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I often wonder whether Negroes like myself who are pretty well known help out at all in breaking down barriers.

Over the generations, black leaders have ranged from noble souls to shameless charlatans.

Certain black leaders would believe that you have to go through their prism: 'If I lay my hand on you, you're OK.' So many people have made a living off of the pimping of race.

I want to make sure we have elected people constantly looking at helping the African-American community.

Blacks who have not succumbed to the victim culture have been, are, and will be doing quite well - all on their own, without handouts, affirmative action, and other patronizing measures.

A lot of times black folks look for love in all the wrong places. You're always looking for somebody to love you, be accepted, and there's the insecurities that are even transmitted through rap. Everyone is trying to aim to please too much.

Every day of my life I walk with the idea that I am black, no matter how successful I am. And our success is tempered by that; you're successful in this way given the fact you are black, and most blacks don't get to that point.

In the days of segregation, when blacks were limited to certain neighborhoods, you could look around the black community and identify who the leaders were.

I knew being accepted was going to be hard, but I knew I was involved in a situation that was going to bring opportunities to other blacks.