I'm very much in the trenches, and I don't live in the lap of luxury. I come from a working-class military family. We watch the news and read the paper and vote, so there's always something to be upset about. I always have a certain amount of angst in my back pocket.

I dedicate my love and whole heart this Memorial Day to my Dad, a soldier, who like many others, suffers in silence with pride and honor.

In the late '90s, R&B was dominant in the radio, and the white kids were taking it mainstream.

For the first few years we paid all the bills first and divided what was left as salary. Sometimes that was $50 a week.

I'm cool. I don't need to be skinny. I like to be strong.

You hear people say it all the time, how life changes so drastically. But you can't possibly grasp how beautiful that is until you have your child.

I know I should stop smoking, but it scares me. I mean, what would I turn to next?