My God is a God who wants me to have things. He wants me to bling. He wants me to be the hottest thing on the block.

Growing up, I was the preferred hairstylist for all of my friends.

There are people out there who want to provoke me and bring back the old Mary but I'm not giving them the satisfaction.

I used to think I was ugly. I thought I looked like a camel. A person who doesn't love themselves, they will see anything that pops up on their face. I've seen squirrels, I've seen a bird, and I've seen all kinds of animals on my face. But that is the result of self-hate. I've learned to say: 'You know what? I am a beautiful black woman'.

I'm a singer who thinks like a rapper.

I barely have time for my own children. To adopt more children and not have time for them, that would be poor parenting on my part.

If we didn't have understanding of our journey, we wouldn't be able to go on. We'd be stuck, like, 'Why me?'