Nina Simone

It's an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live.

My daughter is in more competition with me. I never wanted to be bigger than my mother or to challenge her.

The protest years were over, not just for me but for a whole generation, and in music, just like in politics, many of the greatest talents were dead or in exile, and their place was filled by third-rate imitators.

Greed has driven the world crazy. And I think I'm lucky that I have a place over here that I can call home.

As a political weapon, it has helped me for 30 years defend the rights of American blacks and third-world people all over the world, to defend them with protest songs. To move the audience to make them conscious of what has been done to my people around the world.

I'll tell you what freedom is to me: no fear. I mean really, no fear!

I think the rich will eventually have to cave in too, because the economic situation around the world is not gonna tolerate the United States being on top forever.

I have to be composed; I have to be poised. I have to remember what my first piano teacher told me: 'You do not touch that piano until you are ready and until they are ready to listen to you.

When I'm on that stage, I assume honor. I assume compensation, and I should.

To me, we are the most beautiful creatures in the whole world. Black people. And I mean that in every sense.

I think that the artists who don't get involved in preaching messages probably are happier - but you see, I have to live with Nina, and that is very difficult.

There's no excuse for the young people not knowing who the heroes and heroines are or were.