D'Angelo Quotes

I look to many different women for inspiration but try to make things my own.

I was inspired by lots of people, certainly in acting and in writing and stuff, but I never wanted to be somebody else.

There are many teachers who could ruin you. Before you know it you could be a pale copy of this teacher or that teacher. You have to evolve on your own.

You know, all kinds of people inspire me.

We all have idols. Play like anyone you care about but try to be yourself while you're doing so.

The secret of my success is a two word answer: Know people.

I always looked up to so many people before me and was lucky to become such good friends with them. I learned so much hanging out with those cats.

It's who you know and who can help you.

You know, I've learned a lot from every person I've collaborated with, from Madlib to Jean Grae and Hi-Tek, to Mos to DJ Quik, to even somebody like Jermaine Dupri. I've taken something important away from every experience.

My mom is a painter and an artist. She would play music, and she always had very good taste in music, fashion, and art. She was also a young single mom, so I think she had really good style; she was really free... just really inspiring in her own way and allowed me to find the direction I wanted to take in my life.

I've definitely had mentors, whether parents or friends or actors who I like.

I've just always been around great songwriters. To me, they were the standard.

I think we all choose our style from the ether and whatever is out there.

Whether I'm being influenced by new music that I'm listening to, books I've read, my friends, or my faith, I'm learning all the time.

Richard Donner's friendship and guidance showed me that there's more to life than being an actor.

I have mentors like Erykah Badu. She's been like a big sister to me.

There are so many artists that inspire me, it's honestly too many names to go through. I look up to people who've been in the game for years.

When I was hanging out with Joey Clements in Chicago, I made it a point not to try to emulate him. I wanted basically to create my own character. I didn't want him to think I was hanging out with him solely to use him as research.

You know, one of my favorite movies that inspired me and got me started was 'Dead Poet's Society.'

People always ask me who my role models are and who I want to be like, and I don't wanna be like anybody; I wanna be me. I look up to a lot of people, and they have had great influences on me, but I wanna be original and different.

I wasn't Lennon, or I wasn't McCartney. I was me. And the only reason I started to write songs was because I thought, 'Well, if they can write them, I can write them.'

I've been hearing what a lot of people been doing and what a lot of people been putting out musically, I've been listening.

Everybody is inspired by someone.

I don't have just one role model - rather, pieces of inspiration from many different entrepreneurs. One of the great things about being an entrepreneur is that it naturally enables you to build a village of advisors and role models.

I never really modeled my game after anybody.