Quotes from Dave East

You're born a certain way, but you don't gotta die like that.

No matter how dope you are, if you ain't really built, if you ain't put that groundwork in, you gonna flop. Nobody gonna fill those arenas.

Being self-made is a state of mind, and once you put that mentality to work, your success will come.

A lot of creativity coming from the east side of Harlem. It really built my character and who I am.

I've been able to provide for my family, move out of Harlem and travel the world.

Wu-Tang was going through it. They didn't come from great homes or families. They really came from hard beginnings so it just made me reflect on my own situation. If Wu-Tang was able to make it, why can't I?

You can't turn fame off regardless if you're a platinum-selling artist or you're in jail every week. If you're famous, you're famous. You're in the headlines either way you go.

I want to put out music that everyday people can relate to.

Since the '80s, Harlem has the place to go. Before the '80s, just as far as hip-hop go, Harlem has always been a strong point, fashion-wise, music-wise, all of that.

My father brought a basketball to the hospital when I was born, and he already had it embedded in his head that I would be a ball player.

I always tell people, I never get writer's block because it's coming straight from my brain, like, real-life experiences. I'm like the news. I'm just reporting it for myself.

I feel like a lyricist is somebody that writes their own lyrics. Now songwriters and lyricists are two totally different things. You can't really be a lyricist if you didn't write your lyrics. There's no passion, there's nothing in it coming from you. It's somebody else's feelings and you just taking it and running with it.

People don't get signed by Def Jam every day on my block.

Nas really introduced the world and a lot of people to me - that was ideal as far as me first coming in.

Deep down in my heart and what I've seen and what I've been around, there is nothing better than Islam.

Everybody knows I smoke, drink, and be up in the club, but I don't want that to be my entire thing. I want them to see me get up and go to the gym after a night of clubbing.

I'm not feeling R. Kelly. And I got a daughter, so I'm super not jacking R. Kelly at all.

A big part of what kept me focused on the music was already failing with basketball. I played basketball all of my life. When basketball didn't work, I knew that I had to make it in whatever I decided to do next.

The reception on 'P2' has been crazy. Every show on the tour has been sold-out. I didn't think people were gonna catch on to it that quick because I started the tour the same day it came out.

With me, I record so much that I just get in the zone.

A lot of people change for good. Some people just fall off. Just trying to progress in anything, no matter what you're doing, I feel like any progression you make... some people aren't gonna be around you that were around you.

I want a son.

I'm never gonna sell my soul or violate myself for no amount of dollars or fame.

I think R. Kelly is twisted, sick-minded, nasty, perverted - he different. I don't know anybody like R. Kelly.