I started to read James Baldwin very early on in my life. At a time, as a young adult in the Sixties, when there were not that many authors in whom I could recognize myself, he was an important guide and mentor to me, as he was to many others. He helped me understand who I was and decipher the world around me.
On the 17th of May, the Delos put out to sea. I was immediately affected with sea-sickness, which, however, lasted but a short time. I remained on deck constantly, forcing myself to exercise.
And I hereby distinctly and emphatically declare that I consider myself, and earnestly desire to be considered by others, as utterly divested, now and during the rest of my life, of any such rights, the barbarous relics of a feudal, despotic system.
Those 'Pledge' records did good for me, and they're the foundation that this Killer Mike is built on, but I was judging myself on physical sales and didn't understand that music sales were declining overall.
I call 2015 a year of deconstruction. I needed to deconstruct myself, my businesses, and find all of the holes in my empire. I had to find holes and fill them with people who could do it better.
I haven't had a chance to decorate my dressing room yet, but I have these pictures of myself as a kid that I want to put up because I said, 'I really want to make sure that I take that kid with me on this journey.' I want him to experience this.
Coming out of high school, however, I wasn't a decorated recruit. As a result, I found myself one month from signing day with only two scholarship offers and they were from the Mid-American Conference.
Being a black lesbian myself, I roll my eyes a little bit when I see black lesbian characters on shows where it's purely there for decoration. You can just hear it in the writers room... 'What if we make her a lesbian?'
I wanted to be a decorator. I wanted to interior design homes and do everything myself.
Dedicating myself to actually following through was my single biggest achievement.
I'm dedicating myself to an art form that takes a lifetime to master.
By running, you're making that commitment that says, 'I'm dedicating myself to public service.' Win or lose, you're making that statement, and you actually are taking a step in that direction.
There were people who incorporated melody before me, but I would deem myself the first person to successfully rap and sing.
I always saw myself wanting to do something deemed successful and good at the same time.
I always follow my heart and my guts. If I want to do something, I have immense belief in hard work and myself. I have it in me to do well anywhere and in anything I do. I have a deep desire to excel in everything I do.
I think I lived those years very impersonally. It was almost as though I had erected someone outside myself who was the president's wife. I was lost somewhere deep down inside myself. That is the way I felt and worked until I left the White House.
I love a good piece of pizza. I love a good hamburger. If I don't let myself have those things, there's going to be a week where I just go off the deep end and eat nothing but that.
I really respect versatile actors, so I'd really like to throw myself in the deep end.
I like to scare myself and throw myself off the deep end.
Defender of the liberty that I idolize, myself more free than anyone, in coming as a friend to offer my services to this intriguing republic, I bring to it only my frankness and my good will; no ambition, no self-interest; in working for my glory, I work for their happiness.
