“Black people can be the most conservative, the most discriminating. Especially among ourselves. It wasn't white people who said all black men have to wear baggy jeans.”

“But for me to have the opportunity to stand in front of a bunch of executives and present myself, I had to hustle in my own way. I can't tell you how frustrating it was that they didn't get that. No joke - I'd leave meetings crying all the time.”

“Creative output, you know, is just pain. I'm going to be cliche for a minute and say that great art comes from pain.”

“Fashion breaks my heart.”

“I am God's vessel. But my greatest pain in life is that I will never be able to see myself perform live.”

“I am Warhol. I am the No. 1 most impactful artist of our generation. I am Shakespeare in the flesh.”

“I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family it says they're looting, if you see a white family it says they're looking for food.”

“I know I got angels watchin me from the other side.”

“I liberate minds with my music. That's more important than liberating a few people from apartheid or whatever.”

“I really appreciate the moments that I was able to win rap album of the year or whatever.”

“I refuse to accept other people's ideas of happiness for me. As if there's a 'one size fits all' standard for happiness.”

“I still think I am the greatest.”

“I thank Marc Jacobs so much for giving me the opportunity to design a shoe for Louis Vuitton, but the thing that broke my heart most was when they said, 'You're finished. The shoe's finished.'”

“I was never really good at anything except for the ability to learn.”

“I will go down as the voice of this generation, of this decade, I will be the loudest voice.”

“If you have the opportunity to play this game of life you need to appreciate every moment. a lot of people don't appreciate the moment until it's passed.”

“I'll say things that are serious and put them in a joke form so people can enjoy them. We laugh to keep from crying.”

“Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to god, and keep your face to the raising sun.”

“My message isn't perfectly defined. I have, as a human being, fallen to peer pressure.”

“Nobody can tell me where I can and can't go.”

“Nothing in life is promised except death.”

“The concept of commercialism in the fashion and art world is looked down upon. You know, just to think, 'What amount of creativity does it take to make something that masses of people like?' And, 'How does creativity apply across the board?'”

“They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus, that means guns, sex, lies, video tapes, but if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?”

“Why, if someone is good in one field can they not be accepted or given the slightest opportunity to express and be creative in other fields?”

“Would you believe in what you believe in if you were the only one who believed it?”

“You don't have to be scared of me, because I am loyal. Why are people so scared of creative ideas and so scared of truth? All I want to do is do good.”