African music, though very old, is always being rediscovered in the West.

Be careful, think about the effect of what you say. Your words should be constructive, bring people together, not pull them apart.

The conqueror writes history, they came, they conquered and they write. You don't expect the people who came to invade us to tell the truth about us.

Girls are the future mothers of our society, and it is important that we focus on their well-being.

I kept my culture. I kept the music of my roots. Through my music I became this voice and image of Africa and the people without even realising.

Age is getting to know all the ways the world turns, so that if you cannot turn the world the way you want, you can at least get out of the way so you won't get run over.

There are three things I was born with in this world, and there are three things I will have until the day I die-hope, determination, and song.

Africa has her mysteries, and even a wise man cannot understand them. But a wise man respects them

I see other black women imitate my style, which is no style at all, but just letting our hair be itself. They call it the Afro Look.

I do not sing politics. I merely sing the truth.

If given a choice, I would have certainly selected to be what I am: one of the oppressed instead of one of the oppressors.

Give yourself permission to enjoy this present moment. Resist the urge to fill it with I need to's, I shoulds, I coulds. Trying to fill all your present moments is impeding the natural flow of life.

Take out the garbage...true happiness comes from within not from without!

Do you ask enough questions? Or do you settle for what you know?

We all want a world without war, without conflict, without human suffering.

I see parody as another form of comedy.

I'm a fully paid-up member of the human race.

My brother and I laughed a lot as kids. We came up in the middle of the Depression, and neither one of us knew we were poor. We had nothing, but we didn't know it.

Ideas do not need weapons, to the extent that they can convince the great masses.

Famous people are above the law.

A right , in the abstract, is a fact ; it is not a thing to be given, established, or conferred; it is. Of the exercise of a right power may deprive me; of the right itself, never.