Poverty breeds a lot of things. When people are desperate and trying to survive, they do drastic things.

Your body's just a vehicle, transporting the soul. It's what's inside of people, is beauty to behold.

The victory's found in truth, like innocence found in youth Self defeat is your own dispute

Did you know the pen is stronger than the knife: they can kill you once but they can't kill you twice.

The average man can't prove most of the things that he chooses to speak of, and still won't research and find out the root of the truth that you seek of

Everyone is related to Africa; everyone comes from Africa. We are all distant relatives.

My father has been a voice of encouragement in times of desperation for so many people. But he died when I was so young that, for me, his music has been a way for me to get to know him better.

We take for granted electricity, water, even concerts. Count your blessings.

Did you know that I exist before the earth and did you know my eyes are windows to the world.

Fear not of evil.. Everyday dem flesh it grow old Changes of the time take the toll.

It's not like I go into the studio and say I'm going to try to make music to prove to somebody that I can make music.

Belief is both a marvelous and a terrible thing. Belief makes things real.

We one and all of us have an instinct to pray and this fact constitutes an invitation from God to pray.

Soldiers who had been in the army long enough to know what a bloody swindle war really is would begin to feel that army life was really kind of fun, as long as [General Philip] Sheridan was up front.

Don't die like I did.

On the song 'Dangerous,' it feels like a teenager picking up a new instrument and writing something with all of that naive excitement.

Is Fate getting what you deserve, or deserving what you get?

I watch some kids ask the cafeteria ladies to sign their books. What do they write: "Hope your chicken patties never bleed?" Or, maybe, "May your Jell-O always wiggle?

The issue for me is American competitiveness, and how do we best create a climate here that allows international capital to come to these shores to create jobs.

War is an initiation into the power of life and death. Women touch that power on the moment of birth, men at the edge of death.

Keeping my family out of prison best I can. That is success to me. I created that without selling records.