“To wanna be me is to go through not just the good but the bad. You wanna share my story identically? Man, you gonna take some lumps.”

I already enjoy cooking. I like different flavors and putting different things together and really like taking normal recipes to a higher level.

I decided early on that I was going to put on my crown and rule my world by acting right and treating myself like a queen.

I’m not allowed to get a big head, I’ve still got to do the simple things in life.

Let your inner queen’s voice come through loud and clear. Be strong, be authentic, be you, and you’ll do her proud.

I don’t have any regrets. If I could have talked to my 19- or 20-year-old self, I would have said, ‘You’re going to be fine. It ain’t that serious!’

To step into acting was not that difficult a transition to make. What was difficult was the work and the practice that went into becoming good at it, because I hadn’t had any training.

I often find it’s just the confidence that makes you sexy, not what your body looks like. It’s how you feel about yourself that makes you sexy.

No one ever got ahead by going through the motions. You have to constantly be improving yourself. Make your life the masterpiece you want it to be.

instinct leads me to another flow.

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m way more of a joker than I am a serious person.

So often, you don’t get that opportunity. You only go over everything once and, the next thing you know, you’re on set.

I learned you really do have to make sure you enjoy life.

I enjoy just being me. I don’t need to be Queen Latifah, the brand, 24 hours a day.

To me, doing a gay pride show is one of the most fun things. My first show that paid more than $10,000 was in a gay club on New Year’s Eve in San Francisco.

Beauty is not just a white girl. It’s so many different flavors and shades.

Most people don’t have so much talent that they can become a success all their own. We all need people to help us and lift us up.

Do not put your trust in a bad companion nor even trust an ordinary friend, for if he should get angry with you, he may bring all your secrets to light.

You have your bad moments in your career and your good moments. And it’s been a good ride so far, but it’s not over yet.

Let perseverance be your engine and hope your fuel.

I tell people, you know, going to the club doesn’t make me a bad person, going to church doesn’t make you a good one.

When we are in doubt whether an action is good or bad, abstain from it.

Don’t feel bad when I die; I’ve been dead for a long time.

What people don’t understand is joining a gang ain’t bad, it’s cool, it’s fine. When you in the hood, joining a gang it’s cool because all your friends are in the gang, all your family’s in the gang. We’re not just killing people every night, we’re just hanging out, having a good time.

You’re gutless. It’s how you were made. And that’s not such a bad thing because your saving grace is that you’ve never lied to yourself about it. Not about that. Nothing wrong with cowardice as long as it comes with prudence. But when a coward stops remembering who he is God help him.