If there is a single quality that is shared by all great men, it is vanity. But I mean by vanity only that they appreciate their own worth. Without this kind of vanity they would not be great. And with vanity alone, of course, a man is nothing.
My chief joy is to photograph the great in heart, in mind, and in spirit, whether they be famous or humble.
It should be the aim of every photographer to make a single exposure that shows everything about the subject. I have been told that my portrait of Churchill is an example of this.
The trouble with photographing beautiful women is that you never get into the dark room until after they've gone.
There is a brief moment when all there is in a man's mind and soul and spirit is reflected through his eyes, his hands, his attitude. This is the moment to record.
Look and think before opening the shutter. The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.
I've also seen that great men are often lonely. This is understandable, because they have built such high standards for themselves that they often feel alone. But that same loneliness is part of their ability to create.
Within every man and woman a secret is hidden, and as a photographer it is my task to reveal it if I can.
It wasn't necessary to speak on the recession, you know what I mean, but I just though it made a lot of sense. I was like, "okay, cool," I'm going to go with this approach for the name of the album [ The Recession].
I ain't never been the type of person out at the movies and holding hands and riding around listening to R. Kelly.
I felt it was necessary. I never ever paid attention to any election. Not really [into] politics or anything like that. It never benefited us. This time around, it's not a black-or-white thing — you got somebody in there for us that's well-spoken and gonna handle their business. I just wanted to do my part and let them know we need change, we need help, it's rough out there.
A lot of people question how talented I am. But I'm a real dude and I know real things and I've seen real people get their head blown off.
The craziest thing is that the song ["My President"] is real but you can still hear it in the club.
Every time I'm out and somebody tells me they love what I do, that's what I do it for. That's like my vice. That's like my high. When people understand that this is who I really am, and to be appreciated for your craft .
Sometimes when people get success they forget about the people that pointed them there or championed them into this position. I pride myself on really understanding. I wouldn't even call it keeping it real. I just call it keeping it me. When they tell me, "You're doing what you're supposed to do," it makes me go ten times even harder, because I know that there are people on the sidelines and they're watching me. They're cheering for me. I want to be the best me I could possibly be when it comes to them.
I can't speak for everybody, but sometimes, people get in this showbiz game and they get the money, but then they forget why they got in the game in the first place. I don't even look at it as fame, I just look at it as me being me, and me going out here everyday and being productive, because I am the product, and I'm selling myself. I'm selling my ambition and my integrity and my adversity, and I'd just like to be that.
My music is more like ghetto gospel; there's a message in my words, so people listen. Sometimes you might here different things; it depends on how you feel. You might feel down, and I might be the cat in the same sentence saying, "You need to get up and do your thing." And then I could be the same cat, when you at the top of your game, telling you, "It feel good, don't it?" but with the same words.
Love don't love nobody got me feeling like, I shouldn't love myself
