"I’m a big fan of rap music and that group kind of revolutionized that style of music. And the acting was great. It was such a great film. I thought it was awesome , though, that these people — most biopics are of people who have passed away — these people are [pushing 50] and they already have a movie made about them. That’s so cool! Ice Cube and Dr. Dre — that’s so cool — they’ve really reached, like, awesome status."

"It all started with us on the bus with a few guitars just singing the melody to what became 'The Jean Genie', but it was just naïve and silly. Then, a week later, Bowie came and said: 'Alright, I've finished that one!' And it was of course nowhere near what we had been singing lyrically, but the feel was there. It was one of those nods to good time rock & roll from the early days, spanning from the blues days right into the future. Although it was a very simple song, the lyrics were almost like a rap before rap came out, just with a blues rock backing. He was rapping about the weird scenes we were hanging out in in New York at the time. It just seemed to sum up a whole few years of the 1970s for us. There was weirdness in there, things you couldn't understand, sex, drugs and rock & roll are all in that song. It was, again, David going ahead and churning out a hit. And that one was a first take – that's what's on the record."

"I rekindled a fondness for hip-hop having spent so much time in Houston, Texas, which lately has been revealed as the unexpected destination to make rap and hip-hop records. That's due largely to the presence of the Geto Boys and Bushwick Bill, Scarface and even Destiny's Child. When ZZ Top were recording the album Rhythmeen our studio was undergoing a facelift so we went into an alternate studio, John Moran's Digital Services, where many rap records have been made. There was the left room and the right room, adjoined with the shared group lounge area. I was trying to figure out how the hip-hop guys and rappers got such great-sounding backbeats. And of course what they didn't have was this kinda bluesy guitar. To this day ZZ Top aspires to keep some crunch and grit as part of the fabric. What started the ball rolling back in that direction was the movie Straight Outta Compton. All of a sudden I'm watching the genesis of NWA and what really started such a robust scene. I'd watch that movie ten times. And I probably will [again]!"

"I have that shit, I love Southern rap. For whatever reason that just connects with me. I’m like, ‘Yes, no, mama does make crack like this.’ That makes the most sense to me. I’m just a little white kid growing up in the suburbs and I’m like, ‘Yes, mama makes crack likes this.’ ‘What’s that, Adam?’ ‘Nevermind, mom.’ “Basically, I feel like when I started smoking weed and drinking beer, I fell in love with every album. Every album is between 98 and 2003, it’s a real turning point in my life.”"