I think my soul is intact, but my methods of reaching people are completely different.

When I first started out, I thought it was enough to make an angry song that pointed out the problems of the world.

There are so many things to be worried about, and I wanted to make a record that people could put on, and it would lift them up the way the sun did for me each day.

When you're in Jamaica, unless you're in a tourist spot, you don't hear Bob Marley; you mostly hear dance hall music.

To sit back and say, 'Oh, we're going to let the government do whatever they want, right or wrong,' is giving up.

Not all artists have a responsibility to be socially or politically aware, but they do have a responsibility to make great art. They have to find some truth and put that in their music.

San Francisco has always been a haven for misfits and weirdos. I'm both of those, which is why I came here.

In the '80s, Ronald Reagan inspired me to become politicized, because I grew up in that era when everything I cared about was under attack.

I have a desire that I want to make people feel happy through my music. I'm always trying to find optimistic ways to express myself.

Our country was founded on immigration. We are all occupying Native American land here. At what point do we say 'It's our land, and nobody else can come here.'

In Jamaica, the music is recorded for the sound system, not the iPod. It's about experiencing music together, with other people.

It's a really personal thing for me to write a song.

Music gives us new energy and a stronger sense of purpose.

I have moments all the time when I play.

You get everything you could have ever wished for if you're willing to give that eternal bliss away to somebody else, to give it back.

'Star Wars' is mythology. It's like Greek mythology or Shakespeare. It's the story of good versus evil over a very long span of time. The storytelling is universal and timeless.

Music was a central part of my childhood because my mother played organ and piano in the church, and that meant all us kids had to be in the church choir.

My house was filled with music. We had a piano, and my brothers and sisters played instruments. Even though I was around it, I played basketball.

Many kids in foster homes have a lot of emotions that are hard to get out. It's important to let them know they can make a difference in the community.

When I first started, my songs were the politics of anger. As I got older and hopefully wiser, I wanted to be part of the politics of answers.

Everybody's opinion is equally valid, and I feel like everybody should have an opportunity to speak out, and everyone should have the courage to speak out.

With all the people hating and hurting each other, I don't understand how people could get upset about people of the same sex caring for each other.

I came up playing in both punk rock bands and hip-hop bands, and I found a more universal way of reaching people, especially with music that has a message to it.

When someone can't afford to wear shoes, it's not just about them not having shoes on that day. It's about a cycle of poverty that exists within their community.