As a child I always wanted to be a singer. The music my mother played in the house moved me - Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Mahalia Jackson. It was truly spiritual. It made you understand what God was. We are all spirits. We get depressed. But music makes you want to live. I know my music has saved my life.

You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it.

The streets respect me because I kept it real with me. You gotta be real with yourself, and the streets recognize game.

When I was a kid, I needed to sing because it makes me feel good about myself. It makes me feel good, period.

This music business can suck all the love out of you, all the compassion for people - you can start to think you're better than them. But I want to continue to let people know that I'm no better and no worse, I'm just like you.

I don't think I'll do foster care or adopt, to be quite honest.

I don't have any health problems, but to keep your health improves your quality of life.