People that's in power - the central banks, these fiat currencies that are traded globally - they got influence over the messaging and the narrative in the media.

I think you can give a pure artistic product if you understand how to build your own industry.

At the core, one of my original goals is to redefine what the streets expect.

'Victory' is like, you won, so the question is, what? What did you win? I think that the songs go into that. It's just about reaching a place in myself.

I get a more passionate delivery when I just go in the booth and let the music talk.

Compton got such a legacy in hip-hop.

We came up with TDE. As competitive as rap is, and as much as we're trying to exceed the standards we set for ourselves, we take their wins as our wins, too.

Look at Pusha-T. He makes a certain type of rap music. 'Daytona' is that on the highest level.

As is the case with most people in this game, I am driven by financial motives and creative motives; the question I had to answer is which motive I will give priority to?

I knew 'Crenshaw' had elevated me and distinguished me.

Cardi B put a lot of work in.

I'm the type person, my safe place to be emotional is the booth.

I grew up in an environment where being polite was taken as a weakness. So I just fought everybody.

It's important to love in hip hop.

As I got older, my pops tried to keep me involved with the culture by telling me the stories of the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea, how he came to America, and about our family back home, because all that side of my family - my aunties, grandparents - is in Africa.

I built a company at the same time I built a career.

Partnering with Atlantic Records creates the opportunity to take what we're doing to the next level, without compromising.

L.A. hip-hop is so different; it's so diverse. Out here, it's, like, funk-inspired; it's, like, '70s-skating-rink-inspired at times. It's Zapp-and-Roger-inspired; it's house-party-era-inspired.

My experience with power, you can maintain it, or you get it taken from you. You get you some newfound power and go crazy, and it get taken from you quick.

One of my mentors schooled me on branding before it was a cliche term in the game.

My career as Nipsey Hussle is based on my life as Ermias Asghedom.

I think that every artist - or anybody that's in business - could benefit from a direct-to-consumer strategy, so I think that that applies to us as artists and content creators, too.

As much as I'm a black person from America, I'm a black person from Africa, too.

I built a label at the same time I built a career.