Quotes from Young M.A

The good thing about having a hit record is you don't need too many people. Because now your record is on fire, and I already have a great team around me, so why run to the labels?

Growing up, I never expressed myself to nobody. I never told nobody when something was wrong.

I used to listen to Jay Z a lot.

In New York City, it's popular. I used to think to myself, 'Man, there's a lot of gay people out here.' And it had me comfortable: it was like, I can be myself! I used to still try to hide it, until it was really overwhelming - there were just too much girls attracted to me!

If I was to try putting makeup all over my face, it would look weird. People would be like, 'That's not Young M.A. That's not her style; that's not her soul.' I'd just rather be natural.

I need to just be myself, express myself.

To me, beauty is natural beauty. If you're naturally yourself, you're beautiful.

There's a lot of rappers out there, a lot of gay girls expressing themselves; I'm not the first to say it; I'm not the first to rap about it. But I'm the one who broke down those doors that everybody has been trying to break down. I did that. I'm the one who went triple platinum first.

There are people who try to judge. I'm cool with that. I don't care what nobody say - the only thing that can defeat hate is love.

I do want to get more involved with clothing, TV shows, movies.

I appreciate every moment.

Black, white, Chinese, it don't matter - I've been told by multiple people that I'm very inspiring to them, and it makes them want to achieve whatever they can achieve.

I always knew I would be a star someday. I didn't know when. I didn't know how it would look. I just had a feeling.

I tell people I'm from all over Brooklyn because I never stayed in one part of Brooklyn.

For the sexuality thing, I really feel like the reason I speak so blunt about it is because I held it in for so long. I never told my mom. I never told my family. I kept it to myself. Now, I'm happy with who I am. Either you accept it, or you don't. There's a lot of rappers out there that's like that, but no one's stepping up.

I don't fear nobody, and that's how I live my life. I live my life with no fears.

I hear from all different people, not just people like me, or lesbians. It be straight people, it be grown men, it be grown women, people that have been sick or depressed that say, 'Oh, you made me want to go do what I want to do for myself and chase my dreams.' That's my purpose.

I've been a fan of BET since I was a kid, growing up watching the awards, thinking that one day I would be there.

My brother and I always had conversations about me being a rapper. I always used to tell him, 'I'm gonna be the hottest rapper.'

I always liked Drake.