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I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

- Jose James
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Author:
Jose James
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Memory
Listening
Holiday
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My goal is to write one book of fiction, and that's all I want to do. It takes so much time, and I don't really have enough time. But I admire writers so much.

I think the frustration you can get into as a young artist is when you realize your limitations, but you want to accomplish that rather than seeing that you don't have to do everything. Just focus on your strengths.

A lot of people in my generation, we use hip-hop as a tool to compose.

I think a lot of times we think of music as being different from other art forms. You would never ask a sculptor or painter, 'Go paint this because you'll get paid more,' you know what I mean?

I think comparisons are very on the surface. If I sing, like, 'Park Bench People,' and there's kind of a social undertone, people will say I sound like Gil Scott-Heron. But for me, the more insightful comparison would be a Roberta Flack or Nina Simone - people who really mix different genres of music.

I remember the first vinyl I bought: 'Purple Rain,' my favorite Prince album, ever.

I want to break down the wall of, you know, you have to put on a jacket and tie, and you have to act a certain way, and you have to know how to order the right kind of wine. All these things have suddenly been built up around jazz and the way it's presented.

I feel like Europe is way more advanced. They're way more open to the definition of jazz. More cool. They're like, 'You want to do that? Awesome. You want to work with a rapper? Awesome.' They're not, 'Aah, it's not real jazz.'

Whenever I'm talking about relationships, it's always at least three things. It's my relationship with myself, my relationship with God or an idea, and then usually somebody, a real person. I try to operate on all three levels at the same time, and it's difficult, but I never want to have a break-up song or something like that.

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I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.

I think my first musical memory is actually listening to Billie Holiday. I think I must have been, like, 3 or 4 years old.