“Art is based on emotion, but being macho is based on ego; the wall protecting that emotion.”

“At the end of the day, as a grown man, I don't really care what the sexuality of the next man is.”

“Historically, black music has influenced other cultures and other genres and created other genres.”

“I always had a fascination with music.”

“I believe dreams represent the purest form of fantasy we unleash through our subconscious. They represent the truest freedom we can experience. Totally unrepressed and totally creative.”

“I don't think I live the lifestyle that's expected of a quote unquote R&B artist. I'm just not that dude.”

“I feel like R&B as a genre has become a caricature of itself.”

“I feel like when you are really appreciative, it makes it easier to have a better outlook and perspective of life in general.”

“I feel that as artists - whatever your medium is - I feel that we're watching what goes on around us and we take what we don't see, or we don't hear, or we don't feel and we do something that speaks of it; more about it, for it, or against it - whatever our perspective is - that's what our job is.”

“I fell in love with funk music through my father - Funkadelic - as well as soul and classical early on.”

“I grew up in Los Angeles when the racial tensions between blacks and Mexicans were very high. Gang violence was very prevalent.”

“I just think that Jack White is the consummate artist - an artist's artist. I'm a huge fan.”

“I mean, there's plenty of artists who are making R&B music, but because of their ethnicity, it's considered something else.”

“I think it's natural for an artist to explore as they evolve.”

“I think my style as far as vocal delivery and even down to the pronunciation of certain words is so deliberate.”

“I think the illest thing about Wiz Khalifa is how true to himself he's always been, and I miss that from artists. Nothing about what he does ever felt like he was reaching to be something that he wasn't.”

“I think your conversations are indicative of your tastes - even your diction.”

“I want everyone to express themselves in a unique way.”

“I'm a nice guy, but I like to get into trouble.”

“Interestingly, I matured as a musician and as an artist before I matured as a man. What I mean by that is, I was ready to be completely vulnerable and honest with myself and unapologetic when it comes to how I express myself in my medium. But I wasn't as secure in doing that when it came to just being myself.”

“I've honestly never worked with Beyonce. It would be awesome, though; I would love that.”

“My sound is definitely what I like to call 'e-clectric.'”

“One of the most telling things about a person is how they say hello, handshakes.”

“'SNL' is probably one of the premiere outlets that a musician can perform on that isn't obviously a music outlet.”

“The extremes of who I'd love to be onstage are David Bowie, Prince, and, I don't know, Bjork.”

“Twitter is definitely not the place to handle business per se.”