Aliaune Thiam - I Am Not My Hair lyrics

[Intro: Akon] + (India.Arie) Konvict {*echoes*} (Dat dada dat da) (Dat dada dat da, dat dada dat da) (Dat dada dat da, dada ooh) Konvict Music, uh-huh [Akon] 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 by 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? (uh-huh) All these girls these cribs these cars (uh-huh) Hate to say it but it seem so flawed Cause success didn't come 'till I cut it all off (uh-huh) [India Arie] 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... [Hook: India.Arie] I am not my hair, I am not this skin I am not your ex-pec-tations no no I am not my hair, I am not this skin I am a soul that lives within [India Arie] 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.... [Hook] [Akon] Who cares if you don't like that With nothin' to lose post it with a wave cap When the cops tryin' to hara** cause I got waves But he's sayin' nothin' like that, not in my days (noo...) Now you gotta change all feeling's Based on one another by their appearance Yes, India I feel ya girl Now go ahead talk the rest of the world [Interlude: India Arie] (Oh, oh, oh) 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? (Nooo...) (Whoa, whoa, whoa) Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity? (Whoa, whoa, whoa) I am expressing my creativity... [India Arie] 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... [Hook] - 2X