I Am Not My Hair - India.Arie

Lyrics by：Shannon Sanders/India.Arie/Drew Ramsey

Composed by：Drew Ramsey

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

At fifteen when it all broke off

Eighteen and went all natural

February 2002

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 hey

I am not my hair

I am not this skin

I am the soul that lives within

Good hair means curls and waves no

Bad hair means you look like a slave no

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 it's 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 expectations no hey

I am not my hair

I am not this skin

I am the soul that lives within

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 oh

Whoa whoa whoa

Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity

Whoa whoa whoa

I am expressing my creativity

Whoa whoa whoa

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 hey

I am not my hair

I am not this skin

I am the soul that lives within

I am not my hair

I am not this skin

I am not your expectations no hey

I am not my hair

I am not soul

I am the soul that lives within

If I wanna shave it close

Or if I wanna rock locks

That don't take a bit away

From the soul that I got

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da

If I wanna where it braided

All down my back

I don't see what wrong with that

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da

Dat da da dat da