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 that crap now
Tryin' to be appreciated
Nappy headed brothers
never had no ladies
Then I hit the barber shop
real quick Had'em
give me little twist and
it drove them crazy
And then I couldn't
get no job
No corporate wouldn't
hire no dreadlocks
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
( u h - h u h )
All these girls
these cribs these cars
( u h - h u h )
Hate to say it
but it seem so flawed
Cause success didn't come
'till I cut it all off
(uh huh)
Little girl with
the press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen then
I got a relaxer
I was a source of
so much laughter
Fifteen when it all
broke off
Eighteen and then
I 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
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
expectations 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
it's 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
what's on your head
It's what's underneath
and say Hey
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
expectations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul
that lives within
Who cares if you
don't like that
With nothin' to lose
post it with a wave cap
When the cops wanna
harass 'cause I got waves
Ain't seen nothin' like that
not in my days (noo...)
Man you gotta change
all this feeling's
Steady judging one another
by their appearance
Yes India I feel ya girl
Now go ahead talk
the rest of the world
(Whoa Whoa Whoa)
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
( N o o o . . . )
(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
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your
expectations 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
expectations no no
