“I was the most subtle person in the world.”

China’s got a billion people and a hit record over there is a million records. You know that ain’t right.

A song should have all the color and beauty of every rose.

My dream is to put together a performance of the evolution of black music with Cirque du Soleil . I would also like to do street opera and children’s books. But even as I work toward these things, I want to simplify my life.

My earliest memories are being pinned to a fence with a switchblade.

The process is the most beautiful part.

I found this out over the years, that racism is a thinly veiled disguise over economics and money. It really is.

It’s the attitude about life, man. Looking at the light instead of the dark. Looking at love instead of fear.

Young people should travel, and they don’t. You can’t know if you don’t go.

All guys get into music because they love music and they also want to get the girls.

My grandmother had this high-tech security system – a rusty nail she used to lock the door.

The only music I don’t like is bad music.

I’m just a musician and a record producer.

A lot of the guys were like that – Oscar Pettiford – they just took me under their wing, and that’s why I automatically help young people. I just love it, because they did that for me.

Let’s not get too full of ourselves. Let’s leave space for God to come into the room.

The act of multitrack recording is the act of arranging.

Every day, my daddy told me the same thing. ‘Once a task is just begun, never leave it till it’s done. Be the labour great or small, do it well or not at all.’

Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.

To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.

Most of the time I do feel like I need someone else when I’m alone. But I can still get by with just my own company and that makes me a stronger person.

In a relationship each person should support the other; they should lift each other up.

I’m all about evolution. I’m the first person to judge myself.

Nothing is impossible to the person who backs desire with enduring faith.

To become successful you must be a person of action. Merely to “know” is not sufficient. It is necessary both to know and do.

Without passion, any rational person would give up!