Your life has to consist of more than 'Black people should unite.' You hope they do, but not twenty-four hours a day.

I learnt early on that your audience take the songs in the way they want to rather than the way you might want them too.

There are more truths in twenty-four hours of a man's life than in all the philosophies.

You know what has made me the happiest I've ever been? Seeing my son and daughter graduate from college. More than wanting them to be educated, I wanted them to be nice people. To see that they have become both is just a wonderful thing.

My songs were always about the tone of voice rather than the words.

The revolution that takes place in your head, nobody will ever see that.