“In my day, we didn’t have the cocaine, so we went out and knocked somebody over the head and took the money. But today, all this cocaine and crack, it doesn’t give kids a chance.”

Most families had four, five brothers. But because it was just me and Darryl, we had to be twice as strong.

All I had was the will and the love for music. I couldn’t read music or write it. No connections, no car, no money, no bankroll, no clothes, no nothing.

People are always looking for me to be a freak, weird.

The cops picked me up for attempted murder. I can still see the detectives, licking their chops. Thought they had me. Two weeks later, the cat came out of a coma and told the truth. I was innocent.

I don’t know if it’s my music, my lyrics, my sound and knowing the music business the way I do – all I can say is, my career has lasted way longer than I expected.

I woke up when I was 14 and went to speak to my mother and scared us both to death.

When a man’s making love, the last thing he thinks about is war.

I’m very happy with this new record. It’s dealing with different aspects of love-it’s me making a statement about people doing something with their lives. It is about caring for others.

If you were a young kid, 19, 20 years old who has two children and a third one on the way and refuses to leave them.

There’s people making babies to my music. That’s nice.

When I saw corruption, I was forced to find truth on my own. I couldn’t swallow the hypocrisy.

The whole system of society tells you what to do.

I’m never gonna quit, cause quitting’ just ain’t my schtick.

Take it off, baby, take it all off. I want you the way you came into the world.

Men used the music to get the girls in the mood to make love. So either way you had it, Barry White is the one artist who actually was in your bedroom with you at your most sacred, sensuous moment of your life.

I woke up one morning, went downstairs, said ‘Good morning’ to my mother and nearly scared both of us to death.’

I’m a hard nut to crack, and I take it standing up.

If you wake up / And the day feels broken / Just lean into the crack

If the stories come, you get them written, you’re on the right track. Eventually everyone learns his or her own best way. The real mystery to crack is you.

I want to build as many worlds as possible – each a version of ours with a crack running through it – and not be anchored to any of them.