Rakim Quotes

I want to make the songs good. I think this is my main focus.

I've always thought that whether I'm writing or not, I've gotta pick the best songs, whether or not they're mine. I'm not gonna sing them just because I wrote them. I've gotta find the best songs to make the best record I can.

I've never recorded anything I didn't like.

So the thing is to put out music for music's sake.

I just want to give people the best album that I possibly can.

And of course, the musician - if he's serious - always answers: My last album is my best, otherwise I wouldn't have done it.

I don't believe in making a record and rushing it.

I don't do filler songs. I don't get them. They don't make any sense to me. Why would I literally waste my time on a song that doesn't hold up to the same standards as the other songs on the album? I won't play it live.

My aim is just to make good music every single time.

At the end of the day, it's making sure that we're proud of the music we put out there and feel that we put out a good product for our fans when all is said and done.

It don't matter who I'm working with. I just feel like I want to make the best record possible.

If I look at it and feel there is someone who can do it better, I won't do it. Whether it's 'Party Down' or 'Piranha 3-D,' I'm going to bring something to it to make it special.

I feel very, very, very intent on only releasing things that I believe are fully worthy.

One thing with Backstreet Boys, we never try to rush out an album. We always try to make quality music that can stand the test of time.

I am a perfectionist, and my immense respect for my fans and the public meant that the quality of my clothing had to match my performance.

My biggest struggle is time and trying to create the quality of music that I want.

I've always said that I would only ever release something that I would want to listen to as a fan.

The fun image is what we project onstage, because our music is dance music. But it's not what the group is about We're very serious about our music and the band and producing good quality songs.

I want to only be part of films that are worth my time. I give my heart and soul for four-five months and I don't want that to go in vain.

I try to deliver because I don't believe that people are deliverin' the same quality of albums.

My goal with everything that I do is to present things in a way that I would want to see if I was in the audience or buying the record.

When you're a producer on top of that, just havin' a beat that's hot is not enough. Now you know your sound, 'cause you've been workin' on your sound for so long, and now you're extra picky. You might do a beat that's ill, that the average rapper would pay big money to get on, but you don't wanna do it because you're like, "Ehhh... it's not what I'm looking for, it's not what I'm goin' for." So you're extra picky.

You should always make it like it's your last film. That's my personal belief. Every filmmaker is going to have another belief... That's the only way I know to try to make a film that might be good. You got to take it real seriously like it's your last thing.

I only want to be associated with music that is high quality. That's my main criteria.

I would push for more production and Steve Miller would say, "Why do you want to have more production when you have real songs? You don't want to cover up the song."