Struggling to stay in the middle class, and I love that. That's me and my dad and my family.

Why don't we scale up those things that do work.

I love my cross-sectioned, cross-cultural audience. Some of them are doing better than the average guy, but my audience has always been people who are struggling to stay in the middle class.

Music is the soundtrack of our lives, it's essential for our lives.

I don't want the Obama era to be more about symbolism than substance when it comes to black people. I love him, but I love black people even more.

Don't envy someone else's gift. Discover your own.

Be careful about gossiping because loose lips really do sink ships. Now that I'm in the broadcast business, and people talk about me, I know what it feels like to be the victim of gossip.