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