The younger Mary J. Blige, I would call her, she was very unaware, ignorant.

Me and my husband took him as a friend. He's someone we know we could talk to and call on if we have a question about something we can't answer because, quite frankly, 50 is very intelligent and we really appreciate his expertise, and we really appreciate his opinions and the advice he's given us.

There are people out there who want to provoke me and bring back the old Mary but I'm not giving them the satisfaction.

No one intimidates me because I'm not trying to do what you do, because I can't do what you do. I can only do what Mary J. Blige can do, so that relaxes me right there, and it gets me out of the competition and that whole thing.

Humans tended to use the terms free and freedom to indicate states of being that were anything but.

I cannot save the world; that's not what I'm trying to do. I guess I'm just trying to walk the walk and be an example to those that want it. Not everybody does, but if Mary J. Blige can come out of that same hole you were in, then you can do it, too - that's my goal: to do that without saying it, but actually live it.