My mother never gave up one me. I messed up in school so much they were sending me home, but my mother sent me right back.

When I did A Soldier's Story, I was very young and green and thought I knew everything-now I know I know everything!

The strongest, toughest men all have compassion. They're not heartless and cold. You have to be man enough to have compassion - to care about people and about your children" (217) - John Singleton "Oh Man, I've Become My Father

I still have my unemployment books and I remember when I worked for the sanitation department and the post office.

The only reason I'm acting in films I direct is to get the money to make them, quite frankly, it's not what I'm interested in doing.

[Saniyya Sidney] was very serious about her work and her craft, and she wanted to be good, and she wanted to work on it. So I said, "Ok." It was as simple as that. She was just right. She just has it.

To protect the sheep, you gotta catch the wolf. And it takes a wolf to catch a wolf, you understand?