I Am Not My Hair-India Arie

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 Just tryin' to be appreciated Nappy headed brothers never had no latest Then I hit the barber shop real quick Had 'em gimme little twist and it drove them crazy And then I couldn't get no job This 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? All these girls, these cribs, these cars I hate to say it but it seem so flaw 'Cause success didn't come 'til I cut it all off Little girl with the press and curl Age eight I got a Jheri curl Thirteen and I got a relaxer I was a source of so much laughter And fifteen when it all broke off Eighteen and I went all natural February two thousand and two I Went on and did what I had to do Because it was time to change my life To become the woman that I am inside Ninety-seven dreadlocks all gone I 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 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 be shaving it off like a South African beauty 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 Hey, I am not my hair, I am not this skin I am not your expectation, 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 Man, you gotta change all feelings Steady judging one another by their appearance Yes, India, I feel ya girl Now go 'head talk the rest of the world Does the way I wear my hair Make me a better person? Does the way I wear my hair Make me a better friend? Does the way I wear my hair Determine my integrity? 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 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 expectations, 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 I am not my hair, I am not this skin I am a soul that lives within