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" I loved plays, I loved films, but I had no desire to act until I had just put out my album 'Like Water for Chocolate.' Creatively, I felt like I'd hit a ceiling, and I needed something else to express myself, and I just decided to take acting classes. "

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" I want to be the voice of the people; black, white, everyday, oppressed people. A person trying to make it and to do it right. "

Common

White

People

Black

" The impact of a conscious artist is necessary, and it ripples through the world. "

" I came from the South Side of Chicago wanting to be a rap artist and make videos. "

" People that I care about, that I consider being friends of mine, most of the things I discuss with them I wouldn't discuss in public because it's a real relationship. It's not a relationship for the public, you know? "

" My mom has obviously had a powerful influence on my life, and her voice can describe certain things that I couldn't see in myself. "

" Doing acting opened up other creative outlets; it made me feel freer as an artist. "

" I believe that music is about making quality things, making quality art, and no matter who you decide to work with, you and that person have to come up with something special, come up with something that is excellent material, so whoever hears it and reviews it will like it. "

" That's why I named my album 'Finding Forever,' because that's what I was thinking about: What did I want to contribute to this world that would live beyond my physical existence? "

" When I started thinking about it, I was like, 'OK, if throughout time I get labeled as a conscious artist, I'll be very much celebrated, in a way, and honored.' "

Common

Time

Artist

" I was in the heart and soul of Baltimore. I definitely felt a connection to the people. They're really hard-working people that want to have a better life. And I saw the struggle that exists there. "

" Hip-hop is supposed to help you elevate, or go higher. "

" Movies and media really can influence us. A few years ago, my daughter wanted to be a dancer; since Obama came into office, she now wants to be a lawyer and get into politics and maybe even be president. "

" This is a broad thought, but loving yourself and having the support so that you can love yourself is the most important thing that young people in Chicago can get. "

" Playing basketball is definitely one of my favorite things to do. "

" One thing I always loved about hip-hop music was the raw, boom-bap element - it felt powerful and manly. "

" I think you really have to remember what you loved about making music in the first place. Ultimately, people can be like, 'We've seen this dude in many movies,' but if they hear a song and they're feeling it, they can look past all the personal things and not hold it against you that you're also an actor. "

" I feel, as an artist, I should be able to express who I am and the things I come from, and the places I want to also be. "

" Man, if I get a chance to speak on the microphone, I've got to say something somewhere in there. You know, I'm going to laugh and have fun, too, but something has to be said that has some substance, because this is a platform, and the power that we have with words and with this microphone is phenomenal. "

" One thing I have throughout my career, it felt like I did my best to align myself with quality artists, quality work, and it is a situation of steel sharpening steel. "

" After you make good, quality music, then it's your job to go out there and promote it and to market it and to get it out there to the people. "

" It's our responsibility for the village to say, 'Hey we're going to create these programs,' whether it's sports, creative arts, music, we need some things to give young people positive things to do, and that's including jobs. "

" It was incredible to have J Dilla in your dining room making beats - it was one of the greatest experiences I've had. "

" Me as an artist, I've ventured off into doing all types of music. I'll do a jazz album, you know what I mean. "

" Everything I'm saying shouldn't be taken so serious. I'm playing, but at the same token, I'm acknowledging that I'm not always the perfect man; I'm not always doing the right things. That's who I am. I'm working to be better. "

" You have to be sincere in your feelings. And fear is one of those, sometimes; doubt is one of those; jealousy, anger - all your emotions are not going to be considered the strong emotions; all of them are not going to be love, happiness, joy. "

" Obviously God knew I wasn't going to make it to the NBA as much as I probably believed. This was divine order. "

" Technically, my first acting job was in one of my videos for a song called 'Retrospect For Life,' which Lauryn Hill directed and featured an actress by the name of N'bushe Wright, who played my girlfriend who was about to be pregnant. I remember being so nervous about it, but now I feel like I can conquer the world with it. "

" Oh man, I love what the South brings as far as the soul, and I really have noticed from even the early days of listening to OutKast and Goodie Mob that Atlanta and the South has a diverse sound to it. You have bounce music. You have soulful musicians. You have artists with vocals who try to do different things. "

" I come from playing sports. I compete, so I gotta be better than I was last year. I gotta get better, and that better gotta come from just growing. From learning new stuff to working on it, experience it in life, and failing. "

" What America was built on was being able to say, 'Hey, we're going to come in and use our resources to build for ourselves and our communities and build around that. We're not going to depend on others.' "