Biography

Suffers from Tinnitus (constant ringing in the ears) Says he doesn't know what silence sounds like anymore.

Wrote 'My Humps' in 5 minutes when he saw a pretty lady when he was having something to eat.

Hired by Intel Corporation as their innovation director [January 26, 2011].

Close friends with Cheryl, and Jessica Alba.

Attended the special dinner at Sony Studios in Los Angeles to honour singer and activist Sting as MusiCares' 2004 Person of the Year. The evening celebrated Sting's contribution to popular music, and honoured his charitable work with Amnesty International and the Rainforest Foundation. Other stars in attendance included Kylie Minogue, Elton John & Dido (6th February 2004).

We're from the projects - East L.A. On welfare the majority of our lives. A lot of my friends are dead and in prison, just like any urban person that comes from areas like I'm from. But my grandma was super-grandma. Ain't nobody mess with our family in my neighborhood because everybody loved my grandma. She was the one that prayed for everybody. We were one of the first families in the projects. And I moved them out. Music allowed me.

You want to play stadiums? You listen to U2. You study it for harmonics, the vocal placement, the freaking chord progressions, their lyrics. You study the production. You study it because studying that equals stadiums.

I'm good at thinking outside the box, so much that you realize it's not a box to begin with.

I was born and raised in the ghetto, on welfare, two minutes from homeless.

I just like seeing kids inspired.