Selective Collaboration Quotes

I like getting my own thoughts out right now, I have fans to solidify, so that's why I don't do tracks with too many younger rappers or newer artists. People may consider me to be a music snob or whatever, but I like to preserve what's mine and I also don't just do tracks to do tracks, I make every song with a purpose.

I'd love to write a book and dabble in TV a little more - but only if it's right. I'm not going to go out there and beg anyone for a job.

I've never done songs with people just for the sake of the great combination. I've always done songs with friends.

I ain't just collab-ing with anybody. Because I don't care about making friends. I got enough friends.

Its very important to me to be respected by true talented artists and great minds than by the masses who need to be told how to think. Its more important for me to do things that are spiritually rewarding because that wealth is what makes me feel alive. I do not touch projects that do not yield personal fulfillment, or put me in a field with talent that is over-measured. You wont find me where there is no Truth. And Im not one to jump on any bandwagons or join a gold rush without a purpose. Id rather create my own projects and grow my own fields.

This is not a change of career for me. Just an expansion of it. I have contracts and obligations and business partners who are counting on me. And I would only want to do another movie if it's as good as this one.

People send me records, and if don't like them, I won't do them; I don't care how much money you offer.

People look at stuff like 'Godzilla' and 'Avengers' and think I only do blockbusters, or however you wanna put it, but in reality, I can make double or triple what I got paid for 'Avengers' by doing other stuff - there are other options, but I don't want to work with this person or that person, and so I don't do it.

From Jay-Z to Nas to Kanye to whoever, I'm just not the type to say, 'Hey, let me get on your album.' If they want me, they're going to reach out and say, 'I need a joint from you.'

I've been offered lots of movies. There's always some actor who's doing a project and would like to have me do it. But you look at the project and think, 'Gee, there are a lot of good directors who could do that.' I'd like to do something only I can do.

I pick my feature film battles very carefully. They're going to be personal and they're going to take a lot of my energy. I'm not going to be some big production company and be Jerry Bruckheimer or something like that. It doesn't interest me.

I'd rather say no and have said no and do say no often. I walk away from projects if it doesn't feel right; if it's not the right team of people pulling in together or if the script isn't right. It could be a great idea but the script doesn't work.

You just have to be clever about who you work with. Had I done Gap or H&M, there's no way Louis Vuitton would have wanted to work with me. So you hold out for the big ones.

I am not interested to sing in Bollywood. I sing for only those actors whom I admire. I sing free of cost for them. I want to take independent music ahead, and my songs are completely based on my observations.

People like me have to have the discipline only to work for clients, corporations, political people, products, services, networks that we believe in and we want to see succeed.

I'm not a terribly social person, and so I have to really like people to work with them.

I choose to work with every single person that I work with. That ends up being the most important factor. I don't interact with people I don't like or admire. That's the key. It's like marrying.

I think I've been fortunate over the years to be at a point in my career where I really get to choose the partnerships that I really want to take on and they're a perfect fit.

Like any other actor, I want to work with good directors, and I always look for good scripts. I've had to say no to some people; I suspect that's the reason I'm called arrogant.

I don't do album covers or CD covers for groups or musicians I don't like or have no interest in.

The things and the projects that I want to be a part of are not the ones that I get offered. I get offered a lot, but it's not what I'm interested in. So I have to fight very hard for the things that I want to do and to work with the filmmakers that I want to work with.