It takes a different mindset to be successful in anything; that's why there's not a lot of super duper successful people, because it's guys I know who may be ten times more talented than me, but they don't work as hard.
You're put in certain situations and it kind of opens up those doors and it opens up your eyes to realize what your true calling was.
I do music based upon who I like and who I think has the potential to win. I don't really judge them by "Oh somebody is hot right now". If I think the music is dope and I think the potential is there, I want to do it.
I don't have the desire to just keep every record and put it out. That's not what I do. I make records for people; that's why I just continue to be consistent, where a lot of the other top writers, they kind of fell off because they started focusing on their own careers as artists. That's not where my head is at.
I don't take off as many days as most other producers and songwriters, so I'm working every single day, and I do songs every day. So it's just about finding time, scheduling, getting in and cutting the records. I make it happen and that's the name of the game. It's no excuses - you gotta figure it out.
I really was kind of like a musical nerd. I would watch VH1's 'Behind The Music.' That was heavy when I was a kid. I would sit up and want to watch that all day instead of going outside sometimes.
I watch artists say they wrote all these songs and don't mention anybody else who was involved, and that's fine. I don't expect an artist to give me credit. I know that they're gonna take the credit for everything. But, it's my job to give myself that exposure and not make excuses, not grow bitter.
It's just a lot of fun to be able to see your ideas come into fruition. And to see people translate the things that come out of my mind vocally. And to be able to produce vocals and give people my point of view musically. And to be able to sit in the crowd and see people sing the song that I wrote, it's an amazing feeling.
When you're an artist, you can only do your own stuff. Even if you only write for other people, you're really more focused on yourself. So while everybody's out touring, I'm working on records.
I'm excited about being able to write and produce songs from an executive standpoint as well as the business side of it and the political side of it. I'm working on angles when it comes to the music business because I feel like that's the only way you can become a mogul.
I feel like all of my records have potential to be hits. Sometimes it's promotion, sometimes it's bad timing, but yeah I take it very personally. I'm very hard on myself when it comes to my records. I really believe that if it's not number one, I've failed.
There's a bunch of people who sit around and make excuses for themselves and get upset with artists, but you already know what this is - it's an ego-driven business.
Brandy is one of my favorite vocalists. Jay-Z is my favorite emcee outside of Biggie.
I really want to work with Rufus Wainwright. Michael Stipe from R.E.M. I would love to work with Kanye West.
I like clever songs. I like songs that make people think and I try to have substance in all my records, even with 'Sweet Dreams' how it was a club record and it was up tempo, but it was melodic and it was, like, lyrical.
I don't believe in writing people off.
I always say this to people: 'If Shaq can be in the NBA for 19 years and dominate for 19 years using his body, why can't I be in the music industry for 50 years using my brain when my brain is way stronger than anyone's body?' I have to have a successful record company, more hit records. I want to dominate the game.
AC/DC, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper - I learned stories of all these guys. That's when I fell in love with Queen, which is one of my favorite bands of all time... I started paying attention to what made music good. I started paying attention to why I liked it.
I listen to all types of different music. I go to different festivals. I'm around music.
Not to be arrogant, but I have a lot of hits, so my phone stay ringing, but it's consistent.
It's a gift that I have and I became good at it. When I heard my first song I didn't even know that I could write songs.
I'm very competitive; it's not enough just to have a few number ones. I want to have 200.
I work every single day, even on Sundays.
A song is a song and a hit record can change a life.
