HBO spends almost a month perfecting an episode. They shoot at the same speed that you would shoot a major motion picture, and they give you all of the things that you need to succeed. They really do support their artists.
I think 'Interscope' always puts the artist first, and they're focusing on these artists' development. I felt like that was a part of my career that I kind of needed to focus on after having come from the radio and getting exposure that way. I wanted to grow my brand and grow my fanbase, and they have proven to be the best fit for that.
Good bands won't get famous anymore unless they get really lucky.
Chance The Rapper makes some of the greatest music out, and he build his brand up organically, and the fans have reacted to it.
I wouldn't say I'm underrated, but more reserved. Only time will tell, but I've been good so far in being consistent and making hit after hit writing for myself and other artists, from rap to R&B, and being able to make those different records.
When I started playing music, people weren't selling 5 million records. That was not the standard; that was not the focus.
I'm reaching a huge audience. I'm doing what artists like Beyonce are doing in terms of selling out stadiums. The difference is my audience speaks Spanish.
My whole career began because I was always putting my music on the Internet. By the time I had my first tour, I had an audience everywhere I went, because people were listening online.
I want to build a fanbase. I want people to like my albums even more so than singles.
I just wanna make music that people love. If they love the next project that I put out, 'Thank you' because that means that I can take care of my family.
I had so much out there, the world was going crazy about 'Comes Alive!' I didn't need to go and rush into something else. You're only as good as your last record, so don't put one out for a while.
If you goin' to work, you gonna put my album on. If you happen to be makin' an hour-and-a-half drive, you gonna put my album on, because people spend more time in their car then they do in clubs.
We came up with all these crazy ideas that Taylor Swift could be the biggest artist in the world - and it came true - and that we could have five labels and become the biggest independent record company in the world - and it came true.
I was part of the generation that pushed the Internet. In fact, I broke as an artist in the U.S.A. because of the Internet.
If you're a priority artist, then you get an amazing amount of exposure and money thrown. If you are more niche, then it's not necessarily the way forward. If you want Instagram followers and fame, then the major labels are still really great for that.
Even with G.O.O.D. Music, we have artists that have done very well, and we've had artists that haven't. Being attached to Kanye is only going to get you so far. You've still got to have the records and the talent and the artistry on your own to carry it.
When I had my first gig, I was 18 in January in 2007. My first gig that I got paid, I was playing for 10 people in a 250 people capacity venue. The promoter wanted to book me because he liked my music. I played a couple of songs that made people dance. To me, that rush has always stayed the same.
My thing is, for artists who are having success, being given an award shouldn't be the thing that defines you in the first place.
Even an independent label is looking for a hit, they're not looking for a record that's not gonna do well.
I thought there was a glitch when they told me that in two or three weeks 'My Church' hit a million streams.
If I have a hit, then I hope the people who like the hit song go out and buy my album so they can hear it all.
If you look at Adele, the reason she did so well was she created great music. It wasn't about a clever marketing trick.
What made me want to become a recording artist; I was the first artist that was repeatedly asked by a label to record with them. That label was Def Jam Records.
A lot of people don't do this. You can count on a couple of hands probably how many artists also produce and write, both for themselves and for others, and are able to be successful at both things.
If you look at reggae and dancehall artists in general, there isn't really a big success story. A Shabba Ranks or a Yellowman might have a hit, but there's never a follow up. There's no consistency.
