Celebrity Quotes of the Week: Jay Z Snaps Back at Critics of Tidal

Plus, words from L.A. Reid and Janet Jackson.

Jay Z on criticism of his music streaming service TIDAL: - "I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit. Them n****s pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get. You know n****s die for equal pay, right? You know when I work I ain’t your slave, right? You know I ain’t shucking and jiving and high-fiving, and you know this ain’t back in the days, right? Well I can’t tell, how the way they killed Freddie Gray, right? Shot down Mike Brown how they did Tray, right?”(Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)

1 / 11

Jay Z on criticism of his music streaming service TIDAL: - "I feel like YouTube is the biggest culprit. Them n****s pay you a tenth of what you supposed to get. You know n****s die for equal pay, right? You know when I work I ain’t your slave, right? You know I ain’t shucking and jiving and high-fiving, and you know this ain’t back in the days, right? Well I can’t tell, how the way they killed Freddie Gray, right? Shot down Mike Brown how they did Tray, right?”(Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Live Nation)

Brandy on her favorite prom moment: - "It was getting dressed and the makeup and the prom dress. I just loved being around kids my age... If it were not for Kobe, I would've never gotten the experience."(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

2 / 11

Brandy on her favorite prom moment: - "It was getting dressed and the makeup and the prom dress. I just loved being around kids my age... If it were not for Kobe, I would've never gotten the experience."(Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

L.A. Reid on Mariah Carey's chances of scoring another hit: - "To even be on the radio at this point in her career is a huge accomplishment, because radio doesn’t cater to veteran artists or legends. Radio caters to in-the-moment stars…Nobody that put out records 25 years ago is going to have a No. 1. Not Paul, Stevie, Bruce, Mick or Keith. Not Prince, not anyone. So if she can get on the radio, we’ve done damn good. Would we like to have a No. 1? F**k yeah, I’m greedy. But it’s not realistic.”(Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Department)

3 / 11

L.A. Reid on Mariah Carey's chances of scoring another hit: - "To even be on the radio at this point in her career is a huge accomplishment, because radio doesn’t cater to veteran artists or legends. Radio caters to in-the-moment stars…Nobody that put out records 25 years ago is going to have a No. 1. Not Paul, Stevie, Bruce, Mick or Keith. Not Prince, not anyone. So if she can get on the radio, we’ve done damn good. Would we like to have a No. 1? F**k yeah, I’m greedy. But it’s not realistic.”(Photo: Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Department)

Melanie Fiona on shunning the "angry R&B chick" label: - "I think ignorant people try to paint me into that lane. That title, or whatever that is, is so general and based off one aspect of what people might think they know. Yes, those have been my biggest songs and I'm so proud of that because my strength and greatest success has come from my pain and there's no shame in that. But to say I'm limited to being the angry R&B chick, then you haven't listened to my projects.”(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for HBO)

4 / 11

Melanie Fiona on shunning the "angry R&B chick" label: - "I think ignorant people try to paint me into that lane. That title, or whatever that is, is so general and based off one aspect of what people might think they know. Yes, those have been my biggest songs and I'm so proud of that because my strength and greatest success has come from my pain and there's no shame in that. But to say I'm limited to being the angry R&B chick, then you haven't listened to my projects.”(Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for HBO)

Snoop Dogg on feeling indebted to Suge Knight: - "I never hated him, he never really hated me. How could you hate me when I made you a $100 million? How could I hate you when you helped me build a team to beat my murder case? That’s why I’ve always had an open heart for him… People don’t understand, he was my friend before he became my enemy." (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

5 / 11

Snoop Dogg on feeling indebted to Suge Knight: - "I never hated him, he never really hated me. How could you hate me when I made you a $100 million? How could I hate you when you helped me build a team to beat my murder case? That’s why I’ve always had an open heart for him… People don’t understand, he was my friend before he became my enemy." (Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

ADVERTISEMENT
Ciara on the lackluster sales of her latest album, Jackie: - “Of course, you would hope for more. But at the same time, you know what I know about this album? This album is amazing. I’m so proud of it. I put my all into it. I really do believe it’s my best body of work. To me, it’s never been about the first week… That’s the least of my worries.” (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

6 / 11

Ciara on the lackluster sales of her latest album, Jackie: - “Of course, you would hope for more. But at the same time, you know what I know about this album? This album is amazing. I’m so proud of it. I put my all into it. I really do believe it’s my best body of work. To me, it’s never been about the first week… That’s the least of my worries.” (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Janet Jackson announces new album and world tour: - “I promised you’d hear it from my lips, and now you will. This year: new music, new world tour, a new movement.” (Photo: Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images for Giuseppe Zanotti Design)

7 / 11

Janet Jackson announces new album and world tour: - “I promised you’d hear it from my lips, and now you will. This year: new music, new world tour, a new movement.” (Photo: Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images for Giuseppe Zanotti Design)

Kelly Price accuses CVS of discrimination: - "He said that it was because of the area that we were in that he wouldn’t fill certain prescriptions after midnight… I was offended for the people of this neighborhood. I was offended for anybody who lives in a neighborhood that may not be considered the upper echelon where expensive homes are or where six- and seven-figure earners live… What if it were somebody that walked in and it was a life or death situation and they were denied an opportunity to fill a prescription just because of the location of the store?”(Photo: Ben Horton/Getty Images for Life & Style)

8 / 11

Kelly Price accuses CVS of discrimination: - "He said that it was because of the area that we were in that he wouldn’t fill certain prescriptions after midnight… I was offended for the people of this neighborhood. I was offended for anybody who lives in a neighborhood that may not be considered the upper echelon where expensive homes are or where six- and seven-figure earners live… What if it were somebody that walked in and it was a life or death situation and they were denied an opportunity to fill a prescription just because of the location of the store?”(Photo: Ben Horton/Getty Images for Life & Style)

Photo By Photo: Ben Horton/Getty Images for Life & Style

Lee Daniels on who inspired the character of Lucious Lyon on Empire: - "Many shades of me. I can’t create anything that I haven’t lived. He’s a lot a bit of my dad and the entrepreneurs that I’ve grown to know. He’s a lot a bit of Berry Gordy, a lot a bit of Joe Kennedy. When you think of the Kennedys, they are the American dream. Joe was bootlegging and doing all sorts of shady s**t and he produced the president of the United States."(Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

9 / 11

Lee Daniels on who inspired the character of Lucious Lyon on Empire: - "Many shades of me. I can’t create anything that I haven’t lived. He’s a lot a bit of my dad and the entrepreneurs that I’ve grown to know. He’s a lot a bit of Berry Gordy, a lot a bit of Joe Kennedy. When you think of the Kennedys, they are the American dream. Joe was bootlegging and doing all sorts of shady s**t and he produced the president of the United States."(Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

Alfonso Ribeiro on his favorite types of viral videos: - "My style of video is when people hurt themselves. I just love the idea when people decide to do something really stupid and then they fall and bust their head open and, of course, they don’t kill themselves — but they do it with the idea that they think it’s going to be really funny, and then they bang themselves up. And then we get to really enjoy it. There will definitely be some of those [on America's Funniest Home Videos] with me."(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

10 / 11

Alfonso Ribeiro on his favorite types of viral videos: - "My style of video is when people hurt themselves. I just love the idea when people decide to do something really stupid and then they fall and bust their head open and, of course, they don’t kill themselves — but they do it with the idea that they think it’s going to be really funny, and then they bang themselves up. And then we get to really enjoy it. There will definitely be some of those [on America's Funniest Home Videos] with me."(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Kevin Hart on bringing health awareness through his upcoming comedy tour: - “It puts the first foot forward in being productive. It’s just about getting in the door. That’s where people lose the battle. If one day you don’t feel like it and don’t go, what’s to stop you from not going the next day?” (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for CinemaCon)

11 / 11

Kevin Hart on bringing health awareness through his upcoming comedy tour: - “It puts the first foot forward in being productive. It’s just about getting in the door. That’s where people lose the battle. If one day you don’t feel like it and don’t go, what’s to stop you from not going the next day?” (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images for CinemaCon)