When we're growing up there are all sorts of people telling us what to do when really what we need is space to work out who to be.

Growing up, one of my cousins was an out gay man.

I got a chance to work with Mystikal and Mannie Fresh and Juvenile and all these people as I was growing up, and so that really influenced everything I do.

Growing up, I didn't really know who the Tuskegee Airmen were.

Leslie Nielsen was my favorite growing up; getting to work with him was amazing.

I've been told my work is old fashioned, in a good way. Now that all my kids are growing up and leaving, I'm replacing them with these little kids.