Sean Paul

My lyrics come from my experiences growing up in life, trying to find out and express who I am. That's basically it. I'm not trying to be a prophet or anything like that. I'm just reflecting on life.

I'm still working on my career, still trying to learn from other artistes and develop my skills and my style.

I know some very political people who rap, and they say very political things and they'll never get a deal.

Music is your own talent and is an important tool. Even if you don't want to be a role model, get ready to be in the public eye. Energy is there, you just have to use it.

I see dancehall reggae and hip-hop as fused together, When I was a kid, they were the two kinds of music that spoke to me and said 'Move!'

On 'Sufferer,' I'm talking about the younger generation that has no other option for success than to find a gun somewhere. I try to appeal to them: 'I know you a sufferer, but it doesn't mean that you can't or shouldn't expect any better.' It's a lot different than from what I usually say, like, 'Get busy, shake that thing.'

I'm a big hip-hop fan since being a kid. It was the first music that spoke to me and made me feel like, 'Yeah.'

I remember being a bathtub singer. You know, the type that sings and everybody's like, 'Shut up.'

Dancehall is just like hip-hop in that it doesn't always talk about bling; it talks about conscious issues.

I love the idea of the street vibe, having folks together, out in the street at midnight.

I think kids should have a mentor and a role model, but that they shouldn't take one person's opinion to be what we call final assessment or judgment about how life is supposed to be.

Music tells you about the artist and what they were thinking about at the time, because the person has to think about it to sing it.