There’s always been this hocus-pocus or magical, mystical thing associated with the making of film that sort of psyches people out and makes them think that this cannot be done; that this is a craft that cannot be learned.

I live in New York City, the stories of my films take place in New York; I'm a New York filmmaker.

I really don't deal with hypotheticals.

I think black people have to be in control of their own image because film is a powerful medium. We can't just sit back and let other people define our existence.

I've always tried to - when I've been able to - support young artists, no matter what medium.

I'm a storyteller, and there's some genres I like. I don't think I'm ever going to do science fiction, but I want to do a musical one day. I want to tell stories, I don't really try to get boxed in by a specific genre.

This film [Chi-Raq]is a declaration. It's a scream. It's a warning. And I can really break it down to one scene. That's the scene where we have the eulogy and sermon that is given by the great John Cusack.