My dad is from Queens. I remember visiting as a kid. My grandparents grew up here. All the actors I respected were coming out of here. All the hip-hop I was listening to - Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, Biggie, Wu Tang - was coming out of New York. I'm just into it.

I don't think of my music in terms of a career. I just want to get it out there and do it. I'm not manipulating my sound to be like anybody or trying to write to sound like anybody else.

The thing about New York is it's like London: you want to go to the boutique places. You can go to the big department stores - Barney's, Bloomingdales and all that stuff - but I like the little stores.

I've always gone back and forth between acting and music, but for music I'm not trying to be a pop star - I just like to do it.

You need a president whom you can trust, someone who will not steal your money, a president who is sincere, brave and just.

Don't just work for the money; that will bring only limited satisfaction.

Cities are drivers of growth and wealth, and at the same time, cities are becoming increasingly violent.

Spreading the wealth punishes success while setting America on course for a greater dependency on government.