I grew up in New York City: Harlem, New York. I played ball for probably two of the biggest amateur basketball organizations in the city.

I went to Manhattan Center High School.

You can't be going through life expecting everything. You gotta have discipline.

I loved Muggsy Bogues when he was in the league.

I'm just a Harlem dude that can rap, and people dig my style and persona.

I didn't want to be a rapper full time. You know, Big L kinda - God bless the dead - influenced me to do that.

I sell bikinis. I sell comforters. I sell Cam'ron pillows. I sell a bunch of things off my likeness, and it all came from music, so it's definitely a blessing.

I just do hip-hop because I love to do it.

I've never really dissed Ma$e - I just tell you the truth, and if you think he's a sucker for that, it ain't my fault.

I won't talk to the D.C. police.

There is nothing that will be bigger than a Michael Jordan tribute.

I'm from the building where the wave was invented. Downstairs, under me. Ask Bigavel. Y'all call him Bigavel, Max B. I know him as Charlie Rambo. I'm from the building where the wave was invented, and it was invented after I was born.

If you just freestyle, everybody is gonna go, 'Freestyle.'

Dipset is Dipset, but it's over.

To me, any publicity is good publicity.

They didn't know what to do with rap music. You walk into Epic, and they're wearing straight-leg khakis with creases, Prada shoes with tassels. They couldn't comprehend where I was coming from.

I'm not gonna sit back and listen to somebody who listens to 3LW all day.

I'm happy to see somebody from the urban community that could go out and make a half-a-billion dollars.

When we did Diplomats music, it was all genuine, and I think that's why people love it so much, because they seen a group of kids from Harlem that had almost nothing come up to be platinum-selling artists, and people rode that wave with us.

I always grow, every album.

It takes more than a botched carjacking to keep me down.

People are foolish if they think I'm going to lose my head and give up anything to anyone just because someone threatens me.

That's what I love about the Internet - instead of having to wait on radio to play your song or TV to play your video, I can use the Internet as a tool to get my music out earlier.

If you rocking Steve Madden, we won't go anywhere.