Stories work, if they have a beginning, middle and end.

Be your true self. Because if you're not, there are consequences to be paid.

The Wire' really is an American classic, and I think that's something to be very proud of.

The role of culture is that it's the form through which we as a society reflect on who we are, where we've been, where we hope to be.

The real question is, Why do you feel as though that's emasculating? A man can't have a conflict? When you try to do art, it's how it lands on people, and hopefully some people will see it the way that I saw it, which is all of these awful choices come from the place of a man who's damaged.

The whole idea of jazz came about was the interpretation of the human dialogue, trading fours. When someone's soloing and someone picks up the solo and plays it back at 'em, it was the imitation of the human dialogue. It was how people spoke, through music.

Culture is the intersection of people and life itself. Its how we deal with life, love, death, birth, disappointment... all of that is expressed in culture.