I didn't know how to show my self love, and I didn't want anyone else to hurt me. So my tough girl attitude was like, 'I'm not having it.'

You can't get around pain and opposition, but you can try to be joyful in the trial, and thank yourself for the trial, and thank God for the strength to get through it.

I don't know. Only God knows where the story ends for me, but I know where the story begins. It's up to us to choose, whether we win or lose and I choose to win.

In the inner city, there's a mentality that the government owes you something. My breakthrough came when I stopped feeling sorry for myself and took responsibility for every part of my life. No more pity parties. I've gotta love me more than anybody else loves me.

There's so many things that life is, and no matter how many breakthroughs, trials will exist and we're going to get through it. Just be strong.

I believe there are certain things that God uses to get us out of a bad situation, and I believe music was one of the things he used for me.

Paris is different from LA in regards to its historical architecture. I think that's what gives Paris it's charm and beauty.

I think you can leave the arts, superior or inferior, to the conscience of mankind.

When I make art, I think about its ability to connect with others, to bring them into the process.

I think art is the imperfectly perfect or perfectly imperfect way of self-expression.

I think all art - even one as lowly as making jokes about celebrities - is there to make a connection.

I think in art, but especially in films, people are trying to confirm their own existences.