I saw music as a way to entertain people and take them away from their daily lives and put smiles on their faces, as opposed to what I see it being now, which is a way for me to actually communicate, and a way for me to tap into my subconscious.
I could write six songs in one day with everything that's going on.
I felt like I was making a record under the radar, and that is my favorite way to do anything.
I guess what people forget sometimes is that when I write songs, I write them sometimes in about 20 minutes.
I happen to be lucky in that I knew what I wanted to do as far as a career since I was nine years old.
Down the road, I'll probably have a kid or two or three. And there will probably be political events or spiritual things to comment on, and humor.
I remember thinking during those times that I wanted to write in a way where there are no rules.
As long as I can say what it is that I need to say, then I'll fit whatever I'm trying to say around a melody.
I see my body as an instrument, rather than an ornament.
I love songs that are very autobiographical.
But once I acclimated and really used fame for what it was offering me as a tool to serve my life purpose of inspiring and contributing, then it started to get fun again.
At one point, I was just perceived as only being angry, but now I'm being perceived as angry, peaceful, and spiritual.
Anything I do has to be directly related to my music. If it isn't, I don't really see a point to it.
And ultimately the people who produce my records, they know that they're here to serve the purpose of me expressing who I am at this period of time and augmenting that or pulling it forward and I love that process.
I see the whole concept of Generation X implies that everyone has lost hope.