Being raised Muslim, we had to get up at the crack of dawn to pray. There was no sleeping in, no getting up Saturday morning to watch cartoons because there was no TV in the house. But you got up and you worked, cleaned the house.
Success is putting one step in front of the other to get through that door whatever that door is.
I knew that I wanted to create a restaurant like Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood that celebrated not just music or Hollywood, but who we were as people of color, as Caribbean, African, Cajun and Southern people.
At the end of the day, there's so much work that has to be done to impact positive change in any direction you look.
Baltimore and Detroit - they are solid cities.
Most people haven't figured out when you are of service to other people outside of just yourself, the doorway for opportunity and blessings come in a very very different way.
A lot of the shows I have done, I'm often the only black guy and I have often had to play second or third fiddle. It isn't necessarily a bad thing if it is a strong ensemble cast. But I feel people have overlooked my abilities.
Being a part of 'Empire' was a wonderful experience and opportunity to work with everyone involved.
I've always been an activist, so my participation in community outreach and helping is just a natural extension of that.
I've always had a lot of gay friends; transgender friends.
Fantasies are not always what people think they are.
If you go back and look at the pilot of 'Seinfeld,' no one would have thought that show would be what it became, and television isn't given that kind of chance anymore.
A lot of times people are caught between doing the things they have to do versus following their passion and I'm someone who, at a very young age chose to be of service.
Film and television, one is generally faster. Television generally moves faster in terms of directing, schedules and getting things done. Film, you're on a pretty tight schedule, so the process is the dame.
Sometimes you have producers tell you 'I'm a huge fan, I'm a huge fan.' But David Guggenheim, I have so much love for this dude.
I'm a rabble rouser, man!
Accents are definitely one of my strong suits, and a lot of folks don't know that.
We live in a world where mental health is real. Emotional health is real, and people feel like no one cares.
Food is very powerful.
As I kid I watched 'Star Trek' and 'Battlestar Galactica.'
