I was appearing on the reality show R&B Divas and when I started to fall apart it was very public. But I am glad that it happened that way. It made me see myself. And it made me transparent.

Do you see how Jerry Heller made it work? That is how he combined what we did to make the rap music into mass music. That's exactly how it happened.

For me, surviving Compton is surviving the men, because Suge and Dre are from Compton. So in my world, in my mind, I survived their mentality.

What I notice about men, all men, is that their order is me, my family, God is in there somewhere, but me is first.

I know in the movie it looks like my grandmother is condoning it, but she really wasn't. But back in those days, men beat women. She was trying to tell me something without being judgmental, trying to help me understand that's what men do.

No one country can confront them alone…the only way forward is together.

For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.