What are your songs about? "Betrayal in my life, bad timing, learning from life."

Your lyrics about women are harsh. "I wrote a song and called my ex-girlfriend [ugly names] because she cheated on me and lied to me. And I expressed myself through that song. At the time, I definitely was'nt thinking that the record was gonna go platinum and a million people were gonna [mistakenly] think I think that about every woman."

You've been accused of provoking some of the violence and rapes at Woodstock last summer with your performance. Do you accept any responsibility for that? "No. Not at all. We are g reat guys with great morals. Rape is as terrible as anything someone can do. I don't comprehend that mentality."

Are you political? Do you vote? "No. But I think they should let a woman be president. A black woman."

You claim you've never read a book. Are you sure you have'nt? Not even in school? By accident? "That's right. When I was supposed to read one [for a book report], I chose The Outsiders because I had seen the movie."

Now you're a record-label executive,directing a movie and recording a new album. How has success changed you? "When you come from a place with no money, like I did, you think that's gonna solve your problems. I still get the flu. I still get fat. I still have the same problems I had when I started. I thought not having money was the problem. But now I realize it's really about finding inner peace. I don't have it yet."

Do you ever take off your hat? "It's a trucker, redneck thing. It's a good-luck thing for me, a creative thinking cap. Onstage, it's like my mike--I gotta have it."