Everything I do, whether it's producing or signing an artist, always starts with the songs. When I'm listening, I'm looking for a balance that you could see in anything. Whether it's a great painting or a building or a sunset.

I don't know what makes someone hip. The goal is artist achievement and the best work we can do with no limitation.

I've always been an outsider. When I did magic, I was the only kid. When I worked with Johnny Cash, I was completely out of place in Nashville. And when I started Def Jam, I was the only white guy in the hip-hop world.

Everything happens kind of the way it's supposed to happen, and we just watch it unfold. And you can't control it. Looking back, you can't say, 'I should've... ' You didn't, and had you, the outcome would have been different.

I never turn down fights. Anybody who follows my career knows that I accept fights.

I grew up in war and saw the United Nations help my country to recover and rebuild. That experience was a big part of what led me to pursue a career in public service. As Secretary-General, I am determined to see this organization deliver tangible, meaningful results that advance peace, development and human rights.

I haven't always made all of the right decisions from a career perspective, but things worked out in the end.

I don't want to think results, I don't want to think positions. I just want to come in, do my job, and we'll see where we end up. I think that's the best way to look at it, because then you start focusing on the outcome rather than focusing on the work that it takes to get to that outcome.