Even the hard times are part of your life story. If you acknowledge them and move past them, they eventually add up to the experience that makes you wise.

I had a song called "Folsom Prison Blues" that was a hit just before "I Walk The Line." And the people in Texas heard about it at the state prison and got to writing me letters asking me to come down there. So I responded and then the warden called me and asked if I would come down and do a show for the prisoners in Texas.

I'm not a gangsta rapper. I rap about things that happen to me. I got shot five times. People was trying to kill me.

Whatever you see you gotta keep a sense of humor; you gotta be able to smile through all the bullshit.

Of course I'm going to say 'I'm a thug,' that's because I came from the gutter and I'm still here!

It seems like every time you come up something happens to bring you back down.