Courtney A. Kemp Quotes

Courtney A. Kemp

Profession : Writer

Birth : May 4, 1977

When people watch 'Power' and they find out the showrunner is black, it's not surprising. What is surprising is that I am a woman and my background is not particularly urban.

Courtney A. Kemp

In college, I didn't know whether to hang out with the black kids or the white kids, and then I found the theatre kids, and I was like, 'Oh, it doesn't matter.' We were all weird and listening to Morrissey and wearing Doc Martens so that was my tribe.

Courtney A. Kemp

People are realizing that there is a financial consequence to not opening doors. It doesn't mean that they are any more inclusive in their hearts - it means they're more inclusive in their wallets.

Courtney A. Kemp

My dad and his sister, who is no longer with us, used to dance on the streets for money. They had nothing.

Courtney A. Kemp

The Shawshank Redemption' isn't a movie about a black guy and a white guy who become friends - it's a movie about freedom. At the end, the cathartic experience of seeing our own emotions reflected back to us, that's the purpose of storytelling.

Courtney A. Kemp

I first became a showrunner at 36 years old. I had no experience doing this job, which is as complicated and multi-faceted as anything I'd ever tried.

Courtney A. Kemp

50 and I are extremely close, so all that social media drama? It's just for the show.

Courtney A. Kemp

There's hip-hop music in 'Power,' but the show is not about the hip-hop industry.

Courtney A. Kemp

I'm seeing more and more people of color do what I do as showrunners, and that's so great. I would love to get to the point where we don't have to talk about it anymore.

Courtney A. Kemp

I had to figure out that finding my place was not about race but about creativity, and connecting with other artists helped me find my voice.

Courtney A. Kemp

I want to be a strong voice, period.

Courtney A. Kemp

Show-running is a very difficult job that includes so many responsibilities; I'm working with the actors, working with directors, writing, making decisions like, 'What fabric is that sofa gonna be?'

Courtney A. Kemp

I really try to plot in a fearless fashion. I try not to care about not knowing the answer before I get there; I just jump in first and see what happens.

Courtney A. Kemp

50 Cent is a brilliant marketer.

Courtney A. Kemp

'Power' would never have gotten on the air if the folks at Starz weren't saying to themselves, 'This is an underserved audience.' It was a financial decision, not a benevolent decision based on a need to change the industry.

Courtney A. Kemp

I love 'Archer.' That's one of the best-written shows out there.

Courtney A. Kemp

My dad was very, very invested in image. He felt that as a black person, the thing you could control was how did you look, how did you dress, how did you sound, how did you smell, how did you act. All of that stuff that you could control would absolutely have a strong impact on your access.

Courtney A. Kemp

Around me, there's always music playing. It just calms me down; it soothes me. It helps me write. It helps me with my mood.

Courtney A. Kemp

I think women judge other women more harshly, always, which is a shame.

Courtney A. Kemp

I very much want to write about some elements of my own growing up.

Courtney A. Kemp