Jean-Michel Basquiat interviewed by Becky Johnston and Tamra Davis, Beverly Hills, California, 1985

• BJ: What was your first reaction to selling work and making a little money?
• JMB: I don't know. Over-confidence, I guess. Super confidence. I was just happy that I was able to stick it out and then get things I wanted, you know, after .... I felt like I was right, you know what I mean?
• BJ: Yeah.
• JMB: And ... I just felt really right. I felt like I was glad that I stuck it out and I was glad that I'd had these hard times ...