Quotes from The-Dream

I grew up on Jodeci and R. Kelly.

The business of a label is to make money - my business is to make music. I'm gonna get paid if I do it right.

I got fed up with the idea of partnering with labels on a major scale because of how they have to deliver things. They get gun-shy.

When the Atlanta Braves were owned by Ted Turner, he was very passionate and did whatever it took to do something good - and eventually he made money. Labels used to be the same way. Now they're corporations, and it's only about their stock.

At the end of the day, I'm a songwriter.

I think what makes me great as a songwriter is there's still an artist behind it.

You probably shouldn't date a songwriter if you don't want to end up on the record.

I'm talented in other places, not only in songwriting, but music is always going to be the backdrop to whatever happens in life.

Writing a song is about inhabiting a specific frame of mind and conjuring a mood, a character, an entire vision.

I was playing a lot of Coldplay before the world knew who I was, before anybody knew my 'Umbrella' song. Those songs still stick in my head. I just love it. It's without pop culture, it's just a song. It's just singing.

There's nothing I can't do musically.

My uncle used to say, 'You'll go on and become the dream of the family.' That's how I got my name.

I've always had a soft spot for women because of my mom. Just their power.

I understand freedom of speech but if I made my living spreading rumors about people, my family wouldn't claim me.

If I do five, six records that sound great, I want it to come out as fast as it can. I don't care how many copies it sells. It's about musically moving the needle.

I'm just not Mr. Joe that goes to work nine-to-five. I never will be.

I grew up looking at the Grammys. It was a childhood infatuation with these people walking around with gold statues. I felt like they were the best, and that's why I started working so hard.

I have a problem with men that are supposed to be R&B artists that talk about women in a certain way, because you're supposed in the cornerstone of uplifting love in a sense.

Frank Ocean is definitely amazing.

I'm an oddball Georgia working guy.

You don't need a band to do hip-hop; you only need a DJ.

I'm not arrogant but I'm confident enough to know what I can do and what I can't do. And I'm fine with what I can't.

Music was always a passion, but when I was a kid I didn't see it as a viable career.

I call my attorney three times a day.