I can't control what people think. I'm not trying to manipulate people's thoughts or sentiments. I write all the time. You have to experience life, make observations, and ask questions. It's machine-like how things are run now in hip-hop, and my ambitions are different.
I think the environmental movement has failed in that it's used the stick too much; it's used the apocalyptic tone too much; it hasn't sold the positive aspects of being environmentally concerned and trying to pull us out.
I've been trying to take this journey over the last four years of getting away from playing manipulative and villainous characters and playing characters that are affected by what happens to them as opposed to unaffected.
I've got, like, too many things that I'd like to try and do, so I'm trying to figure out where the natural pull is strongest.
At the end of the day, I'm just trying to write a song that I like, that I'm not afraid to turn loose on the world. I do read a lot. I know a lot of people who read more, but I do try to keep a book in my hand most of the time, and I think that informs any kind of output that I'm going to have.
Growing up with Jennifer Lopez and Salma Hayek - people who were always trying to do something else - I wanted to follow in their footsteps. They gave people a different perspective of how women were supposed to look like and be.
I'm not trying to be a different weight. I want to be a different body type so that I'm not an apple. I just want to be a pear!
We're all Americans trying to compete. Magic was competing for his team and Larry for his team.
Now, look, it's true, Americans do want leaders that will come to Washington, D.C. and work together to get things done, but that comes with a very important caveat, it depends what they're trying to do.
Kanye is so much fun. He's a wonderful person. What I love about Kim and Kanye is that I think they save their happy moments and their smiles for themselves rather than sharing everything with the public. And listen, when a camera is shoved in your face trying to take a selfie, you do not want to smile.
I'm one of the culprits who keeps turning stuff around, shaking up original tunes and trying to stand the canon on its ear. But sometimes, you just need to sing the song.
Just let me go, we have to be able to criticize what we love, to say what we have to say 'cause if you're not trying to make something better, then as far as I can tell, you are just in the way.
Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window.
I thought Paulie could jump. I know he's not fleet of foot, but at least have some hops. I guess we know who is not going to win a gold glove. I was trying to become a spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service.
People think that because I write about India I must be trying to portray India in a way.
If a composer could say what he had to say in words he would not bother trying to say it in music.
The point is that when I see a sunset or a waterfall or something, for a split second it's so great, because for a little bit I'm out of my brain, and it's got nothing to do with me. I'm not trying to figure it out, you know what I mean? And I wonder if I can somehow find a way to maintain that mind stillness.
I mean enormous pressure was brought to bear - Valerie Amos, Lady Amos, went round Africa with people from our intelligence services trying to press them. I had to make sure that we didn't promise a misuse of aid in a way that would be illegal.
I'm trying to illuminate how perilously narrow we draw the concepts of masculinity and sexuality in our male culture - particularly in black male culture - and to help people to see that there's room enough for everyone.
Faith is not trying to believe something regardless of the evidence. Faith is daring to do something regardless of the consequences.
I started trying to write when I was in second or third grade.
Just trying to get a film made which is always difficult no matter what kind of a budget you have. Not having a budget makes it even more difficult. Having nineteen days and no budget makes it extremely difficult.
He wasn't, but producers are by definition annoying because they have a different agenda from you. They're trying to stop you spending money and you're trying to not spend money, but at the same time we're great artists.
Helen Zille, formidable leader of the Democratic Alliance, routinely vilified as representing white interests only, is trying to make sure everyone knows that the case against Zuma is strong and is trying to have it investigated in a judicial review.
I just have my own taste, and I just try and stick with that. I'm just trying to play as many characters as I can for as long as I have an opportunity to.
We made too many expensive movies trying to offset the loss of the 'LOTR' income. There was a lot of pressure to re-create that franchise, which turned out to be unhealthy for us, because it's such a once-in-a-lifetime success. It would be like trying to re-create 'Avatar' over and over again.
For those whose lives have been turned upside down by Chinese drywall, we're trying to give them a chance to seek justice.
That's why we have practice rounds. We make the adjustments as we go around, try and find out how to play the golf course the best we can. No big deal, it's nothing to me, it's the same for me as it is to everybody and we're all trying to understand it.
Music Row gets dragged through the dirt, but they're just trying to survive.
My forays into trying to date girls my own age from the school I went to were all pretty tortured.
What makes a person sexy is when he's not trying to be sexy.
You know, I'm trying to sometimes sit down and write some stories about my childhood and maybe one when I'm an old lady put them out like a book.
I'm just a simple man trying to make his way in the universe.
I've always taken 'The Wizard of Oz' very seriously, you know. I believe in the idea of the rainbow. And I've spent my entire life trying to get over it.
When I do my makeup, it kind of helps me get into the character that I'm trying to portray.
I say to those people who are desperately trying to get healthy, in those moments where you feel like you can't go any further, you can.
