As far as songwriting, my inspirations came from love, life and death, and viewing other people's situations.
I am grateful I got the chance to meet Stevie Wonder! He's like royalty to me and is one of my biggest inspirations.
Beyonce is one of my inspirations. Her attitude, her style, her voice... she's perfect.
I am trying to persuade my family to spend more time in China. It's no fun to be in exile. I can't even figure out the basic 26 letters, let alone operate, in English. I often feel that although I've found the sky of freedom above my head, I've lost the soil I stand on. I need to be back in my motherland, where I can find inspirations.
Wherever you look there are inspirations, books, literature, paintings, landscapes, everything. Just living is an inspiration.
When people ask about inspirations, and you're like 'oh, it was a flower or a mountain or a pony', some people just think you're insane. I'm worried to come across that way.
In terms of style I typically veer toward a certain masculinity. My style inspirations range from images of my father in his 1970s suits, to Tilda Swinton, to Hugh Hefner, to Sharon Stone and her ferocious sexuality, to handsome men I see on the streets of New York.
True music must repeat the thought and inspirations of the people and the time.
I really didn't try to make an effort to make urban music, but I am a product of my inspirations.
I've always believed that there are funny people everywhere, but they're just not comedians. In fact, some of my best comedic inspirations were not professional entertainers.