Always respect yourself and don't go out there disrespecting yourself.

I was a shy kid with a broom handle that I pretended was a microphone.

I'm 60, and I did 60-year-old women songs. I'm not trying to be the Hip-Hop Queen, although I am the original Hip Hop Queen.

I don't feel as though I have to prove anything to anybody.

When I look into the crowd, I see young and old, black and white - it's amazing that I'm able to connect with so many different kinds of people.

All I can tell you really is if you get to the point where someone is telling you that you are not great or not good enough, just follow your heart and don't let anybody crush your dream.

I think the race situation is getting better as far as people respecting each other goes. I think the race situation with entertainment is not that much better.