I always said if a man would have done half the records that I've done, we would know about it. But we don't know all the records I've done for other artists.

I felt like, 'How do I fit in'? I'm battling. But then I never fit in!'... I thank God for somebody like Pharrell who stayed in my ear. For him, at that time, 'Happy' was everywhere; he didn't have to share anything with me.

I'm blessed to be living this dream of writing and singing, but that's not the real dream I had. The real dream was to make enough money to take care of all the pain and suffering that my mother has been through.

I feel like, O.K., if I can make it as a singer, then let me try rapping. If I can make it as a rapper, then let me try writing. All right? If I make it as a rap singer and writer, then why not try to produce? I don't feel limited in any way.

A lot of people don't know a lot of records that I've written or produced, so that's a highlight for me as a woman.

I didn't want to just be an artist and let someone else have all that control over me. I knew I would have to produce.