Music Producers From The United States

"If you're trying to get a lot of money and attention and cars and just stuff like that, being in a band is a really bad way to do it, because it takes a lot of work, it's constant work, it's very grueling, and you don't really have time to spend money. So that would probably not even make my top 10 list of ways to make a lot of money, because records aren't selling anymore. The richest musician in America still doesn't even come close to a mid-level athlete."

"I don't mind if someone thinks I'm a sell out. I go to bed happy knowing I do what I do and I'm not doing anything for reasons of money, and if I were trying to pick up chicks, I'm doing a horrible job. And if I wanted to drive awesome cars, I'm doing a really bad job there too."

"Sometimes people associate getting big with selling out, which is funny because that's not something you necessarily have choice in. That's not a matter that is entirely up to you and at the same time, who hasn't sold out? If you've heard of a specific artist, they're big enough--they got to you. Where do you draw the line between what's big and what's too big?"

"What you want if you're asking that question is a specific time in your life to come back to you, and that will never happen. You will never be 15 years old again. I could write, verbatim, another Take This To Your Grave, and you won't feel the same way. It's not going to mean anything to you because it wouldn't mean anything to me."

"I'm not a drummer anymore. On my gravestone, if there is one, if anyone writes anything about me besides hopefully being a dad, it would be that I sang in my band when I was in my 20s. So I was like, "Yeah, I should probably focus on this a little more," so I just practiced a lot."

"A young tenor player was complaining to me that Coleman Hawkins made him nervous. Man, I told him Hawkins was supposed to make him nervous! Hawkins has been making other sax players nervous for forty years!"

"Julian Adderley's nickname "Cannonball" was derived from "cannibal," which he was dubbed in high school because of his large appetite. But the alto player also had a voracious hunger for music, which showed in his inventive improvisations, especially on Miles Davis's watershed album Kind of Blue and Adderley's remarkable Blue Note release Somethin' Else."

"There's no future without the past and anybody who doesn't really understand where jazz has come from has no right to try to direct where it's going."

"I keep reverting (to Duke Ellington), he to me is the greatest ever and my favorite jazz philosopher, as such."

"He’s like Gérard Depardieu, another strong, physical man who can break your heart with sensitivity. He has this creepiness, but a sympathetic attractiveness, too."

"I want to be the condensation on the glass. I want to be that phenomenon that takes place between hot and cold."

"It’s strange that we don’t think of women as producers like Quincy [Jones] or Dre or [Swizz Beatz], but female producers have always powered the industry: Patrice Rushen, Missy Elliott, Linda Perry, Grimes, Solange, and so many more."

"I love, as an artist, bringing my energy to other artists. That’s really a fulfilling feeling. So, I’ll be fairy godmothering. You never know where you’ll see me."

"It feels so good to know that it’s going to go across the country and this cast, let me tell you, is out of control. They’re so good."

"Females are the most beautiful, gorgeous creatures in the whole world. And I think that we are gorgeous no matter what size we are."

"I've never met him. It was mind-blowing. I couldn't quite believe it. He's a person that's seen so many things and been a part of music for so long. For him to give a shit about me is pretty exciting. I like it."

"There's nothing about that girl I don't like."

"Like being in the mother brain of soul music. This is absolute artistic fusion from top to bottom, and I don't think there's anyone else in the world that I could do that with right now."

"Our beliefs produce emotions that drive our actions. It's true that you get what you believe. Own your strengths and know your value!"

"Can give ourselves flowers and roses at any time. The affirmation is embrace your journey. Your body is evolving with you."

"To live fully is to recognize the beauty of the now, unburdened by the past or future."

"If I could be a vegetable, I'd be a pumpkin. It's realistically the only vegetable you can use as a weapon, or in any manner of defense."

"My favorite sport is Scrabble."

"But reality bites and this is her life / He wasn't really her husband though he called her wife / It was just this night, when the moon was full and the stars were just right and her dress was real tight / He had her sounding like Lisa Lisa / "Wonder if I take you home, will you still love me after this night" / Mike was the hard head from around the way / That she wanted all her life / Cause she wanted all the hype / She used to hold on tight when he wheelied on the bike / He was a Willie all her life / He wasn't really the one to like / There was a dude name Chi, who would really treat her right / He wanted to run to the country to escape the city life / But Isis, liked this, Broadway life / She loved the Gucci sneakers / The Red, Green and White / Hanging out the window when she first seen him fight / So turned on that she had to shower twice*"

"If you want to make more than Jay-Z, go do more than Jay-Z."

"If Jeezy's payin' LeBron, I'm payin' Dwyane Wade Three dice Cee-lo, three Card Molly Labor Day Parade, rest in peace Bob Marley Statue of Liberty, long live the World Trade Long live the King yo, I'm from the Empire State that's"

"Thank God for Cool Herc Without this shit I probably would’ve got murked Shout outs to Grandmaster Flash and the cash And even Jaz bum ass"

"With the same sword they knight you, they gon' good night you with Shit, that's only half if they like you That ain't even the half what they might do Don't believe me, ask Michael See Martin, see Malcolm See Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcome See Jesus, see Judas See Caesar, see Brutus, see success is like suicide Suicide, it's a suicide If you succeed, prepare to be crucified Media meddles, niggas sue you, you settle Every step you take, they remind you you're ghetto So it's tough being Bobby Brown To be Bobby then, you have to be Bobby now And the question is, "Is to have had and lost Better than not having at all?"

"("No one on the corner") Got a bop like this Can't wear skinny jeans cause my knots don't fit No one on the corner got a pocket like this So I rock Roc jeans cause my knots so thick You can pay for school, but you can't buy class"

"This ain't no tall order, this is nothin to me Difficult takes a day, impossible takes a week"

"I guess it's just the need to be heard / I need niggas to say / I can't believe your words / I'm just an addict / Addicted to music / Thoughts is sporadic / I gotta un-confuse it / Sorta like a Rubik's Cube is / Every albums' a color / But I fuck up the other / Color / (laughs) I guess I'm more like / A bitch with a belly but her ass is right / (laughs) Y'all don't understand me still / I never enjoy my success but my family will / And I'm alright with that / So the rap Jerry Rice is back / To fulfill a need / Though I lead the league / I pray everyday I travel at God Speed / Not a minute slower cause the minute you Hova / Everybody praying for your spinach to slow up / It's sad but it's true / But nigga's ass gone turn blue / Holding' ya breath, cause the force that's controlling my step / Won't let me lose it till I'm undisputed / Until I'm one with the music / Till I'm dead and gone in search of the perfect song* -"

"While I'm watchin every nigga watchin me closely my shit is butter for the bread they wanna toast me I keep my head, both of them where they supposed to be Hoes'll get you sidetracked then clap from closed feet"

"I heard motherfuckers saying they made Hov Made Hov say, "Ok so, make another Hov""

"I'm still here mon frere I know the cross I bear, They like, that's why they call you Hov? I'm like yea I'm like air, little shots go through me, won't tear One tissue no tears, no tissue not an issue"

"A wise man told me don't argue with fools Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who"

"Rumor has it "The Blueprint" classic Couldn't even be stopped by Bin Laden So September 11th marks the era forever of a revolutionary Che Gueverra"

"No compass comes with this life, just eyes, so to map it out you must look inside, sure books could guide you but your heart defines you, chica"

"I’ve got demons in my past so I’ve got daughters on the way, If the prophecy is correct then the child should have to pay, For the sins of the father so I barter my tomorrows against my yesterday’s In hopes that she’ll be okay"

"If you kill me you're famous, If I kill you, I’m brainless, What’s a nigga to do?"

"I’m already the GOAT, the next stop is the billie"

"If you're havin' girl problems I feel bad for you son / I got 99 problems but a bitch ain't one."

"I never asked for nothin' I don't demand of myself / Honesty, loyalty, friends and then wealth / Death before dishonor and I tell you what else / I tighten my belt 'fore I beg for help / Foolish pride is what held me together through the years / I wasn't felt which is why I ain't never played myself / I just play the hand I'm dealt, I can't say I've never knelt / Before God and asked for better cards at times to no avail / But I never sat back feelin sorry for myself / If you don't give me heaven I'll raise hell ('Til it's heaven)"

"If skills sold / Truth be told / I'd probably be / Lyricly / Talib Kweli / Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense / (But i did five Mil) / I ain't been rhymin like Common since -- When your sense got that much in common / And you been hustlin since / Your inception / Fuck perception / Go with what makes sense / Since / I know what I'm up against / We as rappers must decide what's most impor-tant"

"Pop died, didn't cry, didn't know him that well / Between him doin' heroin and me doin' crack sales / With that in the eggshell, standin' at the tabernacle / Rather the church, pretendin' to be hurt - wouldn't work / So a smirk was all on my face / Like damn, that man's face is just like my face / So pop, I forgive you for all the shit that I lived through / It wasn't all your fault homey, you got caught"

"I'm not a biter, I'm a writer for myself and others / I say a B.I.G. verse, I'm only biggin' up my brother / Biggin' up my borough, I'm big enough to do it / I'm that thorough, plus I know my own flow is foolish / So them rings and things you sing about, bring 'em out / It's hard to yell when the bar-rell's in your mouth"

"Now you know yo' ass is Willie when they got you in the mag for like half a billy, and yo' ass ain't lily white that mean that shit you write must be illy Either that or your flow is silly - it's both I don't mean to boast, but damn if I don't brag Them crackers gon' act like I ain't on they ass The Martha Stewart, that's far from Jewish Far from a Harvard student, just had the balls to do it"

"Music business hate me ‘cause the industry ain't make me Hustlers and boosters embrace me and the music I be making I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars They criticized me for it, yet they all yell "holla" If skills sold, truth be told, I'd probably be lyrically Talib Kweli Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense But I did 5 mill' – I ain't been rhyming like Common since When your cents got that much in common And you been hustling since your inception Fuck perception! Go with what makes sense Since I know what I'm up against We as rappers must decide what's most important And I can't help the poor if I'm one of them So I got rich and gave back, to me that's the win/win So next time you see the homie and his rims spin Just know my mind is working just like them (rims, that is)"

"Good-bye to the game all the spoils, the adrenaline rush Your blood boils, you in a spot knowin' cops could rush you in the drop, you so easy to touch No two days are alike, except the 1st and 15th pretty much And trust, is a word you seldom hear from us Hustlers, we don't sleep, we rest one eye up And a drought could define a man when the well dries up You learn the worth of water Without work you thirst 'til you die, yup!"

"Motherfuckers say that I'm foolish I only talk about jewels Do you fools listen to music or do you just skim through it? See I'm influenced by the ghetto you ruined That same dude you gave nothing, I made something doing."

"On repeat, the CD of B.I.G.'s 'Me and My Bitch' Watching Bonnie and Clyde, pretending to be that shit Empty gun in your hand saying, 'Let me see that clip' Shopping sprees, pull out your Visa quick A nigga had very bad credit, you helped me lease that whip You helped me get the keys to that V dot 6 We was so happy poor but when we got rich That's when our signals got crossed, and we got flipped."