Growing up with country, R&B, gospel, and classical music from my grandmother and pop, Tuskegee was the perfect melting pot for my influences as a writer.

Forget about 40 years in show business. Just surviving 27 years of Nicole Richie is enough.

Believe me, I love commerce as much as the rest of the readers of 'Businessweek.' But in art, you have to be true to yourself and your musical vision. People have known me well for a long time, so if I was chasing a trend and doing something that wasn't authentic to who I am, they would know it in just a few seconds.

I'm easy like Sunday Morning.

When your past calls, don't answer. It has nothing new to say.

Just when I think it couldn't get any bigger, 'Tuskegee' reaches a new level of success.

By growing up in Alabama, I had a melting pot of the whole pie: R&B, gospel, country.