A$AP Rocky hasn’t always had it easy. The MC — who is 27 years old today — spent his early days struggling. Tribulations, as explained in his music and interviews, have taught him a tremendous amount of life lessons.

In honor of Rocky’s birthday, MTV News decided to put together some interesting life quotes based on the New York-raised MC’s insight. So, we gathered up some intriguing words of wisdom from one of rap’s most prominent stars.

Happy birthday, Rocky. Thanks for sharing these jewels with the world.

On High School

“Sometimes we used to cut during lunch and go window shopping or try to boost something from Barneys,” Rocky told MTV News. “I used to travel from the Bronx all the way down here and I’ma be honest, we used to come to school to get girls and show off our outfits — that’s all we used to come to school for back in the day. I didn’t have to be in school all week, but once they gave a pop quiz I’d ace it.”

On His Hometown, New York

“It bring a tear to my eye to see native New York people give me my props because New York is stubborn and arrogant,” he once told The New York Times.

On The State Of America

"It’s f--ked up," Rocky said in an interview with Complex. "That’s all it is. Cops killing people, people killing cops. It’s all f--ked up. I think it’ll all change soon. I think people with a badge—or not—are gonna stop abusing authority across the world, and learn to appreciate one another. For real."

On Social Media

"When I wanna talk, I’mma do it," he told Complex. "When I wanna be places, I’ll go. I prefer to be free. And I feel like when you live that life of paparazzi, media, social media, when sh-t hits the fan, they’re gonna be the same people that destroy you. So I don’t wanna give them the credibility of making me, because when it’s all said and done, the motherf--kers won’t be able to break me."

On Mortality

"I don’t take people for granted no more. Nobody’s promised tomorrow," he told Complex. "I cherish everybody while they’re here right now."

On Fashion

"That's my religion," he told MTV News. "I do this jiggy sh-t...I was born jiggy."

On Poverty

"I grew up in the ’hood, and everybody in the ’hood wants to compensate for being in poverty, so they want to look good to keep themselves up," he told Interview. "That’s been embedded in me. My father, he kept me in the Jordans and Guess stuff and all that other sh-t, so it was just like I grew up on that fashion sh-t. It’s just that my fashion tastes changed and shifted, that’s all."

On Homophobia

"Well, I haven’t been a gay activist," he told Interview. "I haven’t protested for gay rights or none of that, but one thing I can say is that a lot of the designers I wear are gay and I like their clothes. Why can’t I be friends with somebody who’s gay? Why not? You can miss out on a lot by being so small-minded and stereotypical about people. It’s stupid. Who people like is their own business. It don’t concern me. I know what I do—and I’m having a lot of fun with the women that I’m with."

On Drugs

"Well, I can rest assured my bills will be paid without having to worry about getting caught by cops or getting hit by a stray bullet or being mugged," he told Sneeze. "That drug sh-t is corny. A lot of rappers glorify it because they never really lived it. I actually lived it and I don’t have to front. Like, I’ve never been a gangster, I’ve never been a tough guy, I’ve always just been about me and my business. I don’t perpetrate a fraud, so I’m not no trap motherf--ker, but I can rap about it because I experienced it."

On His Relationship With God As A Youth

"I was mad at God himself for a while. I was young," he told Sneeze. "It was really tough and I was so lonely. [My brother] was my mentor, the guy to look up to, my go-to guy. It was just like, I lost the only person that really actually treated me equally as a friend when he had no reason to. Honestly, he was really so genuinely nice to me, and I know how it feels to be loved and I know how it feels to have your love taken away."

On His Relationship With God Now

"I pray everyday to God. I pray over cookies before I eat them so if I eat food, I’m praying…I’m thankful for blessings and everything. I talk to God every day. I was born Christina, but as far as religion, I don’t go to church or none of that because I feel it’s full of hypocrites. That don’t mean I don’t have my own relationship with God."

On Fame

“If you think about A$AP Yams, the way he died, if you think about Amy Winehouse, Kurt Cobain, they all fall victim to at drugs, surgery, superstardom,” he told MTV News. “This is a ’beyond scared straight program’ for me. This is what will happen if you were to go down that line.”