See I can kinda recall
Little ways back
Small tryin to bawl
Always been black
And my hair I tried it all
I even went flat
Had a gumdee curly top
and all the crap. now
Tryin to get appreciated
Nappy headed brothers
never had no latest
Hit by the barber
shop real quick
got omni little twist
and it drove
them crazy (crazayy)
And then I couldnt get no job
No corperate wouldnt
hire no dreadlobs
Then I thought about
my dogs on the block
Kinda understand why
they chose a stealin rock
Was it the hair
that got me this far (uh-huh)
All these girls these
cribs these cost (uh-huh)
Hate to say it
but it seem so flaw
Cause success didnt come
till i cut it all off (uh-huh)
Little girl with the
press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen I got a relaxer
I was a source of
so much laughter
fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen and went all natural
February two thousand
and two I
Went and did what I had to do
Cause it was time
to change my life
To become the women
that I am inside
Ninety-seven dreadlocks
all gone
Looked in the mirror
for the first time and saw that
HEY HEY
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
Good hair means curls and waves
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its time for us to redefine
who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Or get in on lock Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not whats on your head
Its whats underneath and say
HEY HEY
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
Who cares if you dont like that
With nothin to lose
post a with a ways back
When the cops tryin to harass
Cause I got waves
But hes sayin
nothin like that
Not in my days (noo)
Now you gotta change
all feelings
Based on one another
bother appearance
Yes. India I feel ya girl
Now go on and talk
the rest of the world
(oh. oh. oh)
Does the way I wear my hair
make me a better person
(Whoa. whoa. whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair
make me a better friend no
(Whoa. whoa. whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair
determine my integrity
(Whoa. whoa. whoa)
I am expressing my creativity
Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
Took away her crown and glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life ooh
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the
whole wide world like
HEY HEY
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your