Missy Elliott

I remember, in school, writing Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson and asking them to come get me out of class. I would imagine them running down the hall and asking my teacher, 'Ms. Daniels, can we get Missy out of class? We're here to see Missy.'

I didn't want to be a genius! That ain't cool.

My first love is writing and producing. So I sometimes put my own stuff off to work on other people's projects.

I love my mother. She's my first love. She has been through a lot and is a sole survivor.

What my home life is like now is great.

I want people to feel the heat while they walk down the street and they're just kickin' it.

I can't complain. I think when you get to a certain point, you shouldn't complain because there's so many people who would kill to get to this point.

I mean, when it's time to rhyme rhyme, I can get down for mine.

The fun part of being an entertainer is that you call up Six Flags, and you say, 'I'm coming,' and you get to get on all the rides before everyone. I hate standing in line.

My father was very abusive, and it was hard for my mother at first to leave because we had depended on him for so long. Sometimes you kind of get adjusted to getting that beating.

Hip-hop is definitely not what it used to be, which was creative, original music.

When it comes to size, most people don't want to see themselves looking bigger than what they are.

When I first started out in the music industry and went to Elektra Records, I didn't go to be an artist, I went to get a record label started. And they said in order to have a label deal, I had to be an artist - so that's what I did.

No, because I don't want to hear what's hot and feel I have to copy it. I'll just make up my own thing.

I never drank water. Always soda. I didn't use to like water, but I've had to train myself to drink it.

Maybe I should find myself one of those sexy British soccer stars. David Beckham is hot. But I've got a hell of a lot of competition.

I think it's hard for Aaliyah to be duplicated, because she had her own lane.

The reason I stay home more is because I realise that my blood pressure started going up.

You get people who rap about stuff that they don't do all day long. Half those guys, you hear them on the radio, and then you meet them, and you're like, 'Wow. They're so sweet.'

The double chin's not good for the red carpet.