I had to have the determination to keep going. I had to realize not everybody was going to like me but the people that do

There’s light at the end of the tunnel, you gotta believe in you, though.

The struggle is real, but it doesn’t last forever.

I’m inspired by everything that goes on around me. I’m a sponge. I’m very analytical. I notice the things that most people don’t notice.

We reward loyalty with loyalty and reward disloyalty with distance.

Because they witness so much disloyalty from others, the most loyal people don’t have many friends.

Those who don’t know the value of loyalty, won’t understand the cost of betrayal.

Loyalty is hard to find; trust is easy to lose.

People betray you because it’s easier to violate a friend than it’s a stranger.

I have trust issues with allowing other individuals to know my innermost secrets for fear of how I may be viewed. Everyone has this.

Having a musical outlet is a pure blessing to the ears of thousands of fans.

I got to make myself happy first. Happiness comes from within. It don’t come from external things, pacifiers. I noticed that whenever a crisis happens, right after a crisis, there’s always opportunity.

I’m not afraid to make mistakes.

I don’t give anyone a reason to hate me, they create their own drama out of pure jealousy. Keep ears opened, mouth closed.

Everybody around you pretending that they are your partner, let you have a problem they won’t even help you out.

I have trouble with letting go. That’s my problem. Anybody that has extreme highs and extreme lows is bipolar to any psychologist and that’s not necessarily the truth.

And the drugs don’t really make the problem ever shrink. But they do release the endorphins that help me not to think.

Some might consider this a problem,
I easily fall in love.

Or help them get to the root of the problem. Or help them find out what the problem is. Because the problem lies with self, and a lot of times we don’t look inward as individuals. We always look for something else as a substitute, as a pacifier. You have to look at self first.

Let me hear the music. I’ma let the music instruct me on which way to go. Forwards, backwards, left, right. It’s like boxing. I’m only as strong as my opponent.

Glory be and praise to God. I didn’t do any of this. God did. I don’t have a recipe or a blueprint. I prayed for it, and my prayers are continuing to be answered.

I’ve had good times and I’ve had bad times and I reminisce, maybe when I lay down, but throughout my day I keep myself engulfed in whatever moment I’m in because it could steer me into a depressed state.

We supposed to be in love, till it ain’t no breaking up, anyway that we can talk about it? It ain’t no walking out, we posed to be in love.

When you level up your life will change. You will come across harder opponents and situations.

Pray to God someone prays for me.

When you’re in prison, you want to know that you were thought about.

I don’t want no handouts. I want to get it out the mud.

I just always wanted to study human behavior because every psychologist that I would talk to would tell me I was bipolar, and I know I’m not bipolar, so I had to perform a psychoanalysis on myself to find out that I have unresolved grief.

I used to live with my grandmother. I used to wonder why the other kids in school went home with their mothers and fathers. I wanted to be the guy that got married. I wanted to be the guy with the children and the white picket fence. I never had that.

I always wanted a family.

I’m a perfect imperfection
My craft has been perfected
I just need affection
Emotionally, I’ma introvert but it comes off as aggression.

I look at other people’s lives, and some people feel like they’re too old to play with toys. But I still go through the toy section at the store, ’cause there were toys that I wanted when I was little that I couldn’t have. So I still get them.

Say what you doin and not what you finna do.

Don’t let nobody know that you are a monster. Keep it on the tuck and then surprise ’em.

Out my window
I see everything I dream about and wish I had.

Once you meet the right person everyone else becomes irrelevant.

I’ve got my ass whooped by the police before. But do you know why? Because I was belligerent. I was conducting myself like a n***er, and when I say n***er, I mean I was conducting myself in an ignorant manner. I had no respect for myself, I had no respect for the authority that was talking to me. I deserved what I got.

Already knowin’ you gon’ lie to me, ain’t no need to discuss it.

People tend to feel I’m Michael Jackson reincarnated.

Real niggas eat booty.

Cause hurt cause I’ve been hurt before. Love don’t live here anymore.

This is a burden that none of us want
The judge broke us up when I went back to court
Sentenced the time and it tore us apart
Beautiful creature and I know what you are
Prayed no one else get control of your heart
I hold it down, I was built for this part.

And I’m married to my hustle, makin’ love
And ain’t nothin’ in this world could break us up.

Do you think I’ll ever need you love more than you need me? Show me your true colors girl, I just want to see cause I done had too many come around and change on me.

Behind my name, I’m standing tall and will die any day. As I grew wise, I thought that I would put that foolish pride away; if you cross can’t take a loss, I can’t walk away.

Nigga grew some nuts and now he clutch.

Being a gangster is win, lose or maybe.

Attention, you are in the presence of a gangsta.

Can’t you tell it’s obvious I live a fly life?

The money came, still wasn’t sunny for me after that.

I’ll give anyone a chance, just not a second chance.

Man, all lives matter.

You say you don’t like me. Well, shut up or kill me.

She say, ‘Bae, I’m nasty.’ I say, ‘Me too’.

I have happy moments. But I’m not about to say I’m a happy camper.

Would you still be my friend, when I’m lonely, love?

Women say they love but never more than the eyes.

I love vampire novels by Anne Rice but I also love Nicholas Sparks.

I got partners that got life sentences at a young age, and I had to step up to the plate and take care of their children. I’ve always been a caretaker of young people.

I could give a flying flip about doing promo because, no disrespect, nobody put me in the position that I’m in. I was doing sold-out shows before I got radio play.

I was saying that if I loved a woman, I’m supposed to lick her toes, ego, p***y, and eat her booty.

Whenever someone says something about you, whether it’s direct or indirect, don’t entertain this. Don’t let no body trick you out of your position.

You mean to tell me if you’ve been f***ing with someone for three months. Everything beautiful and your grandmother come tell you one day that’s your cousin, y’all done? Why f**k up a good thing?

I don’t pay attention to social media. So if I do something I do it from the heart. I don’t do it for any feedback, I did it cause that’s how I felt.

I walked a hundred thousand miles, long way from home. Miss my niggas, some dead, some ain’t comin’ home.

Fat, black, nasty, who your baby daddy? Sure as hell ain’t Puerto Rican Gates.

Realizing the power that I have in my words and my actions, they really hurt people. It’s a sad world when people look at such a great person and you place your fears and traumas on others because of what you’ve been through. Everybody has not walked the same life that I have. Taking accountability is saying, ‘What can I do to make myself better?

I’m always looking for something new to conquer.

Grind as if any given moment you could wake up broke.

Most epiphanies are guided through one’s solitude. Self-reflection is the best reflection.

Everything has its place in the world, even randomness.

How you judge a man based on his character, is by how he treats his family. You can be a great person in the streets. That public display, thats public affection but who you are in private defines who you are to me.

I’m watching Kevin Gates grow. I’m proud of it. He’s starting not to make excuses. He’s starting to hold himself accountable. I’m proud of him. It took a little longer then it took for most people. Women mature faster than men, but I’m proud of him.

I believed that my faith has gotten stronger through all of the hardships that I endured. Being able to come out on the other side, it makes you have a greater belief and appreciation for God. It also makes you have a greater belief and appreciation in your own capabilities.

Make your own choices, your own decisions, your own thoughts, and feel your own feelings.

I don’t live in reverse, I live in the present because there’s no such thing as a do-over.

Some situations in life are just for you to learn and have appreciation in learning.

I feel like the youth lack guidance. And being that they lack guidance I saw a lot of individuals that were children when I left, I saw them spiral downhill. And that’s what made me have something called the ‘Achievement Academy.’ We go around talking to young people. We go around to different high schools and I share with them past experiences. We talk about choices and we talk about decision-making. (…) So if I talk to a thousand people and only one hundred people get the message, I did something, I accomplished something.

If you don’t embrace your destiny, if you don’t believe in determination, you will be exterminated.

Adversity builds character. He who faints in adversity is not strong.

Good decision making comes from having made bad decisions. Everything I’ve been through in my life, whether it be fortunate or unfortunate I still get the wealth of experience.

So, I make music for those type of people that have been tore down by life because they had a good heart. Every time they tear you down, I’m going to build you back up.

My life is a sacrifice, I don’t even care. It’s for the people that I love, it’s not for me.

Without true pain, one could never know true happiness.

I treat people the way I would like other people to treat me and that’s my definition of respect in its entirety. Treating people the way you want to be treated. You know, sometimes you have to step outside of yourself. (…) I’m going to look at it from their shoes. I may not feel like smiling but I’m going to smile because I know me saying hello or just being courteous can change somebody’s whole day. So that’s my definition of respect.

White people, Asian people, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Columbians, Blacks, whatever. And I love everybody. I don’t see color.

It wasn’t about the sex, it was the one that just gave him that spiritual connection, that metaphysical connection. When you love from the soul, it’s different.

You gotta make this person fall in love with you again because they have no memory or recollection of who you were at that time. Because you’re a different person every time you come home, you grow.

I’ve got a heart that’s full of love, with so much love to give. So me giving you a hug might have been all you needed. Me giving you a handshake, looking you in your eyes, telling you I understand, us connecting. That’s worth more than money to me.

I never met a wise man that didn’t understand change.

I stand alone because I’m strong enough to do it.

I will be quiet before I will lie and not keep it real!

Develop a deep liking quickly, make sure I deal with it delicately.

I know a lot, but there’s some things I don’t know.

Take me as I am or not at all!

God made it impossible to be anything other than what I am.

All my diamonds shine ‘cause they really diamonds.

I do everything faithfully. I spend my time and my heart in whatever work I do.

People who are broken are dangerous since they believe in their own power to live.

I am humble but if you cross me I am heartless.

The things that are not easy for me to talk about and express, I express through my music. I’m just very serious about my art.

It’s easy to betray or violate a loved one. You know all their strengths and weaknesses.

My mentality, I guess. I used to deal with things totally differently than the way that I deal with things now. And I believe that comes through growth and maturity. And when you grow, your way of life changes. Everything changes. The things that were interesting at one point, they’re not as interesting now.

Made men don’t make statements. You bigger than that, that’s phony. Want every n***a that rap, from Louisiana to make it. Medication then meditation and elevating to greatness.

But I really live in a box. I’m always locked away in the studio, so I never get to see those people anyway. And if I do see them, I don’t even think—to be honest, I’m so focused right now I couldn’t even see myself encountering those individuals that I spoke about from my past.

What poor person fits into society socially? You seem like a great person, but you’re not going to leave out of this building and put one of those homeless people in your car. You treat them differently than I do. When I finish with this salad here, you can eat off my plate. That’s just the individual that I am because I’ve walked in those shoes at one time.

I’m a super sensitive individual also. The smallest thing might stand out to me. I might go make a song about this interview. I live life then rap about it. Who knows what I may say? I just really say what I feel. When I’m in the moment, whatever I’m feeling, I get it all out.

Yea I’m a convicted felon.. I also have a masters in psychology, I also scored a 31 on my ACT at 16 in jail.

I came in the game with a different attitude than I have now. And I had to grow. I had to mature. In that growth and in that maturity, that point of maturity I realized that ay, the people that interview me, we really only having a conversation. And they not from the same walk of life that I am, so my life is super interesting to them.

Whatever I have a natural love for or respect or admiration for, I tattoo it on my body. My next tattoo is probably going to be Muhammad Ali. I’ve got Bob Marley, I’ve got Elvis, I’ve got Malcolm X. I’ve got so many tattoos. It’s crazy. I’m really running out of space. But when I go get tattoos, it’s therapeutic for me also.

I married my best friend that happens to be a girl.

I’m a felon. I get pulled over all the time.

I’m glad I can’t vote.

I used to really love Fiend, but he stopped. He just stopped. Every time he had a project, every project – ‘There’s One In Every Family,’ ‘Street Life’ – I had to have them. And he just stopped. And that was disappointing, ’cause that was my favorite rapper at one time.

I like Peter Tosh, Bob Marley of course. All of Capleton, Sizzla, Frisco Kid, Buju Banton.

Let me tell you something about Tunechi – about that boy. That boy comes to the studio every day and grind as if he doesn’t have a dollar in his pocket.

If you look at the movie ‘Belly,’ I identify with Sincere the most. I am a gangster. I love my lady to death. I’m not in the game for the wrong reasons. I’m not in the game for the glory. I’m in the game to survive so the people that I love could be straight. I’m a highly intelligent individual.

I was born in Earl K. Long Hospital. I was born Feb. 5th, 1986. I have a lot of family members. My grandmother had five girls, and all of them had children. It was always a house full. A lot of cousins. A lot of family members.

I think California has the best energy.

‘Recreative’ is a word that I invented because in urban culture, with colloquialism, we invent so many slangs. I don’t like the way that ‘recreational’ sounds – I don’t like to say I do a lot of ‘recreational’ reading. I like to say that I read ‘recreatively.’ I do a lot of ‘recreative’ reading.

I’m not no Internet person.

It’s a curse. I ask God to take this away from me all the time. I do not like being an artist.

Sometimes I feel like being an intellectual. Sometimes I like to just be aggressive and all the way in my feelings. Sometimes I might be emotional, or sometimes I might drag on the track and be lazy. I just like to share the different states of existence of Kevin Gates with the rest of the world.

My skin is 24 karat gold when a sun hit it.

I really don’t pay attention to the outside world when I’m incarcerated, because being in prison is like being in a different world. So I don’t pay attention to what’s going on outside of jail, because it’s all beyond my control.

I was born on a full moon. Both my children were born on full moons, too. Some people say that’s scary. It is what it is, man, I don’t be trippin’. I couldn’t tell God when I wanted to be born.

I did study religion for a little while. I studied the Torah and the Holy Koran, Helios Biblos, which is considered by most people to be the Holy Bible. I just wanted to know, even with Buddhism and the Dalai Llama.

I attended college in prison. I was in jail, so there ain’t no going to no classes. They have programs in certain facilities where you can earn good time, and then you get time taken off your sentence. But as far as going to classes, it’s not like that. You study, and then an administrator gives you a test. I got a Master’s in psychology.

The more I grow in popularity, the lonelier it gets. Because you don’t really know me. You just know this part of me. You fell in love with that. But it’s way more intricate than what meets the surface.

I’ve always been a loner.

I know my voice is very distinctive because in a room of 100 people, my voice is always picked out.

I can’t say any artist inspired me, because I’m inspired by the things that go on around me.

Any artist that’s as serious about making music as I am, I’m cool with that. But if you tellin’ me, “Man, send me a verse and I’ma send you a verse.” No. That’s not collaborating. We don’t know each other and I’m serous about this music.

Don’t respect alot of rappers, feel like I had a harder life.

My grandmother was an English teacher for a while. And she stressed to me the importance of reading, being able to articulate well.

I did a lot of drugs. I didn’t do multiple drugs, but I overindulged in whatever drug of choice.

The Notebook … that’s my favorite one. I’ve read that book 30 times. It gives a true depiction of two people that are in love.

Seem like codeine is the one thing that help take my mind from the lies.

I don’t gang bang but I’ll bang tha thang!

Being in the neighborhood and the poverty stricken environment that I grew up in, I took a detour. I gravitated towards some of the individuals that did a lot of the wrong things with the right intentions.

I don’t have a religion. I ain’t nothing wrong with church as long as they selling chicken. Cause I read the Quran, I read the Kabalah, I read the Bible. They all got the same three basic principles: Love God, love your neighbor as yourself, and… As far as me being, I live by those principles.

I suffer from depression. Severe cases of it. Not one case of depression, not a severe case, but severe cases of depression. Music is my only outlet, it’s therapeutic to me. It’s a release. It’s how I vent emotionally.

Biggie Smalls, Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, Big L, Tupac. That was, like, my top five, generally.

I’m never on Twitter. I’m never on Instagram. And that’s not by choice: it’s just that those things never really interested me. I might post a picture here and there, but that ain’t really been my focus.

Money coming, money gotta flip it. I ain’t waiting on nobody, I’mma go get it.

I don’t believe in conspiracy theories. I’m just a cold-blooded investigator.

Coming up in the streets, I had to learn how to read people early on. I’m a very analytical person. I observe a lot of the things that people don’t notice.

I’m an introvert somewhat. There could be a room full of people, I’ll go stand in the corner.

I have a cult-like following because I exemplify what it is to be a human being.

Whatever an individual chooses to do with themselves, long as it doesn’t affect me and they’re respectful with it, I don’t care what they do. Because I’m not perfect and I have flaws, so who would I be to be judgmental?

One of my most popular songs, ‘Satellites,’ I paid $300 for that beat on SoundClick.

I got it out the mud. Ain’t nobody ever gave me nothing.

The energy in the daytime is so different because everyone is so unhappy and depressed, and you can pick up on that energy psychokinetically. So I like to come out at night. Everything’s settled; you can see more.

I don’t know how the rap game is, because I’m a fan of reality, and the rap game’s entertainment.

I don’t just listen to rap.

In 7th grade, I believe, I wrote my first rap song. It was about everything I was seeing, everything that was going on around me.

What I see, what I went through, what a friend of mine may have gone through, whatever – I rap about it.

Can you keep up with my lingo?

And everytime the leaves start changing
It’s the loneliest time of year!

I always knew who I was, and I always ran from my true purpose… I know what my job is. And I always ran from it.

Life is about conduct and how we conduct ourselves. But two wrongs never make a right.

I love to be clean. I wear the same things, all of my clothes pretty much look the same. I’m a plain and simple type of guy. I don’t really do a lotta busy colors and things of that nature. I feel like less is more.

I’ve just always been a reader. My grandmother just expressed the importance of literacy, if I said that correctly. She just always expressed the importance of being able to write and being able to read.

I don’t get tired..what you tired of.

I was always taught not to answer no questions. I’m not really good at answering them because I get agitated so fast.

You don’t have to like it but you gotta respect it.

I’m super serious about music. That’s, like, the only thing I’m serious about.

If you go back on your word.. I won’t say anything but in my mind you punk for life.

Don’t stress over people who couldn’t give 2 pennies about you.

Anybody that’s borderline brilliant — they’re gonna suffer with depression. Cause you don’t see the world how other people see the world. You see it for what it is. You see it different.

Sometimes you have to let people bump their heads to realize that they are not making sense. Don’t try to figure them out or it will drive you crazy.

Some’ll say life is a gamble, which means love is a casino. Everybody just playin’ to win.

Watch people daily and you will see their true colors.

Ice box where my heart used to be. Eskimo city, no feelings, I’ma igloo.

I’m nowhere close to perfect, of this I’m sure, but God is!

Climbin forward, strivin’, I’m a grinder
Rearview watchin’ what’s behind you
Peripheral, watchin’ what’s on side you.

Disconnecting from one you love can be a lonely ordeal. The feelings you will experience will change you.

When trying to destroy you, they Destroy themselves in the process. Fuck em’ — work harder!

People will flip on you at the drop of a dime. Just be prepared so it doesn’t surprise you.

Entertainment and the streets don’t go together.

Inspiration comes from many things, and in the life of KG his music is just one of them.

If I tell the truth about me, what can the world say? I’d love to be accepted, but I’m not seeking acceptance. If you are a fan, it’s because you’re a fan of who I am psychological, emotionally, and individually. The world can relate to a human being more than it can relate to a superstar.

When you got wisdom and knowledge you supposed to spread the world with some Soulja love.

When people say my name, I want them to feel a certain way, everybody walks around so numb. They’re not in touch. In the technological age, we become cold-hearted. I’m going to provoke you to feel. That’s what Islah does.

I’m a bookworm. I know with my physical appearance that I don’t look like the typical reader. I’m in Barnes & Noble all the time, and you can look at people that look like they are supposed to be in there. I am in there, pants sagging, hat backwards.

It’s about really really being who you are as an individual and not apologizing for it, that’s what it is. I can feel the growth from my first mixtape to now. On every song, I want to give you a piece of who I am as an individual.

I’m a big skeptic so I won’t just go off what an individual may tell me. I gotta do the research. I’ma get different literature on that one subject and just compare and contrast. I do my own selective studies.

I’ve always stood on my own two. I don’t need a team. I don’t do the entourage thing, 30 people. I don’t do that. That’s just not me.

I adapt and I adjust to whatever environment I’m in.

The things that are most difficult for me to put into words and speak about, I put into my music. I’m just super passionate about my craft and super passionate about what I do.

I like where we at now — but I’m in love with where we going.

You learn fast or you die young.

I’m not made out of concrete. I’m a real person.

I believe that life is a journey and for me to tell you my plans; things never go according to plan.

I never go into a situation with any type of expectations.

I don’t really like talking. I like to execute. I’m not a talking person. I’m an action person.

Knowledge is provided but only to those who need to know.

If it matters to you, pursue it aggressively.

Came from the bottom, we aim for the stars.

All things are obtained by Wisdom and Knowledge.

The only frustrating thing about jail is that I can’t make music.

If I told you I was different, would you understand the difference?

I put my flaws on front street. So the world accepted my flaws, so I don’t have any flaws.

She says I’m a dog, but it takes one to know one.

I have respect for every man that demands your respect.

When you come up in the slums, having nothin’ make you humble.

Wealth is not of the pocket. It’s of the heart. It’s of the mind. I live like that. You could give me a fish and feed more for a day, but if you teach me to fish, you’ve fed me forever. So that’s really my philosophy with it all.

The ones that hate you most tend to be the people you know.

I was built for that pressure.

I experience great hurt, this hurt allows me to know I’m alive.

Get it, get fly, I got six jobs, I don’t get tired.

Jail and the streets go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. They coincide.

My daily conversation, it consists of hustle. Grinding from the bottom sick and tired of struggle.

Breathing is so important with physical activity, then how much more important is it with psychological activity?

Bein’ logical gave me a reason to doubt.

Prison was the best thing that ever happened to me.

Without an understanding of bad…how can one truly have an appreciation of good.

Wise men change and fools they stay the same.

You have to be intimate with a person to know that person.

Fall in love fast, I’ll make sure I handle it delicate.

Love’s a battlefield, it’s not a one-night stand.

It is illegal to steal my feelings and leave.

I love God, I love everybody else around me as myself, and I love my enemy.

To inform, to improve, to make better, and I believe that’s what my first daughter did to me, so I named my first album after my first daughter.

To be honest I am not looking to be romantic, already got someone at home.

I like being with my family. That’s my party.

Marriage is the most wonderful thing ever.

My music is incredible. I don’t know what to call it because I’ve yet to see an artist display the different talents I display or create the different genres that I have created; from the rock and roll to heavy metal to soft rock to rap to country. I display so many styles. That’s why they love me.

Music’s the most therapeutic thing for me. Because I suffer with depression, and it’s my only form of releasing it. Just as you do with your recorder, I record my thoughts. I vent. It’s a channel. I’m an introvert when it comes to displaying my emotion. And because I’m such an introvert, the best thing for me to do is to talk to the mic.

I love to make music, I love to get tattoos… That’s just what I love. If I wasn’t getting paid I’d still do it.

A hot producer might not make a hot beat for me. I just love music.

Rap was more of a release for me, a journal.

I could care less about the particulars. I like to make music.

I always had music growing up, but music was also like a journal. It was like my personal diary or personal journal. A lot of the things I couldn’t express to an individual, I would express them in my music.

I don’t pay attention to sales because it’s not about that for me. It’s about the music. Music is all I have.

I’ve had mixtapes that have been better than albums I’ve heard from other artists. I take my time; I put my heart into it.

You can learn from a dummy. You can watch a dummy and learn what not to do. I’ve always been an observant individual. You don’t know how much you love something until you can’t do it. That’s one thing I can say that I learned. I learned how much I love music.

You can’t make everybody else happy and still stay on top.

I live by the ten percent rule. Save one, you save a thousand.

I don’t sleep much. I don’t sleep much – I work, I work, I work.

If you associate yourself with peer pressure or complacency, you’re destined for failure.

Don’t be mad at me for being the best at what I was created to be.

I’m going to keep working and the universe will open up and whatever path that presents itself, then that’s which path I’m going to go.

I don’t let the left hand know what the right hand is doing.

Having love for your enemy is a hard thing to do, real talk.

I write a lot of my best music in the car, like late night. Three, four in the morning. I’m in the passenger seat, I got my driver, my getaway driver. My Bonnie, I’m Clyde. That’s when everything is just settled. In the daytime it’s chaotic. Everybody just goin’ nowhere fast. In a rush to go nowhere.

Never break or fold, that’s what it takes to be major.

If you not in your own lane, create one.

Whenever you decide to achieve a goal. Then complete it.