.It's been a long collaboration, and I don't think it's going to stop now. It's very important to me. Riccardo is younger than me, so it's great to have someone new teaching you in everything, not just in fashion. I'm teaching him in French style, what a women's style is, but he's teaching me in all of these different styles of music.I love this new world for me. It's refreshing and nourishing to keep learning about new things.

I was looking for Quincy Jones, that's who I was obsessed with. Watching Mike [Jackson], I always knew that I had to be a showman on stage, because when people come to you live you always want them to come back. You gotta give them something to remember.

Mainly, when I ran into Emmylou Harris, that was it, you know? We could finish each other's sentences musically, and personally, too. We have a very shared, similar sensibility. And that was a friendship that really opened up a tremendous number of musical doors for me.

The role James Baldwin played in my life is incommensurable as stated above. He helped, along with a few others, to shape the man that I am today. My debt to him is invaluable.

We always talked [with Andrew Ridgeley] about when it would happen - we always knew that I would go on to have a solo career.

So many people have listened to my song because of it - I'm beyond grateful. It's funny because when I met Spencer and Dustin, they were so excited to meet me, but I was like you're the celebrities to me - they're the ones with a video has over 10 million views.

Sometimes I'll write a song first and then I'm like, "Oh this person will be great on this song." But there are some artists I know what want, like off the top I knew I wanted Brandy and Faith Evans. Their music is like the soundtrack to my life, so it was a personal thing for me. So once they said yes, I wrote songs specifically for them.

If you want love and abundance in your life, give it away.