I Am Not My Hair

Is that India?
What happened to her hair?

Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight, I got a Jheri curl
13 and I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
At 15 when it all broke off
18 and I 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
'97 dreadlocks all gone
I 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

What'd she do to her hair?
I don't know, it look crazy
I like it, I might do that
Uh, I wouldn't go that far

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 it's 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

(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

Breast cancer and chemotherapy
Took away her crown and glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy every day of her life, oh
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 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 a soul that lives within
I am a soul that lives within

Oh, if I wanna shave it close or I wanna rock the locks
That'll take a bit away from the soul that I got
If I wanna wear it braided all down my back
I don't see nothing wrong with that