I think the stuff that plays on the radio, the majority of it is for teenagers, which is okay. That's what pop radio is about. And some of it is great, and some of it is not.
I love my fans, I love my music - I have no reason to retire.
I don't look back. I don't live my life in the rear-view mirror because, if you do, you're bound to end up wrapped around a pole somewhere.
What you do in your art - TV, music, film stuff - touches people. And they want to touch you. So that's a blessing. I'm okay with it.
Art is about imagination. When you look at a picture from Salvador Dali, that's about imagination. When you look at Picasso, that's about imagination. Doing stuff from your heart.
To me, my peers are Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger. I'm not talking age-wise, but in terms of careers. Madonna. Those are my peers. And I'm okay with that.
What I say on a record and what I say off a record is two different things. And that's always been the case. There's a difference between confidence on a record and arrogance.
Let me tell you something - compared to a TV-drama production schedule, touring is not strenuous.
If you do cardio one day and the next day you can do weights, do it that way. If you need to do it at night or in the morning, do it that way. Whatever you need to get it done, just get it done.
I think the key to working out is for people to think of water - just allow the workouts to fill out the cracks in your lives and seep into wherever you can fit it in.
What is more important than the name is that people know that I really like acting, I enjoy it and I want people to know that I am serious. The name thing: I will always be L.L. Cool J.
I'm a real person that cares about his art and cares about what he's doing. I have a heart and a soul and I want to touch people and give.
I think in order to keep America great, we have to keep America creative.
I've been training as an actor for six years. Nobody goes to acting school for six years. I mean, the college course is only four years! I absolutely trained.
At fourteen, I started sending out demo tapes.
I've never been one to have to manipulate women. I always want it to be like a mutual thing, like everybody loves everybody.
What I don't do is try to like become whoever I'm rapping with. The people who go get an LL album want to hear LL.
I feel like my peers now are artists like Madonna and the Stones, Michael Jackson and Prince. These are people who were able to take their careers beyond the normal here-today-gone-tomorrow life span.
I just like to do different things. What is more important than the name is that people know that I really like acting, I enjoy it and I want people to know that I am serious.
I'm not giving up my history and what I've done in my music because I love it and I'm very proud of it. I just want to open it up for more people.
That's one of the good things about music. You get to do it live, where you can touch the people and interact with them.
I'm not just a rapper. I'm an entertainer. That's the difference.
I was listening to Jimi Hendrix; I just admire his artistry and creativity as an artist.
I've got to see my movie to see how I'm acting, see what little things I can learn about my craft.
I am a real person that cares about his art and cares about what he's doing - I have a heart and a soul and want to touch people and give.
As a black man, my hope is that I can touch more and more people all over the world of different races and different colours.
I don't think you should go around talking trash about people because I think that's how you get your hat handed to you.
I only do what comes from the heart.
What I like to do is just make good music, good movies, hopefully perform a good show full of energy and just have some fun.
Sometimes altering your position is the right thing. Sometimes it's not.
We're going to raise a lot of money for cancer awareness, give some to the American Cancer Society and hopefully make a big difference.
I try to do the right thing with money. Save a dollar here and there, clip some coupons. Buy ten gold chains instead of 20. Four summer homes instead of eight.
I think when you move past your fear and you go after your dreams wholeheartedly, you become free.
Timing has a lot to with art.
To know the rules of the game, you have to be educated.
I don't wanna abandon my identity as LL Cool J, but at the same time, I had to figure out how to let people know that I'm really serious about making these movies.
I'm good at what I do, but I wouldn't be so bold and arrogant as to say something disrespectful about, say, Eminem. He's talented and he's good at what he does.
The nature of the game is pain.
The person that made me want to make movies, and the reason I do films, is Bruce Lee. He was an incredible actor, and he had a lot of charisma. Handsome, action, you know, everything was there. I loved Bruce Lee.
I think I'm the best, of course. How could I not?
Hip-hop's always reached out to kids. If you look at the last 10 big albums it might seem ironic. But when I look at the history of this music it's always had a lot of positivity.
I think that politics could be a positive thing. My beef is that people focus on the personal aspect of a politician too much. They should focus on the results.
Once the referee throws the ball in the air, it's either your ball or their ball and you have to just take your shot.
I just look at the high and bright side of things.
People will feel the way they feel.
I don't have an image that I'm trying to, like, portray. I'm just being me.
I think when you move past your fear and you go after your dreams wholeheartedly, you become free. Know what I'm saying? Move past the fear.
Sometimes you've just got to grab an apple - or grapes, or strawberries. Something that's healthy but maybe a little bit more adventurous, if you can see fruit as adventurous.
Nobody is perfect, but life is about choices.
I'm not trying to keep up or adapt. I'm allowing myself to grow, evolve and create new music.
You've got to stay focused without being boring - because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Skinny, but dull.
God blesses us all with different views and perspectives and levels of influence and power.
I do about 90 percent of my own stunts, and the things I can't do for insurance reasons, like swinging out of a flying helicopter, I wouldn't want to do anyway.
Hip-hop can be limiting and I refuse to accept limits.
Dreams don't have deadlines. I'm thinking of doing bigger and better things and having more fun with it.
You can't let your past hold your future hostage.
You don't need to be the good guy to get a good message out.
Our world is at the crossroads. We have a choice, right and wrong.
Once you achieve one goal, you should be looking forward to trying to build onto the next thing, and not just getting comfortable with what you're doing.
Do what you love; you'll be better at it. It sounds pretty simple, but you'd be surprised how many people don't get this one right away.
I'm not trying to be new school and I'm not old school - I'm classic. There's a lot of new cars and there's a lot of old cars, but I'm just classic in doing what I do.
I am what I am, I'm doing very well in my life, and I'm thankful to God for that.
You have to always continue to strive no matter how hard things get, no matter how troubled you feel. No matter how tough things get, no matter how many times you lose, you keep trying to win.
When adversity strikes, that's when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on.
Stand up and face your fears, or they will defeat you.
I think fitness is important. I think a healthy lifestyle is important. I think putting positive energy out there is important and just staying connected with the people.
Stay focused, go after your dreams and keep moving toward your goals.
The secret to it all is just to enjoy what you're doing. This is not working at the coal face, this is not sweeping behind a restaurant. It's work, but it's not work. It gives me a different type of energy. I'm grateful for that.
I think the guy who has had the better films is Will Smith. I don't know if he's a better actor than me. I don't think so. I am a rapper first. Man, I just love what I do. I am just the greatest and I can't help it. I'm sorry man.
There's a lot of single black women who did the best that they could and that's a beautiful thing, but they don't know how necessary a father is in a kid's life and how much guys miss that deep down inside.
I am artistic so I reserve the right to change my mind at any point. I just like to do different things. What is more important than the name is that people know that I really like acting, I enjoy it and I want people to know that I am serious.
The people who go get an LL album want to hear LL. They don't want to hear LL trying to sound like DMX or whoever else is out there. That's not what they want to hear from me, because if they want to hear that they can go get the real thing.
We need to make sure that there's art in the school. Why? Why should art be in the school? Because if art isn't in a school, then a guy like Steve Jobs doesn't get a chance to really express himself because in order for art to meet technology, you need art.
