Philanthropy is my job.
Philanthropy is my job.
The music industry isn't converging toward dance music. Dance music is dance music. It's been around...
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The music industry isn't converging toward dance music. Dance music is dance music. It's been around since disco - and way before disco. But there's different versions of dance music.
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You can rule ignorance; you can manipulate the illiterate; you can do whatever you want when a peopl...
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You can rule ignorance; you can manipulate the illiterate; you can do whatever you want when a people are uneducated, so that goes in line with corrupt business and corrupt politics.
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Pop is the most competitive form of music there is. You are always fighting to be adopted and accept...
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Pop is the most competitive form of music there is. You are always fighting to be adopted and accepted by the masses, and it's always shifting.
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There's an entry point to any relationship.
There's an entry point to any relationship.
My mom's discipline worked out perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing.
My mom's discipline worked out perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing.
I don't dream to be like mega crazy rich.
I don't dream to be like mega crazy rich.
It's dangerous to be a child star, but it's dangerous to be a child in the ghetto, or to be a child ...
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It's dangerous to be a child star, but it's dangerous to be a child in the ghetto, or to be a child at school being bullied.
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There's no chivalry in culture any more. Sometimes you meet someone who everyone says is polite and ...
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There's no chivalry in culture any more. Sometimes you meet someone who everyone says is polite and you're like, 'Wow,' but then it's like, 'Hang on, isn't everyone supposed to be polite?'
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I know people in gangs; I could have went down that route.
I know people in gangs; I could have went down that route.
Music is my therapy and my straitjacket. Music keeps me sane and keeps my mind on something. It's fr...
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Music is my therapy and my straitjacket. Music keeps me sane and keeps my mind on something. It's fragile up there.
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We all rely on technology to communicate, to survive, to do our banking, to shop, to get informed, b...
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We all rely on technology to communicate, to survive, to do our banking, to shop, to get informed, but none of us knows how to read and write the code.
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We need to forge a whole new energy and American Dream.
We need to forge a whole new energy and American Dream.
What Autotune allows is for people like myself and Kanye West not to depend on the singer. Back in t...
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What Autotune allows is for people like myself and Kanye West not to depend on the singer. Back in the Fifties, the songwriter was rendered invisible. Now the songwriter is there in the forefront.
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If you really want change, you really want it to be inclusive, where everyone's included, otherwise ...
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If you really want change, you really want it to be inclusive, where everyone's included, otherwise you're just going to have more of the same in the future.
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Code writers, they are my idols.
Code writers, they are my idols.
You know, I do music. If you look under the hood of the industry I'm in, it's all based on technolog...
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You know, I do music. If you look under the hood of the industry I'm in, it's all based on technology. From radio to phonographs to CDs, it's all technology. Microphones, reel-to-reels, cameras, editing, chips, it's all technology.
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I was born and raised in the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from homeless.
I was born and raised in the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from homeless.
I like all the families in the U.K. But what I like about the idea of the royal family is... they se...
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I like all the families in the U.K. But what I like about the idea of the royal family is... they seem like they're well educated and there's something admirable about them. And the Queen... she reminds me of my grandma.
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I'm good at thinking outside the box, so much that you realize it's not a box to begin with.
I'm good at thinking outside the box, so much that you realize it's not a box to begin with.
I don't have political agendas. I have social agendas.
I don't have political agendas. I have social agendas.
Black Eyed Peas is a chameleon group.
Black Eyed Peas is a chameleon group.
I feel my personality is richer than my bank account. So if I meet a girl, maybe first she just like...
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I feel my personality is richer than my bank account. So if I meet a girl, maybe first she just likes me because I'm rich. But then she's gonna get to know me and say, 'Screw the money.'
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Crime and violence are the easiest emotions to reenact.
Crime and violence are the easiest emotions to reenact.
My mom's never been married. I've never even seen my mom kiss a dude.
My mom's never been married. I've never even seen my mom kiss a dude.
When I got into junior high school, that's when my mom let me dress how I wanted to dress. Up to tha...
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When I got into junior high school, that's when my mom let me dress how I wanted to dress. Up to that point I wore suits to school all the time.
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I don't want to preach to people.
I don't want to preach to people.
I am hip-hop!
I am hip-hop!
I rescue families who are losing their homes because they have no jobs and they can't pay the mortga...
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I rescue families who are losing their homes because they have no jobs and they can't pay the mortgage and the banks are foreclosing on their homes.
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When the music industry started collapsing, the logical people understood that the only place to go ...
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When the music industry started collapsing, the logical people understood that the only place to go for shelter was the underground. If the world on the surface is burning up, and you know people that have bunkers, go to the bunkers.
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When you're a corporation, you're going to stick with what works. That's why every McDonald's is the...
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When you're a corporation, you're going to stick with what works. That's why every McDonald's is the same.
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Now that Obama's president, it changes inner-city youths. They can now not just dream to be Lil Wayn...
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Now that Obama's president, it changes inner-city youths. They can now not just dream to be Lil Waynes and 50 Cents, but they can now dream to be Obamas.
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I just like seeing kids inspired.
I just like seeing kids inspired.
Disco is the first technology music. And what I mean is that 'disco' music is named after discs, bec...
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Disco is the first technology music. And what I mean is that 'disco' music is named after discs, because when technology grew to where they didn't need a band in the clubs, the DJ played it on a disc.
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I have ADHD. I'll admit it.
I have ADHD. I'll admit it.
I have a pro tools rig that I carry in my backpack.
I have a pro tools rig that I carry in my backpack.
Not many people give you a vision of what the future will bring.
Not many people give you a vision of what the future will bring.
There's nothing wrong with white if it's all right.
There's nothing wrong with white if it's all right.
I read Twitter all the time, even though I rarely tweet.
I read Twitter all the time, even though I rarely tweet.
I can't be quiet, as that's when I notice the ringing in my ears.
I can't be quiet, as that's when I notice the ringing in my ears.
Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are goin...
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Everything affects hip-hop. The question is, how does it affect the money that corporations are going to invest to put out different kinds of hip-hop?
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If you live in a good neighborhood, you drive home and there's a bank. There's grocery stores and bi...
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If you live in a good neighborhood, you drive home and there's a bank. There's grocery stores and big houses - but no motels. What that tells you psychologically is you protect your money and buy good things for your family to eat in your nice big house.
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If I didn't mould my reality then I'd still be in the ghetto where people like me are supposed to st...
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If I didn't mould my reality then I'd still be in the ghetto where people like me are supposed to stay. You have to dream your way out of the nightmare.
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There are five issues that make a fist of a hand that can knock America out cold. They're lack of jo...
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There are five issues that make a fist of a hand that can knock America out cold. They're lack of jobs, obesity, diabetes, homelessness, and lack of good education.
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We're from the projects - East L.A. On welfare the majority of our lives. A lot of my friends are de...
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We're from the projects - East L.A. On welfare the majority of our lives. A lot of my friends are dead and in prison, just like any urban person that comes from areas like I'm from. But my grandma was super-grandma. Ain't nobody mess with our family in my neighborhood because everybody loved my grandma. She was the one that prayed for everybody. We were one of the first families in the projects. And I moved them out. Music allowed me.
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If my mind's not trying to fix something or create something, I don't know what to do. It just throw...
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If my mind's not trying to fix something or create something, I don't know what to do. It just throws me off.
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I don't need anyone to validate me.
I don't need anyone to validate me.
How about no one's ever going to outsell Michael Jackson at selling records because the record indus...
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How about no one's ever going to outsell Michael Jackson at selling records because the record industry is over. Game over. There's no more record stores. With no more record stores there's no more pressing plants. With no more pressing plants, there's no more charts.
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When someone is denying what they are, then that's when things start to spiral down.
When someone is denying what they are, then that's when things start to spiral down.
I remember when I was 11, I told my mom, 'One day I'm going to buy you a house.' And she said, 'Boy,...
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I remember when I was 11, I told my mom, 'One day I'm going to buy you a house.' And she said, 'Boy, don't you be making promises you can't keep.' I was like: 'No, Ma, it's not a promise. I'm going to buy you a house one day.'
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I can procrastinate a little bit.
I can procrastinate a little bit.
If you are a chef, no matter how good a chef you are, it's not good cooking for yourself; the joy is...
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If you are a chef, no matter how good a chef you are, it's not good cooking for yourself; the joy is in cooking for others - it's the same with music.
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I go out partying to figure out exactly who I'm making music for. You can't just guess.
I go out partying to figure out exactly who I'm making music for. You can't just guess.
Releasing an album on a major label is like sending a package through Fed Ex. You know that it'll ge...
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Releasing an album on a major label is like sending a package through Fed Ex. You know that it'll get there, and you know that it'll get there on time.
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Tom Jones is like igloo-cool.
Tom Jones is like igloo-cool.
Coming out with records when you're in a big, successful group that plays stadiums, that's scary to ...
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Coming out with records when you're in a big, successful group that plays stadiums, that's scary to come out by yourself.
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I'm like a mama's boy and stuff.
I'm like a mama's boy and stuff.
Philanthropy is the thing that I am really excited about, and having success means I can do more.
Philanthropy is the thing that I am really excited about, and having success means I can do more.
It should be mandatory that you understand computer science.
It should be mandatory that you understand computer science.
Hip-hop was fast, originally. It was always fast music.
Hip-hop was fast, originally. It was always fast music.
It's a rare combination to have someone who can write songs and sing well.
It's a rare combination to have someone who can write songs and sing well.
If you have a vaccine or an antidote that people can benefit from, you're not going to want to keep ...
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If you have a vaccine or an antidote that people can benefit from, you're not going to want to keep it to yourself. You're going to want to spread that wisdom or whatever to as many people as you can, so everybody can benefit from it.
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Most kids are not dreaming of being programmers, scientists or engineers.
Most kids are not dreaming of being programmers, scientists or engineers.
Politics are about preserving relationships at the end of the day, and it has nothing to do with the...
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Politics are about preserving relationships at the end of the day, and it has nothing to do with the greater good for humanity. It's just all about business.
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I don't despise people.
I don't despise people.
Why shouldn't a child look to want to be a political figure, to change our nation, to lead us the ri...
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Why shouldn't a child look to want to be a political figure, to change our nation, to lead us the right directions?
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I don't know what silence sounds like anymore.
I don't know what silence sounds like anymore.
Traveling in Europe made me understand that America has an island mentality: No one exists except us...
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Traveling in Europe made me understand that America has an island mentality: No one exists except us. There's a whole other world out there, but most Americans - all they know is America, the marketing plan.
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I'm fascinated with quantum physics.
I'm fascinated with quantum physics.
Electro is today's disco - making electronic music not for the sake of selling it but for sharing it...
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Electro is today's disco - making electronic music not for the sake of selling it but for sharing it and touring around the world D.J.-ing.
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If Apple's a technology company in the music industry, why can't somebody in the music industry make...
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If Apple's a technology company in the music industry, why can't somebody in the music industry make technology?
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Eisenhower warned us about the military-industrial complex and the damage it could do to society.
Eisenhower warned us about the military-industrial complex and the damage it could do to society.
Hip-hop culture is probably one of the most powerful things to come out of America in a long time - ...
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Hip-hop culture is probably one of the most powerful things to come out of America in a long time - everything from the music to the art to the dance to the language.
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You know, the Super Bowl is so fresh that every single commercial is even on, you know, some next-le...
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You know, the Super Bowl is so fresh that every single commercial is even on, you know, some next-level entertainment.
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Kids today aren't listening to music audio-only. They're picking up a CD and looking at the lyric sh...
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Kids today aren't listening to music audio-only. They're picking up a CD and looking at the lyric sheet and wondering why the pictures aren't moving around. Who wants to do that? It's like Bam Bam Flintstone hanging with the dinosaurs vs. Elroy Jetson who's flying around space. If I'm a kid, I wanna be kicking it with Elroy.
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Hip-hop is limiting itself and that also goes for editorially. Magazines and websites are the gateke...
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Hip-hop is limiting itself and that also goes for editorially. Magazines and websites are the gatekeepers of what people think hip-hop is, but they actually end up limiting what hip-hop can be.
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If you would ask my mom what books I liked growing up, I liked Dr. Seuss.
If you would ask my mom what books I liked growing up, I liked Dr. Seuss.
Love lasts forever.
Love lasts forever.
The computer allows me to execute my ideas at the speed I think them.
The computer allows me to execute my ideas at the speed I think them.
I'm a fan of X-men.
I'm a fan of X-men.
I don't want to be on stage when I'm 57, talking about... 'Let's Get It Started.'
I don't want to be on stage when I'm 57, talking about... 'Let's Get It Started.'
I've been truly protected by my uncles.
I've been truly protected by my uncles.
I will not start an initiative until I've spent my own money. Because if I spend my own money, peopl...
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I will not start an initiative until I've spent my own money. Because if I spend my own money, people who want to get on board afterwards know that I am serious about it.
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Every single song that I've listened to is in my memory forever.
Every single song that I've listened to is in my memory forever.
America has to be not just an idea but a living, breathing thing.
America has to be not just an idea but a living, breathing thing.
We have no control over the outcome of anything. Like the planet and global warming, we don't contro...
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We have no control over the outcome of anything. Like the planet and global warming, we don't control that. If politicians want a war we don't control that. Acts of terrorism, we can't control them.
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I've got Republican fans. Republicans like the Black Eyed Peas.
I've got Republican fans. Republicans like the Black Eyed Peas.
If you know how to freestyle, you will never have writer's block.
If you know how to freestyle, you will never have writer's block.
If you live in a ghetto and really want not to just change your life and your family's life but chan...
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If you live in a ghetto and really want not to just change your life and your family's life but change your ghetto's life, make your ghetto a good neighborhood, learn science; try to be like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
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My favorite game is Madden. That's it. I'm a Madden addict. I go at it.
My favorite game is Madden. That's it. I'm a Madden addict. I go at it.
I was born and raised in East Los Angeles by a single mom who had three biological kids and adopted ...
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I was born and raised in East Los Angeles by a single mom who had three biological kids and adopted four more. I never met my dad.
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I remember when I was 19, it was pretty tough.
I remember when I was 19, it was pretty tough.
Romantic love is painful.
Romantic love is painful.
Here's the problem: Profiteers haunt America, and for everything we try to control, someone's going ...
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Here's the problem: Profiteers haunt America, and for everything we try to control, someone's going to profit from it, more than you control it.
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You can get your money and you put it in the bank, or you can put it in the youth. You can put it in...
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You can get your money and you put it in the bank, or you can put it in the youth. You can put it in our future.
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I don't want to hope anymore. I don't think we should hope anymore. We hoped enough. Now we have to ...
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I don't want to hope anymore. I don't think we should hope anymore. We hoped enough. Now we have to do. We all have to do now.
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As we develop and get quicker with technology in America, it's like we're downgrading if you look at...
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As we develop and get quicker with technology in America, it's like we're downgrading if you look at the investment in education... that's the thing that worries me.
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I don't follow waves or trends or emotions.
I don't follow waves or trends or emotions.
When you follow your heart, you're never supposed to do things because of what you think people migh...
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When you follow your heart, you're never supposed to do things because of what you think people might say. You do it for the opposite reasons.
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You want to play stadiums? You listen to U2. You study it for harmonics, the vocal placement, the fr...
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You want to play stadiums? You listen to U2. You study it for harmonics, the vocal placement, the freaking chord progressions, their lyrics. You study the production. You study it because studying that equals stadiums.
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When you think about the guys who started Twitter, and the Google guys, and the Facebook guys and th...
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When you think about the guys who started Twitter, and the Google guys, and the Facebook guys and the Napster guys, and the Microsoft guys, and the Dell guys and the Instagram guys, it's all guys. The girls, they're being left behind.
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I'd like to see Apple and Dell factories be brought to the inner cities; in every project in America...
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I'd like to see Apple and Dell factories be brought to the inner cities; in every project in America, there's some factory there, and it's abandoned, and I'd like to see those factories open and bring jobs to America.
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I've got all this stuff in my head at the same time as I'm doing stuff and I don't know how to stop ...
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I've got all this stuff in my head at the same time as I'm doing stuff and I don't know how to stop or slow down.
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If countries were people, England and France would be old men. Italy would be dead. Compared with th...
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If countries were people, England and France would be old men. Italy would be dead. Compared with them, America is in its 20s.
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There's only one type of music and that's good music, no matter what genre it is.
There's only one type of music and that's good music, no matter what genre it is.
My attention span is very short.
My attention span is very short.
'Transformers' inspired me as a kid.
'Transformers' inspired me as a kid.
Most of these people who are celebrities now don't do anything to deserve it, so by that fact alone,...
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Most of these people who are celebrities now don't do anything to deserve it, so by that fact alone, I don't want to be one.
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We need creative people working with broadcasters, making smart content to inspire people to be geni...
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We need creative people working with broadcasters, making smart content to inspire people to be geniuses.
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If you listen to the songs I write, they are the most ADHD songs ever. They have five hooks in one a...
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If you listen to the songs I write, they are the most ADHD songs ever. They have five hooks in one and it all happens in three minutes.
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I don't like politics.
I don't like politics.
