Many people love my music. Many do not understand it. In general my music is more easily understood by younger people in Mali, and by people outside Africa.

Mali is a very social society. We share everything. I think sharing our resources in music forces us to collaborate more, play with other people more, share ideas more.

Smile is a power someone cannot defeat.

To have once been a criminal is no disgrace. To remain a criminal is the disgrace

There is a lurking fear that some things are not “meant" to be known, that some inquiries are too dangerous for human beings to make.

Now, said I aloud, My dear Father's Words are come to pass: God's Justice has overtaken me, and I have none to help or hear me: I rejected the Voice of Providence.

A friend of mine gave me a Philip Glass record. I listened to it for five hours before I realized it had a scratch on it.

The referee said it was not acceptable, but the Press considered they could not refuse to publish a book by a professor of the university.

It's a mystery of human chemistry and I don't understand it, some people, as far as their senses are concerned, just feel like home.

Teach a man to reason and he will think for a lifetime.

We don't praise God to feel good, but to do good.

I try to be authentic - but at the same time I don't really want people prying into my personal life.