To me, country music is like the blues, but it's something very hip and - I don't want to say commercial - but it's very worldly and good listening.

My mother always wanted me to be a jazz singer, but I always wanted to be raunchy.

When Malcolm X was assassinated I was working at the Apollo. They brought his body to the Unity Funeral Home, which was around the corner.

Once you lose the weight, you're really anxious to eat healthy.

I was a sloppy kid, wanted to be just wild.

My mother used to play nothing but Billie Holiday.

I really turned into, you know, the real street kid. I was kind of like a runaway, but I had a mother, you know what I mean, and I had a place to stay.