From being a little girl in the projects, going through all of the mess that I was going through, to ending up at the Inauguration for the first African-American president, I'm speechless right now because I never thought I'd - I never ever - I couldn't even see that far. Even when I ended up in the music business I couldn't see that.

From being a little girl in the projects, going through all of the mess that I was going through, to ending up at the Inauguration for the first African-American president, I'm speechless right now because I never thought I'd - I never ever - I couldn't even see that far. Even when I ended up in the music business I couldn't see that.

I didn't never have to go to a therapist. I just always put it in a song and you heard me.

Don't go a full day or night without washing your face. You have to get all the dirt and makeup out of your pores.

Negative words are powerful boomerangs so be careful what you say about people and yourself.

I wish I had an extra day with my mom sometimes. Or another hour in the day with my family, husband and children.

Don't give up, be positive and if you know someone who knows someone at a record company don't stop beating down their door till you get heard. Don't ever say it'll never happen or it'll never happen.