I have always had tremendous respect for my sister as an artist, as a woman, and now as a mother.

My sister and I truly are best friends.

My sister and I were not allowed expensive clothes. We so badly wanted these Fila sneakers as kids, but my mother took us down to the flea market and got imitation ones. Look at the early Destiny's Child videos. You'll see.

In my experience, as a young black artist, you have to fulfill an archetype, or be a token - and I was unwilling to do that.

I have a mother who never took no for an answer when it came to her creative pursuits. She started a hair salon in her spare bedroom and four years later had 30 employees.

You just have to know that the more successful you get as an artist, the less of a normal life you have. It's a trade-off.