Remember my strong advice, just remember to always think twice.

A lot of times I felt so alone. But I also thought there has to be other people that have experienced either what I have, or close to it.

That`s a part of me going back to what I used to do.

It was the Control album that was really about what I wanted to do.

In complete darkness, it is only knowledge and wisdom that separates us

Big sisters and brothers... I am telling you, it never changes.

It is my belief that we all have the need to feel special. It is this need that can bring out the best in us, yet the worst in us.

Self-expression is my goal, I want to be real with my feelings. Singing and dancing-and all the joy that goes with performing- come from my heart. If I can`t feel it, I won`t do it.

I`m not trying to be malicious. The only thing that Rene actually did with Velvet Rope is the production of the opening of the show.

You can`t hold the record forever, and I know that. I`m not stupid.

Another side to me is this very sexual being. When I look back on my life, it`s always been there. It`s been there since I was 10 years old, having the imagination that I had.

Eddie in costume and make-up with that famous laugh, the minute the cameras started rolling, he became each character. It was amazing!

My first crush was Barry Manilow. He performed on TV and I taped it. When no was around I`d kiss the screen.

People do see me as sweet and innocent. Not to say that I am not those things. But I have other sides to me.

Freedom means choices.

You don`t have to hold onto the pain to hold onto the memory

I love working with organizations. I love giving. I want to do more of that. You got to give back. I love helping people, especially children.

My dad taught us that there`s no greater distance than that between first and second place.

We`re all driven to premieres or nightclubs and seen the rope separating those who can enter and those who can`t. Well, there`s also a velvet rope we have inside of us, keeping others from knowing our feelings. In this album I`m trying to expose and explore thsoe feelings. I`m inviting you inside my barrier. During my life I`ve been on both sides of the rope. At times, especially during my childhood, I felt left out and alone. At times I felt misunderstood....But no human heard those feelings expressed. They stayed buried in the past. But now the truth has to come out, and for me, the truth takes the form of a song. - on her 1997 recording "The Velvet Rope".

If I wasn`t singing, I`d probably be, probably an accountant.

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 have a pretty bad temper. But you have to really push me to see it. But everybody has their things.

The pain is necessary. Sometimes pain is the teacher we require, a hidden gift of healing and hope.

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.

We had the kind of night were morning comes to soon....we used the light from a flickering candle across the room to make the kind of shadows that only one thing could make....love.

I set out to please myself, hopefully in the end, the listeners will enjoy what I`ve created.

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

I have a pretty bad temper. But you have to really push me to see it. But everybody has their things.

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.

There`s other things I`d like to do. I probably won`t tour for a very, very long time. It`s something that you feel inside and that`s the way I`ve been looking at everything.

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.

I truly felt that was going to be my last tour. So here we are again and I`m saying this will probably be my last tour. That`s truly the way I`m looking at it.

There is a lot I haven`t said that I actually could say. I hope people would find it interesting. I know a lot of people could relate to it.

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.

In complete darkness we are all the same, it is only our knowledge and wisdom that separates us, don`t let your eyes deceive you.

I`ve been very fortunate to have found someone who have been so incredibly caring....I don`t think anybody else would have stuck around because I had some really difficult times.... And I know he probably would wake up and say, Okay, who is she today?" I think anyone else would have said, `You know what? I am out of here because I cannot take this.` But he was there, right by my side the entire way." - on Rene Elizondo, Jr.

Pain like water it dry away so love come in without pain how can love think about.

We are a nation with no geographic boundaries, bound together through our beliefs, we are like minded individuals sharing a common vision, pushing toward a world rid of color lines.

We all have the need to feel special

You get used to working with one choreographer. You kind of get stuck in that vein and you work your way out of it, picking up someone else`s style, their flavor. It takes a bit of time.

All those songs reflect all the people that live within me.

I think it`s great if a guy has a good sized package.

I am the baby in the family, and I always will be. I am actually very happy to have that position. But I still get teased. I don`t mind that.

There was also loneliness. I had few friends. Work consumed me. in some ways, it still does.

I am the baby in the family, and I always will be. I am actually very happy to have that position. But I still get teased. I don`t mind that.

I had a pretty sexual imagination for a kid.

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

You get yourself up for it somehow, and your endurance and the crowd gets you up, too.

I`ve never been into what am I going to do next, trying to reinvent myself.

Big sisters and brothers... I am telling you, it never changes.

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.

You can tell someone who doesn`t have love in their life, then someone who is in love.

I wanted to talk about my life. There is so much. I was 18 when I made the record, and I had a lot to say.

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.

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.

I had a pretty sexual imagination for a kid.

My mother is very strong. Aside from wanting her beauty and her heart, I really wanted her strength. And I`ve always thought I don`t have it.

I will never forget that. I was really young, about 6 or 7, and as a kid, that was very hurtful to me. I went through a lot, from age 15 to about 19 years. I was very young. I used to hurt so badly that I`d ask God why, what have I done to deserve this? - on recalling the day her father told her to stop calling him Dad.

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.

To have someone to relate to and hopefully enjoy the music and get a positive message out of it, to make the best music that we possibly could, those were the goals.

Another side to me is this very sexual being. When I look back on my life, it`s always been there. It`s been there since I was 10 years old, having the imagination that I had.

I`ve never been into what am I going to do next, trying to reinvent myself.

You dont have to hold on to the pain, to hold on to the memory.

I love working with organizations. I love giving. I want to do more of that. You got to give back. I love helping people, especially children.

A lot of times I felt so alone. But I also thought there has to be other people that have experienced either what I have, or close to it.

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.

People do see me as sweet and innocent. Not to say that I am not those things. But I have other sides to me.

I think it`s been a little difficult at times for the audience, because they`ve told me they see me as a family member. So to see your little sister sing about sex... I think they are pretty used to it now.

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." - In a Rolling Stone `93 interview.

I`ve talked about sex a great deal in my music for a great while now. I feel very comfortable with it.

To a world sick with racism, get well soon.

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.

So many women are talking about how they could fall in love with Sherman, and he`s someone I could fall in love with because it`s about what`s inside.