My philosophy is I'm raising future adults, not children.

I've been working so hard, I'm about to have a Mariah Carey.

You know, I like to release music the way I feel it, as opposed to having a date.

As you go down the rabbit hole of reading into our history, you realize that there are so many things that history books didn't teach us about ourselves.

Appearance is something you should definitely consider when you're going out. Have your girlfriend clip your nails or something like that.

I learned how music works dealing with Jermaine Dupri, and I learned how image works dealing with Puff Daddy. ... Singing is an acting role within itself...I've gone through a lot of trial and error to find what works and what doesn't. With that comes an understanding of how to offer the same opportunities to other artists. ... In my opinion the world is in need of real soul music. ... I'm a flamboyant type of guy, a cooler version of Liberace. ... I'm a younger Morgan Freeman. ... I've been working so hard, I'm about to have a Mariah Carey.

When I reflect on the issues that black Hollywood has had with the lack of representation at the Oscars, I realized that we have a responsibility to tell stories that are meaningful for our history.