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