Madlib

“Dizzy Gillespie would come by, eating gumbo. It was crazy. My grandparents were friends with all of them. Dee Dee Bridgewater, all of them, they'd come through.”

“I love zebras.”

“I didn't want to put out 'The Unseen' because I thought I would be criticized. I thought everyone would think the sped-up vocals were a gimmick. I had to be convinced to put it out.”

“I'm usually bored with both gangsta rappers and underground ones, too.”

“I do it for myself and for like-minded people. Half the time I don't know why I make what I do. I'd do this if no one was listening. I'm stuck. I've got the curse.”

“I don't have beef with anybody.”

“I don't like shit too perfect. I want some human stake in my shit. If it's too perfect I ain't really with it. If it's too clean I ain't really with it. If it's too polished I don't really like it.”

“I grew up on Public Enemy, which had a message with great music behind it.”

“My computer? I never use a computer. It's too easy.”

“My family brainwashed me, like I'm brainwashing my children. They brainwashed me with good taste.”

“Some people think I'm crazy, but I'm just a normal dude that loves music.”

“I try to challenge my ears. I get bored easily.”

“At one point, I took a year off just to listen to music and really digest it. I listened to everything you could imagine.”

“I made an electronic record in the vein of Cluster. I was programming synthesizers and drum machines and that sort of thing.”

“I like my space.”

“I'm a jokester, man.”

“I used to memorize music when I was real young. Schoolwork, not so much. But music I could remember.”

“I'm a hermit, people rarely see me.”

“I used to drink straight Hennessy, but I started drinking wine and champagne. It's easier to tour like that.”

“As far as hip hop, I ain't even gonna front, it was 'Rapper's Delight.' That was the first thing I heard where I was like, 'Whoa.' You take that beat and do something over it. I started collecting records after that, old records.”