Kevin Abstract

I think the most important part of the teenage years is wondering.

In order to make a change, I have to exist in a traditionally homophobic space such as hip-hop. If I were to just be this queer rapper who only spoke to queer kids... I don't think I could as effectively make a change for another young, black, queer kid growing up in Texas.

I don't want to be that artist who's doing the teenage angst thing and draw it out my whole career.

I don't really have a blueprint to follow besides watching interviews. Well, I guess the blueprint I do follow is Def Jam, in a way, just because it started in a small space, which is so similar to how we started.

A lot of my music is about self-discovery because I focus on my teenage years.

I believe that self-discovery is an ongoing thing.

We just want people to feel something that they've never felt before. Or at least, something they haven't felt since they were little kids.

Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted to start a record label.

I've never seen a boy band that had members who look like us - kids of color from all over the world - and met on the Internet.

I want to give black kids a new superhero.

I want kids to live through this character I've created. I want them to say that they are Kevin Abstract because they relate to it that much.

I wanted to blend in 'cause I knew I was different.