Making a decision to be a public figure isn't their choice right now. I don't think it's fair. Even though they're beautiful and I love them, they haven't made that decision yet. I've been chased through airports with a screaming baby because the photographers are ruthless, and they want the picture.

When I'm doing interviews, I'm doing interviews, and when I am writing, I'm writing. I sit there with a musician and I write. It's the same process since I started writing in my twenties. I like to come in and leave with a finished song.

I have loved music so much from when I was little and I don't know whether it was because I saw my dad doing it and then I got the idea, I don't know what came first... But I always had a hairbrush in the mirror singing. I was always with him backstage; I would go out and be pulled in for the last song.

If I'm alone too long I think too much, and I'm not interested in doing that. That won't lead anywhere good, I'm sure. If I'm busy I tend to stay out of trouble. An idle mind is the devil's playground.

It's hard for me to be happy because I'm always worried about something going awry or what could happen to screw it up. It's hard for me to sit and look around, going, 'Ah, I'm really happy.' I'm not that kind of person.

I think having kids just makes you want to do things to help people. You have children, and you see how fragile and innocent and helpless they are when they first start out. If they are going to be a victim of whatever they are surrounded by, I just do everything I can to try to make whatever change I can.

I'm trying to have my own thing, and I don't know if it's even possible. I didn't realize so many people actually think I'm trying to be like my dad. I read comments like 'She's no Elvis.' I'm not trying to be. I never set out to be.

I never not wanted to be a singer. Since I was 3, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Well, I can't say I wanted to do it, but I fantasized and thought about it all the time. I never thought it would actually happen.

On my US tour maybe three out of 30 shows there was an Elvis impersonator in the crowd but that's it. I usually get younger fans, and those that come that are of an older generation end up walking out because it's too loud.

I remember him watching me through the crack of a door singing with a hairbrush. I was in front of his mirror. I think he wanted me to sing. He would get me on the table and make me sing sometimes or play the piano. He was very encouraging on that front.

When I'm doing interviews, I'm doing interviews, and when I am writing, I'm writing. I sit there with a musician and I write. It's the same process since I started writing in my twenties. I like to come in and leave with a finished song.

I have, in the past, been attracted to really strong and dominant men. But on the other side, I have been attracted to very androgynous men. I don't typically fall for your average jock. I just like people that are a little atypical.

I want to write, I want to sing. I want to do the same thing for others, have my music, hopefully do that for others one day, not realizing what I sort of had to climb. I had an idea a little bit, but I think that I underestimated the whole thing.

I think the stuff that plays on the radio, the majority of it is for teenagers, which is okay. That's what pop radio is about. And some of it is great, and some of it is not.

I don't look back. I don't live my life in the rear-view mirror because, if you do, you're bound to end up wrapped around a pole somewhere.

What you do in your art - TV, music, film stuff - touches people. And they want to touch you. So that's a blessing. I'm okay with it.

Art is about imagination. When you look at a picture from Salvador Dali, that's about imagination. When you look at Picasso, that's about imagination. Doing stuff from your heart.

To me, my peers are Bruce Springsteen and Mick Jagger. I'm not talking age-wise, but in terms of careers. Madonna. Those are my peers. And I'm okay with that.

What I say on a record and what I say off a record is two different things. And that's always been the case. There's a difference between confidence on a record and arrogance.

Let me tell you something - compared to a TV-drama production schedule, touring is not strenuous.

If you do cardio one day and the next day you can do weights, do it that way. If you need to do it at night or in the morning, do it that way. Whatever you need to get it done, just get it done.

I think the key to working out is for people to think of water - just allow the workouts to fill out the cracks in your lives and seep into wherever you can fit it in.

What is more important than the name is that people know that I really like acting, I enjoy it and I want people to know that I am serious. The name thing: I will always be L.L. Cool J.

I'm a real person that cares about his art and cares about what he's doing. I have a heart and a soul and I want to touch people and give.

I think in order to keep America great, we have to keep America creative.

I've been training as an actor for six years. Nobody goes to acting school for six years. I mean, the college course is only four years! I absolutely trained.

At fourteen, I started sending out demo tapes.

I've never been one to have to manipulate women. I always want it to be like a mutual thing, like everybody loves everybody.

What I don't do is try to like become whoever I'm rapping with. The people who go get an LL album want to hear LL.

I feel like my peers now are artists like Madonna and the Stones, Michael Jackson and Prince. These are people who were able to take their careers beyond the normal here-today-gone-tomorrow life span.

I just like to do different things. What is more important than the name is that people know that I really like acting, I enjoy it and I want people to know that I am serious.

I'm not giving up my history and what I've done in my music because I love it and I'm very proud of it. I just want to open it up for more people.

That's one of the good things about music. You get to do it live, where you can touch the people and interact with them.

I'm not just a rapper. I'm an entertainer. That's the difference.

I was listening to Jimi Hendrix; I just admire his artistry and creativity as an artist.

I've got to see my movie to see how I'm acting, see what little things I can learn about my craft.

I am a real person that cares about his art and cares about what he's doing - I have a heart and a soul and want to touch people and give.

As a black man, my hope is that I can touch more and more people all over the world of different races and different colours.

As a black man, my hope is that I can touch more and more people all over the world of different races and different colours.

I only do what comes from the heart.

What I like to do is just make good music, good movies, hopefully perform a good show full of energy and just have some fun.

Sometimes altering your position is the right thing. Sometimes it's not.

We're going to raise a lot of money for cancer awareness, give some to the American Cancer Society and hopefully make a big difference.

I try to do the right thing with money. Save a dollar here and there, clip some coupons. Buy ten gold chains instead of 20. Four summer homes instead of eight.

I think when you move past your fear and you go after your dreams wholeheartedly, you become free.

Timing has a lot to with art.

To know the rules of the game, you have to be educated.

I don't wanna abandon my identity as LL Cool J, but at the same time, I had to figure out how to let people know that I'm really serious about making these movies.

I'm good at what I do, but I wouldn't be so bold and arrogant as to say something disrespectful about, say, Eminem. He's talented and he's good at what he does.

I'm good at what I do, but I wouldn't be so bold and arrogant as to say something disrespectful about, say, Eminem. He's talented and he's good at what he does.