"My dad taught us that there's no greater distance than that between first and second place".
"You don't have to hold onto the pain to hold onto the memory"
"We all have the need to feel special"
"I was very independent growing up, but there were things that were bothering me that I never told anybody. I would talk to our animals at home. We had fawns that Michael and I raised until we weaned them and we'd feed them every morning. And I would talk to them....I felt they understood me. We had four dogs, and I would climb in the bushes and sit down and speak with them....And that's how I dealt with my life in the very, very beginning, when I was a kid."
"To a world sick with racism, get well soon."
"I was never pushed into the religion by my mother or anyone else. I made up my own mind when I was old enough. I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual. But I don't believe in things like guilt. I believe in a higher power. I believe in inspiration."
"In complete darkness, it is only knowledge and wisdom that separates us"
"I also experienced serious rejection. I auditioned for dozens of commercials, for example, but was never chosen. That might have devastated other children, but somehow my attitude was "well if I don't get this one, I'll get the next". Looking back, I see I had a built-in toughness."
"I set out to please myself, hopefully in the end, the listeners will enjoy what I've created."
"Getting back to that child and giving the child what the child may have missed - the reassurance of a nourishing and accepting love, a love that says you are special - is hard work. It can be scary, but like the song says, we have to deal with the past to live completely -and freely - in the present."
"Life is a journey, and I'm still walking it. And, like everyone, I'm going to have some days that are better than others, some days that are tougher than others. But I'm in a much happier place, the happiest place I've ever been in my life, and that's why it feels so good to me, finally being able to say I do like who I am."
"If I wasn't singing, I'd probably be, probably an accountant."
"Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence, and a belief in our right and our responsiblity to be equal members of society."
"Freedom means choices."
"The pain is necessary. Sometimes pain is the teacher we require, a hidden gift of healing and hope."
"It made me so happy. On my song "Whoops Now,' I even used the lyrics, 'I'm out in the sun having fun with my friends' [from that song]. There's also the Turtles' 'Happy Together' and the Association's 'Windy' and Simon and Garfunkel's 'Feelin' Groovy.' Those songs are all precious moments to me. They're about just plain feeling good."
"I kinda see everyone as competition. I'm a very competitive person. But I think that's good. Competition is great. And as long as it's friendly and not a malicious thing, then I think it's cool."
"All kids rebel. My way was to dye my hair half pink and half blue. It was a mess."
"I was sheltered by my parents, work and school. I walked out into the world and saw things I'd only read about. I learned the hard way. It was scary, but I saw I had two choices -sink or swim. I swam. And discovered I could actually make it to the shore, all on my own. Not that I wasn't frightened or didn't experience moments of panic. I did."
"Being from a famous family is a blessing. I'm challenged to live up to the expectations. I'm happy, grateful for what i've inherited and excited about what I want to contribute."
"After my disillusionment, I felt hollow inside, as though someone had scooped out my soul. It took a while, but deep within I discovered a core of determination I never knew existed. That's when I got serious about myself and my career. I saw what I needed to do, and I did it."
"I saw Boogie Nights the other night, and when the guy got in an argument with his mother and she was telling him that he was stupid and he'd never amount to anything, I could not stop crying. When the kid said "Why are you being so mean to me?" my heart just... I could totally understand that."
"You know that it's something different when you're whole family falls in love with him, when your brothers and sisters love him. And with me having eight brothers and sisters, there are some major eyes on him. And they all adore him. So that's really good." - on Jermaine Dupri
"People need to stay out of other people's business. Honestly, how can they say what is a good match for me and what is a good match for him? They really don't know us. That's for us to decide. They need to stay out of other's people's business and deal with their own issues." - on people disapproving of Jermaine Dupri