I try to count the blessings rather than the problems.

A flower that grow in the ghetto know more about survival than the one from fresh meadows.

Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compassion. Everything else is a distraction.

I ignored your aura but it grabbed me by the hand, like the moon pulled the tide, and the tide pulled the sand.

Do the math: You never settle for less than the whole if you knew the half.

You gotta get back to your essence, Use your gifts and share your presence, Don't count your dollars 'til you count your blessings.

Life without knowledge is death in disguise.

The beautiful thing about hip-hop is it's like an audio collage. You can take any form of music and do it in a hip-hop way and it'll be a hip-hop song. That's the only music you can do that with.

If lyrics sold then truth be told/I'd probably be just as rich and famous as Jay-Z.

I'm at a loss for words. But even my loss is amplified.

You know, there's a lot of activism that doesn't deal with empowerment, and you have to empower yourself in order to be relevant to any type of struggle.

Writing the middle of a novel is a lot like driving through Texas. You think it's never going to end, and the scenery looks the same.

Shame lies. All the time. About everything. Don’t believe your shame.

Breath deeply, this breath is your life.Enjoy the moment, this moment is your life.Love with your heart, let your heart be the compass of your life.

When silence greeted her question, she looked at Caine—for that was how he saw himself in that moment and in all the moments after: his brother’s murderer.

Life isn't worth living without love. Have faith in love! Take a chance, and you might be surprised at how well things will turn out. If you do, you'll be filled with joy. I promise.

Look, we're all saddled with things that make us better or worse. This world is a crazy place, and I've chosen to make my work about that insanity.

Friendship could be right under your nose but if you are caught up in yourself you will never find it.

The soul of the great musician can only be expressed in music.

Thanksgiving without tension is like a Thanksgiving without turkey. It can be done, but it is not the norm.

For sure I once thought of myself as the poet who would save the ordinary from oblivion.