The rap game without me would be like woofers without bass.
Before rap came along, I was, actually, actively in the streets; getting in trouble, doing the wrong thing.
Over the years, a lot of rappers - Lil' Wayne, Ice Cube - have used my name in their songs. I'm a real touchstone of history.
Eminem has talent, and his talent is the thing that influences many young people who would have never gone anywhere near rap. White kids in different parts of the world use him as a barometer and the standard to live up to. In some ways, Eminem is an artist who has ushered in a new movement.
He's been my number one influence. If you say Tupac didn't influence you, then you don't really need to be rapping because nobody evokes that kind of emotion on a track like Tupac does.
When I was a kid, my favorite rapper was 50 Cent. He was definitely a big influence on why I wanted to do music.
First of all, I respect The Game. He's trail-blazed for artists like myself. I appreciate him, having - living in L.A. myself and knowing what he stands for and what he stood for.
I grew up in south London, and I remember watching the scene pop off in East and think, 'Ahhhh, I would love to be in Bow E3 right now spitting wid Wiley and Dizzee.'
I'm in R&B/Soul, and I feel like all my music is R&B driven. Even some of the songs that are more rap have an R&B feel, so I'm with that.
I've never been a rap guy, I don't really know that much about rap music, to be honest. I like it, but I think what really happened was just my music seems to work so well with rap music.
My brother is 10 years older than me, so whatever he listened to is what I listened to, and it was all rap.
I can't look at TV without seeing something that's been influenced by rap. Even commercials for cereal. When I was small, I was a fan of cartoon characters - now the cartoon characters are rapping!
Drake gets you bouncin'!
The first rap album I bought was Eminem's The Slim Shady LP so I wasn't even based on West Coast rap like that.
I wanna thank Biggie Smalls, Redman, Jadakiss, Tupac and Michael Jackson for being my theme music throughout my career.
Wu-Tang is looked at like the Rolling Stones of hip-hop.
But then again in the East Coast, I think, Tupac, inspired everybody on the East Coast, everybody down south, everybody in the West Coast you know what sayin'.
The rap community know that I'm doing very well. They're embracing me... They like the flavour.
Jay-Z was huge. I was like 2 years old throwing up my diamond, rapping. I know all of 'The Blueprint.' I've heard that album 1,000 times. And 'Reasonable Doubt.'
Ghost tells me every few years, Yo, you showed me this style ... I'm like, man, we the same style. At the end of the day, he's one of my favorite rappers, I'm one of his favorite rappers, and we just do it.
By denying its musical and artistic merit, hip hop's critics get to have it both ways: they can deny the legitimate artistic standing of rap while seizing on its pervasive influence as an art form to prove what a terrible effect it has on youth.
When I got a little older I was obsessed Lil Wayne. But then it was just as many British rappers - Dizzee Rascal I would always listen to.
I love Lil Wayne for even having people look my way.
Wu-Tang has opened many doors for hip hop.
I think rap music has made more money on dance music than dance music has made on dance music. Just a thought.
