I could SEE no POSITION to say, 'I'm going to make a living as a writer.' But I went to classes for it; I read EVERY play in 'Theater' MAGAZINE. I saw the second acts of everything on Broadway - I had a job as a CBS usher in New York City, and on my way home every night, I'd see what shows I could get into.

When it comes to '90s R&B, I grew up on a lot of Aaliyah and DESTINY's CHILD, Missy Elliott, Usher, Jill Scott. Whatever my mom was playing in the house is what I was listening to.

A lot of R&B CATS are doing a lot of auto-tune. Tyrese went BACK to the basics. I LOVE CLASSIC soul music and Ginuwine. Ginuwine and Usher laid the foundation back in the '90s. There's no one doing that anymore.