I just kind of shoot the finger to the critics. I don't give sh - what a critic says. To me a critic is some loser who has no idea... someone with an opinion. We all have opinions.
What makes critics dictate what is cool and what is not. What gives them the pass to say that their opinion on music or movies or anything is what should be cool and what shouldn't. I don't think it should be up to one person.
I have a very broad demographic, from the 8-year-old who knows every word to 'Ice Ice Baby' and the college kid who grew up on 'Ninja Rap' to the soccer mom and grandparent.
My sound has changed. It's still hiphop, but it's more of like a rock/hip-hop show. It's high energy, stage diving, pyrotechnics, girls showing their breasts. It's crazy party atmosphere.
"Ice" came in when my friends would say "cold as ice" -- if you could rap and battle people you'd say "Dude, that was ice cold." It had nothing to do with jewelry. Back then, it was like "Your cold, dawg." "Vanilla Ice -- that's cold."
Concerts every night, autograph signings, endorsements, and so on. That's not what real life is about.
I didn't want the public in my personal life at all - I thought that people might perceive me as too normal, and I'd lose that larger-than-life rock star persona. You've got to protect that!
I'm a random guy. I shake a hand and make a friend. I don't do egotistical things.
To be truthful, Jay-Z wouldn't have a quarter of the records sold today if it wasn't for the white people buying his records.
I like Jay-Z, 50 Cent and Common. But I like the underground stuff like Young Jeezy, Black Rob and Shine. I also love heavy metal like Slipknot and Pantera, It's very intense stuff.
I used the music kind of as therapy, and it's just amazing that I feel so free after doing that. I feel like I had it trapped inside of me and now I feel free. So it's been a very good therapy session for me as well.
i'm okay.. is that what you really want me to say?
I just kept it real and had the freedom to do what I want. It's not designed for any age group. It's not made for radio. There are no edits. The whole album contains explicit lyrics but that's because you need it.
This was totally influenced by me and the direction that I am writing about and the stuff that I am writing about. There is just no way that you can be as intense as what I have been through in my life over a drum beat machine, sample, or loop; it's just not going to happen.
I've been playing concerts for many years, and it's still as exciting as it was the first time. I hope that shows when I'm performing.
Honestly, a lot of people thought that I was on top of the world selling so many millions of records, and that this is the life that everybody would want, but I never got to enjoy any of my success.
My main thing is music; it's what I do.
I was born in Dallas, Texas, but I was raised in south Florida. Ice Ice Baby is about that area.
I turned a lot of people in white America - and not just white America, but middle-class America - into hip-hoppers, you know?
With the mega-fame came the mega-downfall - you know, with the press and everything - and at a young age, it was very stressful to me.
And all the zig-zags and lines in my hair? I used to do that myself. I just thought it was cool that you could actually do that with your hair.
I bring people on stage with me. It's a good time, and people love to join in on the party. Show me a smile, and I'll show you one back.
A lot of people think I was an overnight success, but I was an opening act for three or four years, and then I signed my contract with EMI. Then it kind of blew up overnight.
More than half of all the hip hop record sales are white people, and I think that might be a result of my record helping people to accept hip hop.
