Kanye West

It’s a time for the unconventional. I’m not a traditional thinker. I’m a non-conformist. So [Trump’s victory] relates to the non-conformist part of me.

This type of soul, this type of art takes a while to cook. It’s like when my wife cooks for me and I always ask for greens. She never wants to cook the greens because they take three hours to cook.

I love Obama. I’m sure we’ll hang out, go to Richard Branson’s island. It’ll be cool.

I feel that [Trump] cares about the way black people feel about him, and he would like for black people to like him like they did when he was cool in the rap songs and all this.

Even when I tweeted that I was in debt, that gave me power.

People couldn’t give an F about how many cars you got any more. It’s about the way the music sounds, where you’re going, the experience you’re going to hanging out with your friends, the type clothes that you’re wearing – all of that’s art.

Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it.

[on B.B. King] He is without a doubt the most important artist the blues has ever produced, and the most humble and genuine man you would ever wish to meet. In terms of scale or stature, I believe that if Robert Johnson was reincarnated, he is probably B.B. King.

Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn’t mean he lacks vision.

I never set out to find a style of my own, it just happened.

Technique is the ability to translate your ideas into sound through your instrument.

I think pop music is one of the few things in the 20th century that have made giant strides in reverse.

One way or the other, if you want to find reasons why you shouldn’t keep on, you’ll find ’em. The obstacles are all there; there are a million of ’em.

I remember going to sleep many nights with a Gibson catalog, dreaming about getting a Les Paul. I finally did, with a loan from my Dad. It’s a really heavy instrument. But it plays like butter. I met Les backstage at a show once. Jeff Beck made me play ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ for Les, which was a little embarrassing. He changed history, big-time.

No, working is what will keep you alive.

I still love the whole history of Jazz. The old things sound better than ever.

Some players get very philosophical and cerebral about Jazz. You don’t need any prologues, you just play.

I always make it a point to pick songs on which players really shine.

I saw music as a way to entertain people and take them away from their daily lives and put smiles on their faces, as opposed to what I see it being now, which is a way for me to actually communicate, and a way for me to tap into my subconscious.

I gave it my absolute everything I had in that howl at the start of the song. And then B. B. King opened up his mouth and I felt like a girl. We had learned and absorbed, but the more we tried to be like B.B., the less convincing we were.

Jazz musician is a combination entertainer, poet, singer, educator, student, artist, seducer and all-round good fellow.