AD-ROCK

'Paul's Boutique' was a bust, right? That was a bummer. We didn't pause on it for a long time - we didn't go through therapy - but it was weird. And because it was a bust, we didn't go on tour.

Listening to the radio makes you hate every song.

We were from downtown, so we were rapping in Danceteria, in these white downtown clubs, really. Nobody downtown was rapping. Nobody we knew was rapping. So we were like, 'We should do it.' We weren't making fun of it; we loved it, and we wanted to be part of it.

To me, a New Yorker is someone that has general disdain toward landlords, mass-transit authorities, electric companies, sports-team managers, NYU and its students, and anything new.

In New York, you can't really like anything. You know? Pizza's all right. I mean, I've been having pizza since back in the day, so it's whatever.

I'm not saying that kids today have everything, but with the Internet, it's like, you have it there, so use it! I know a bunch of kids who are into cassette tapes now. Cassette tapes suck! Why not use your iPod?

I was not thinking about getting into acting in any way.

I reject Donald Trump's mission of America.

I have no idea about the state of rap. I don't pay attention. I just listen to old music that I have.

It's been fun to just play bass in a band and play live but be in the background.

I don't use coconut enough - in food, on my body.

Unfortunately, like, homework and school wasn't the thing that I was obsessing over. It was, you know, music and making music and how to like - and drum machines. And we met Rick Rubin, and Rick Rubin had a drum machine. So I would just cut school and go to his house - his dorm room.

Here's a thing that's going to drive me absolutely crazy: the trucks! They can put people on the moon, but they can't make a quiet truck!

I've only done karaoke twice in my life.

If I had to say something, it would be 'Lighten up. Be cool.' There's just so many buffoons out there.

If I could sing, that would be cool. But I can't. I mean, I physically can, but I'm awful. It's weird to be really bad at singing.

Part of me feels it's better we're not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

There's songs you listen to at really heavy times, and you associate those songs with being depressed. 'English Rose' by The Jam, I can't listen to - it's just too heavy for me. 'Julia' by The Beatles, too. That popped up the other day, and I had to skip to the next song. They're both really awesome, moving songs, but I can't listen to them.

As a band, we always took a really long time to make records, so unfortunately, we got into that habit of, like, 'We'll work on it tomorrow.'

The Beatles are great for everybody - they write the songs that made the whole world sing.

Champagne Jerry records are definitely, in one way, on the very far end of the weird spectrum of rap music, then, in another way, very far on the weird punk spectrum.

'Grand Royal' started because we were on the Lollapalooza tour, and we wanted to send this message to people that the mosh pit is corny. Stop doing that. MTV has ruined it, and it's dangerous, and girls are getting hurt.

That's what real punk is about - doing it yourself and building a community where people share ideas and share creativity.

I watch NY1 every morning and have Pat Kiernan curate my news stories.

I guess I'm the guy from the Beastie Boys. I'm one of the guys from the Beastie Boys. I guess that's what I'll always identify myself as.