I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be an African American in America. I've had some interesting experiences: some great, some not so great, but I love it here.

People wanted to move to America because of Michael Jackson. Industry changed, the music industry changed, because of Michael Jackson. That's a gift to us, and, you know, I am concerned that the Good Lord may not send another one because we did not take good care of him.

I watch a lot of different films. A lot of different performances and I find a lot of little things from the films or things that actors do or people in real life who have behaviors or idiosyncrasies that I like or find interesting and I try to remember that. And then I'll do a prayer. I'll do a prayer to ask the character or the spirit of the character to come and visit me. And let's work together.

I've been a law-abiding citizen ever since I grew up in the Bronx, New York.

No one can train you to be famous. How do you deal with the loss of anonymity, the loss of privacy? You have to be disciplined.

You can put a cat in an oven, but that don't make it a biscuit.

My mother was pretty much on my case all the time.