I was a very poor young black boy in New Orleans, just a face without a name, swimming in a sea of poverty trying to survive.

I try not to take on the weight or the burden of it. Once it's on the paper, I try to leave it, because I want to surrender to what I'm supposed to write about.

I'm a child who was abused. I know the difference. I clearly know the difference. The whipping for correction and then their child abuse.

If I'm away from you for more than an hour, I can't stop thinking about you. I carry you in my spirit. I pray for you more than I pray for myself...I know you don't believe in fairy tales. But, if you did, I'd want to be your knight in shining armor. You've been through so much. I don't want to see you hurt anymore. Now I may not be able to give you all that your used to. But I do know I can love you past your pain. I don't want you to worry about anything. You just wake up in the morning, that's all you have to do and I'll take it from there...There's one condition...You have to be my wife

I look at the stories that Spike Lee tells... Great stories. Great director, great storyteller.

I never thought of myself as a mogul, but it's really great to be in that position.

I wanted just for people to know that, no matter how simple your life is, if you have millions or you don't have anything, you can be happy where you are.