I tell you what freedom is to me: no fear.

I believe in racial memory too. I'm sure I've got ancient African blood in me that has something to do with what I am.

You can't help it. An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times.

My people have very subtle slang, inflections and ways of saying things that has little to do with words. If you're from the same place, you'll feel the jargon and know exactly what's happening. Same with any neighborhood cat. What he sees and hears and feels and lives makes him what he is. That's what blues is.

How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?

Desegregation is a joke.

I try to swim every damn day I can, and I've learned to scuba dive and snorkel.