"Having that control means I do things on a smaller level, and as I do things on a smaller level, they gain a lot of momentum and become larger and larger. For me, it's not about bubblegum or about being on television, who I'm dating, what my personal life is. It's about my art."

And it's about going toe-to-toe with his rival. "It's about innovating and creating new ideas," Angel says. "That's why it's so important for Blaine to face me. At the end of the day, the public would love to see it. It would elevate the art form. Just like a sporting event, a boxing match or whatever, it really brings out the best in both parties.

"He was such a strong-willed person," Angel began, "that he didn't care what the doctors said. He had his own vision that he was going to live and see his grandkids born. He was going to enjoy his life to its fullest. He would take the negativity and turn it into something that produced positive results. And his results were that he lived for over three years.

"The sheer will of his wanting to live -- and his mind, body and spirit working as one -- demonstrated something that people thought was impossible," Angel said. "And, compared to what he did with his situation, what I did with fishhooks is nothing.

"And, even though he lived with his situation every day, he found a way to put a smile on his face, be positive and say, 'Oh, I have today. I'm going to make the most of it and let my day effect other people in a very positive way.'"