No matter how you are taught by your teacher about how to recite a poem, it is impossible to wear your teacher's smiling face to the stage. You got to change your own face into a smiling one!

Fame is not the reason why brands are created and erected. Be diligent, focused and chain unceasing prayers to God who will continue giving you cheers.

You got to insist on your success, resist every obstacle and persist in times of difficulty and you will get there.

Mind you, the effectiveness of one hunter’s gun does not determine the number of bush meats the other hunter will kill. You got to be yourself. Be you.

Bear it in mind that when you have no brand, “no brand” is your brand and that’s a negative brand!

See failure as an opportunity to try again with a relatively powerful approach, skill, knowledge and conviction. Redefine yourself.

You will learn, but you have to act. You will be given, but you have to receive. Stretch your hands and take up your laurels by the power put in you!

The great mountains of wars and conflicts in the world can only be removed by picking up tiny stones of hatred and anger bit by bit. We must all be involved!

One big blow can hit and destroy any strong door in front of you. As for the 1000 feeble blows, they can’t even remove the cobwebs. Courage is the key.

Take distinct steps and exploits. Those who are distinct and distinguished always score distinction. Go there, be there and stay there.

Never be discouraged. The fact that you will be a winner at the first attempt is unclear. You don’t get master’s degree after attending school on the first day. You got to endure till you get there.

O' melancholy, hectic chill for human soul, herewith dismal presence, any spirit does descent.

Do notforget duty. But choose love when you can.

The character to follow thru on commitments made to others is built by following thru on commitments made to self.

My book has a pre - civil rights setting with a post - civil rights sensibility. I believe less and less that there is something called "The Black Experience," though undoubtedly there was one once.

Through some combination of culture and biology, our minds are intuitively receptive to religion.

Mob guys had muscle, and where in hell do you think employers got the tough guys when they wanted to break a strike?

I inscribe three lines, hush hush hush, into my skin. Ghosts trickle out.

Hour-long TV is no joke. It tests you as a human being. It makes you a stronger person, but it's really crazy.

What I've learned is, if I have to go out and speak, the best way to get people's attention is to tell them a story, tell them a story that came from my corazón.

Politics and music don't necessarily go hand in hand. They just do for me.