Nas

The sound of the '90s, to me, is a combination of soul and street - it's a feeling.

You know, rap is sort of like a form of talking, right? So it's like you can hear, you know, the slaves doing it. You can hear, like, you know, Africans and Jamaicans doing it just kind of as, like, a...

I see N.Y. hip-hop like I see N.Y. streets. N.Y. streets are grimy; it's a grind. N.Y. rappers are hustlers - whatever sound is in, we can adapt to that; there's nothing wrong with that.

I like the way hip-hop is now. It's grown up enough so that it can get involved with politics if it feels like it.

Hip-hop lasted and survived all these years that you have to give it credit. Even though it's not up to people's expectations anymore, its still here, and that's says a lot.

The things that I have said when I was young and curious about whatever the subject matter was, I respect those - those are growing pains. Even if you make mistakes, I go back to those things, my...

I see N.Y. hip-hop like I see N.Y. streets. N.Y. streets are grimy; it's a grind. N.Y. rappers are hustlers - whatever sound is in, we can adapt to that; there's nothing wrong with that.

There was a side of me that knew I was gonna change the game, but I didn't know how many people would respect it.

I think marriage is a beautiful thing. I'm still a supporter of it.

Your look reflects what's happening in your mind. You gotta have some swag to you.