Though negative things have happened to me, God somehow let me know that becoming bitter was not the way to go. You die when you do that. Someone once told me that if you fully open your arms to receive love, you'll get some scratches and cuts on your arms, but a lot of love will come in. If you close your arms, you might never get cut - but the good stuff won't come in either.

When I was about five or seven years old my mother was placed in a mental institution and so we were with our father who worked very hard, and we had to figure a lot of things out.

A lot of the guys were like that - Oscar Pettiford - they just took me under their wing, and that's why I automatically help young people. I just love it, because they did that for me.

Arts is just as important as military defense, you know? Emotional defense is just as important.

All guys get into music because they love music and they also want to get the girls.

Did you know you would become as successful as you have? Hell, no. But you know what? You were prepared, baby.

Every day you must be able to say, I have to get up because I'm needed by someone. As long as you have that, you're healthy.