I have not tried to tell the people anything. I have shared my views with the people but I have not tried to lead or correct them, assuming they need correction.

If culture was a railroad, I can see the tracks running from the Spirituals to the Hip Hop Nation.

We obviously need the truth. We're living in a country of lies.

If you're a writer, the answer to everything is yes.

If I can't do what I want to do, then my job is to not do what I want to do. It's not the same thing, but it's the best thing I can do.

Schools should serve breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack. No sugared drinks, no fast type food.

I used to go up to her house. She lived upstate [in New York] and I lived in Manhattan; you're living in a lot of noise and my career was being built. For me to spend time with Nina [Simone] is to spend a lot of quiet time.