When I was in high school, I looked for the black presence in a British historical tradition - before too much slavery and empire - that would not cost me my self-respect.

I loved school, maybe too much, really. I was summa cum laude in high school. I was driven that way.

In high school I was very much involved in poetry. You cannot read a poem quickly. There's too much going on there. There are rhythms and alliterations. You have to read poetry slow, slow, slow to absorb it all.

'High Cotton' is more conscious of class than 'Black Deutschland.'

I wanted to wear a uniform when I was in high school, but I couldn't. I was like, 'It would be so much easier!'

Be careful, in now a day's love can be too much expensive.