Mark Morrison

“I can no longer shrink myself to fit a place I've outgrown.”

“I feel I'm the most reallest black artist in England 'cause I give it to you how it is, whether I'm embarrassed of it, whether I'm ashamed of it, whatever.”

“I try not to dwell on the past because I can't change anything.”

“I'm very torn. I write about living in England, but I spent so much time in Florida, and so many of my musical influences come from America.”

“I worked in reggae, hip-hip, jazz, funk - all the music I used to relate to.”

“I think the world of Cameo.”

“I don't see a Gary Lineker soccer school in Leicester. I don't see an Engelbert Humperdinck or a Showaddywaddy singing school in Leicester. I came back, I put on talent shows in Leicester.”

“America is the Super Bowl of music.”

“I lived a lot of those songs, I lived 'Time to Creep,' I lived 'Love You Bad.'”

“I had a one-track mind when I was younger.”

“Innocent Man' doesn't mean me - I'm trying to talk about the whole male population. It's for the black man, the white man, the Korean man on the street, trying to better their lives, caught up in a situation.”

“I live a life where I feel I need protection, so I don't go out without protection.”

“I was in court more than I was on 'Top of the Pops.'”

“I have an affinity with the Leicester community and want the best for them.”

“Prison was a learning experience. I learned to be patient.”

“I'm not going to paint myself as an angel, but I feel my colour works against me when I'm up in court. But I'm not going to paint myself as a martyr.”

“I showed Leicester the love and that city never showed me the love back. That place has shown me nothing but contempt.”

“From living in America, I learned about ambition and competitiveness... In the U.K., it's okay to be No. 2 or 3. In America, you have to be No. 1. And that's what I want.”

“Leave it at the facts. I sold two million records in America.”

“There's guys out there having to do things to meet ends. They're reduced to making the wrong decisions and taking the wrong path, and I don't condemn them.”