The lyrics, the strings, the chords, everything comes at the moment like a gift that is put right into your head and that's how I hear it.

Children are loving, they don't gossip, they don't complain, they're just openhearted. They're ready for you. They don't judge. They don't see things by way of color. They're very child-like. That's the problem with adults: they lose that child-like quality.

It's been my dream since I was a child to somehow unite people of the world through love and music.

I want people to hear or watch something I've done and feel that I've given it everything I've got.

All the forms of popular music from jazz to hip-hop, to bebop, to soul [come from black innovation]. You talk about different dances from the catwalk, to the jitterbug, to the Charleston, to break dancing -\-\ all these are forms of black dancing...What would [life] be without a song, without a dance, and joy and laughter, and music.

I never have felt that people should feel that they are better than others, simply because they just happen to possess a larger share of material items and monetary wealth than others less fortunate. I believe in sharing, assisting, and just lending a helping hand to people.

I'm interested in making a path instead of following a trail, and that's what I want to do in life - in everything I do.