A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.

You have to be taught to be second class; you're not born that way.

I'm not a career kind of person. When I saw new music, new trends coming in, I didn't see any place for me. And I didn't think about it as a career loss, because I was married - I have a great- grandchild now. The low points were when I lost people that I really cared about.

Malcolm X raised my consciousness about myself and my people and other people more than any person I know. I knew him before he became Malcolm X.

Count Basie isn't just a man, or even just a band. He's a way of life.

The naked female body is treated so weirdly in society. It's like people are constantly begging to see it, but once they do, someone's a hoe.

Nobody black or white who really believes in democracy can stand aside now; everybody's got to stand up and be counted.