Musician

A lot of Ennio Morricone's music is just - it's very soulful, very cinematic, and very psychedelic.

As me being somebody that makes arguably nostalgic music, I cannot stand when somebody tries to make old music just to sound old.

I always say to people that I left hip-hop in '97, meaning that I departed from listening to predominately hip-hop and just started really getting into records from the late '60s, early '70s. And once I made that change, I realized how much great music was made back in the day, and it started to become apparent how much we've lost in music.

I started buying ill, obscure records, and then I saw Portishead and Air live, and my mouth was on the ground.

It's important to the world to see superheroes that are spread across our demographic.

I was really raised on hip-hop, and hip-hop introduced me basically to all the music I listen to now.

It's important for a young black kid to see a Mexican hero, just to know that we're all equal.

I like golden-era hip-hop because they were recording on a 2-inch tape. There was dirty, raw sampling. It's nasty. It has a vibe to it.

Sometimes, a concept is needed to spark myself and the vocalist; sometimes a concept isn't necessary for that spark. It all depends on the moment, because I don't want to be that dude that every album has to be this story or that story.

Like with me, like around '97, for Christmas my parents bought me an MPC 2000 sampler and a little eight-track cassette recorder. And I started sampling records and, you know, producing hip-hop beats. And it got to the point where I realized - I innately realized that the music I liked the most was made by people that played instruments.

Having Ghost and Raekwon together on multiple tracks is almost like cheating because they fit so well together. Their chemistry is undeniable, and they clearly make each other better.

I tell people, 'I don't make music, I make worlds.'