Life is hard enough. Life is always going to be hard, so you need to push for what you want.
Dizzee Rascal
I go everywhere quiet - like a ninja. Always have done. Think big, move quiet.
People used to shoot their guns while I was MCing.
Yeah, I love festivals, man.
I was a drum 'n' bass DJ at first but not any one of note.
I grew up and learnt to hold my own. My mum was doing two people's jobs. It makes you grow up early. There's less people to talk to, less close people, innit? You're going to end up being lonely because you think a bit more.
I actually really like DJ Assault - a Detroit a ghetto tech DJ, who's produced good music that's influenced me a bit.
Every summer in my old area, Bow, these kids from across the road used to bring out quad bikes in the park. They let me have a go, and I don't know what was wrong with me, but I drove straight into a gate and fractured my big toe. I had this mad limp for ages.
I swear too much.
I don't think I was ever really a normal kid. I always wanted to do it big, and so I was always on the lookout for strong people I could learn from.
I'm going to be big like Michael Jackson.
No U.K. rapper has been in my position; there are loads of big rappers like Tinie Tempah or Skepta, but no one has done what I have: had mainstream success with underground music and pop music.
In Miami, there's a buzz there, everyone out there's partying - it's crazy.
Music's something that I really wasn't pushed into, it was something I just kinda chose, I just kept pushing myself, and it was all down to me.
If you are going to work, you might as well follow your heart, because nothing in life is easy and if it's going to be hard, it might as well be what you really want.
Yeah, I like Three Six Mafia and stuff like that.
People classify things and that's fair enough. But if somebody wants to make something different, that doesn't make them any less of an artist.
When you're actually boxing, unless it's a proper grudge match, it's less about beating the person up and more about being better within yourself. Being patient, timing things, like chess, so really, it's as much down to you as what the other person does - and that's life.
If you believe, you can achieve, innit.
There's a lot going on music-wise in L.A. It's a wicked place to wake up, there's sunshine, you go to the studio, see all these really talented producers.
I like to work with the best artists, full stop, around the world, and just make things happen man.
When I was young I used to watch MTV, Nirvana, or Guns N' Roses.
I liked going to the Caribbean, just having nice holidays, do you know what I mean?
I grew up on the pirate radio scene which started out as drum 'n' bass music. U.K. garage picked up and got bigger on the back end of that.
Politicians... say what they say - you might get every now and again a genuine one, innit? But I think people, like, as a whole make the difference.
America is the land of the hustler: it's bigger, bolder, flasher, more in your face, whereas England's more about attention to detail - trying to be refined and classy, and I think a lot of people in the urban scene in this country have had trouble accepting that.
I'll never run out of things to rap about. Sometimes you sit there and think, 'I can't do it, I can't do it.' Then something happens and you start writing.
When you hear 'I Luv U,' that's me doing Three 6 Mafia. That actual track is a mix of 'What's Your Fantasy?' by Ludacris and 'Is That Yo Chick?' by Jay Z. That's my version of that track.
People talk about the pop part - they don't talk about me being an independent artist. I made it look easy, that's the problem!
Barack Obama embraced hip-hop, man. That's the way he got through to kids.
To an extent, everyone is jealous of everyone.
If you want real truth, I'll tell you real truth, even though I know a lot of people aren't gonna like it.
I quite like thai boxing. But then I'm not surprised because I did taekwondo and karate and judo and all of that when I was a kid, and then just stopped when I got a bit older.
I'm not that guy in the suit, speaking the Queen's English. I don't need to be. I've done enough. I can go on 'Newsnight' as me.
I'm the first British artist to have two successive number ones on his own independent label.
Sometimes people chat loosely. Sometimes people just speak their minds and what's on their mind ain't necessarily real or facts, so I don't take it too serious. I'm more interested in making the music, I don't really play that.
I like that the sight of me can make people happy. That's nice innit? I like that people like my music. I like that you get perks sometimes. Sometimes people treat you better, but through that there's the opposite as well.
When I go Miami, I go deep-sea fishing. I love doing that.
I'm from east London.
Kids need to be taught that your dreams aren't just dreams. Whatever they are, it's OK to push for them.
Some people don't want to be helped, they want to do what they're doing, it's all they know.
That's the difference between me and a lot of rappers. So many are unfit, just puffing all the time.
That's what the world's about - different perspectives.
You can never have enough winter jackets.
I found it funny I was on 'Newsnight.'
The name Dirtee Stank came from a lyric I had when I was 17 or 16. Lyrical tank, like my name was Frank, going on dirty, going on stank. It sounded like a good name!
I made hardcore music and that came kind of easy - it was what I knew. But it was a challenge for me to make a big pop tune.
I sometimes think I should write a book. I've seen some things, you know, but it's all there in the songs.
Rappers and MCs have always had an alias. Building your character, it helps you to get things out.
I think a black man, purple man, Martian man can run the country... as long as he does right by the people.
