My first song was 'So Sick,' which was my first number one as an artist, and I turned the mic around to the crowd, and they sang the whole song. Every lyric. That was my first experience with the power of music.
There's been a few things that have been insane with 'Rather Be', and being nominated for a Grammy is, like, the pinnacle one.
However wack anyone thought 'Whatzupwitu' was, there's not a lot of people that have footage of themselves dancing around in the clouds with Michael Jackson. I do have that forever.
'Nothin' on You' by B.o.B was the first song where I heard myself on the radio. I'd been trying my whole career to write a song like that, which incorporates live instruments with hip-hop and singing.
I was driving my 1959 Chevy Impala down King's Highway in Brooklyn with the top down, and I heard 'Oh! Carol' on three stations at the same time while I was channel surfing. I knew then that I made it.
I didn't want that 15 minutes of fame moment like, 'Oh, she said she was gay.'
When my song came on the radio for the first time, that was one of the heaviest things I remember.
When Rock was on 'Saturday Night Live,' that's what propelled him into the mainstream and made everyone realize, 'Holy crap, this guy is really talented.'
'Jewel in the Crown' is the biggest exposure I've ever had on television.
