Muhammad Ali has long been known as an American inspiration, and it turns out Prince looks to the boxing legend for an unlikely motivation: to stop swearing.

In a new Essence cover story, via NME, Prince says Ali's no-expletive policy inspired him to adopt the same mentality in his music. “Marsha Ambrosius, Lianne La Havas and Janelle Monae are all my sisters. We shouldn’t curse at them," he said, referring to recent collaborators. "We need to treat them, and all people, like royalty. Did you ever hear Muhammad Ali curse? Would you curse in front of your kids or to your mother?"