E-40

However God had it planned, I'm rockin' with how he do it. He took the steering wheel and I'm letting him drive.

I got a solid fan base and they love me and I love them. They know I'ma give them what they want to hear.

A lot of people - they might think I fell off, but they don't know I'm eating. I'm on the West coast, eating. It's just they don't hear about me because they don't see me on the TV. But I'm still around.

I had every major label in the world - I mean, any label that dealt with rap music wanted to sign me. I ended up going with Jive Records because I liked everything about 'em.

Me and Master P go way back.

I just love sports.

I might like the Sacramento Kings. One of my favorite players is Dirk Nowitzki.

Rick Barry always amazed me - he was one of the best free-throw shooters of all time, and he used to throw it underhand.

When I had my house in '96, I had a Warriors basketball court built.

As long as I've got my life, health and strength, and I'm in my right mind? I'mma get money.

I'll rock with anyone - vintage rappers, young dudes, anyone.

I don't wanna be like everybody else, I don't wanna rap like everybody else.

I've got songs that'll make a gangster cry.

I'm a survivor, man. I done had my ups and downs, but I've got get-back skills for real for real. I refuse to fall.

I'm definitely underrated. By far.

For the first six years of my career I was independent. I got on to a major and did my thing there. I had platinum and gold records and all that.

I started playing drums in the 4th grade.

There's always a message in my music, you just gotta be able to just sit there and be open-minded.

I got southern roots from Texas all the way to Louisiana, went to Grambling State back in the day, my whole career I've done songs with down South artists.

My voice gon' stick out like a turd in a punch bowl.

Sometimes all your fanbase wants you to do is stay within your envelope and do you because that's what they love you for.

I don't get inspired by too many people because I like uniqueness. I'm a unique dude.

I love mayonnaise, but mustard is a must when you're doing the Impossible Burger.

I've got a big heart and I believe in good karma.

I'm what they call an intelligent hoodlum.

I love gospel music, I love gangsta music.

Music is very therapeutic and healing, and I hit it from all angles.

I feel like this - everybody, every rapper to me, I feel like every rapper got a little bit of E-40 in them, whether they know it or not.

Longevity has a lot to do with me continuously nonstop putting music on the shelf, and making myself be the face of the Bay, and continuing to carry the Bay on my back for many moons, you know.

It's like with me, I feel like I was never one of those rappers that, you know, stayed in one time warp.

Whether you're a DJ, whether you a rapper, whether you a producer, take it seriously. This is an occupation - you can get paid - don't expect to blow up overnight, and appreciate when you do get paid any type of money, appreciate it.

I just respect people and mind my business. I don't got time to worry about what the next man's pockets are looking like, I gotta worry about what mine are looking like and my family.

I always stay humble. I don't act funny towards nobody.

I'm glad I'm setting an example for the younger generation so in the future they can say, 'Look how long E-40's rap career was. Look how long he stayed relevant.'

I'm living proof that there's no age limit to rapping.

I really started from grassroots, without a handout or anything.

I'm always giving life lessons in my music.

I feel like I'm a voice of hope.

I'm not a full-fledged producer, but I can be one if I want to really spend my time on straight being a producer.

I got a great imagination, and I pay close attention to my surroundings and I'm very observant.

My momma was working very hard, doing three jobs... she just worked her butt off, man. On the weekends she started to play this song called 'Living for the Weekend.'

I think the whole world has been able to utilize the Internet. I feel like you don't have to be from a certain soil.

I first started rapping when I heard the Sugarhill Gang in 1979, when I was 11 years old in seventh grade.

Slang is really coded talk. I can say a few things, in front of somebody, that only people who know what I'm saying are going to pick up on.

When I was little, seven or eight years old, in third and fourth grade, I would always try to use long words and stuff.

In the '80s, I wore these glasses because I was trying to look like a square to outsmart the po-po, you feel me? It was what we call 'throw off methods.' So I wear little glasses.

I've been in the game a long time. I've done all sorts of different types of music. From mob music to the G-Funk era.

My mom and dad divorced when I was 8 years old, but my Dad never left my life. We would go over there on weekends and he'd be playing his guitar, listening to Bobby Blue Bland and B. B. King and KBLX radio while he was out in the garage painting custom cars.

I used to burn rubber at every light, mean mugging everything there was, cause that was my attitude.

I'm a corporate thug. That's the best way to be.