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
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
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
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
(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?
(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 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 ex-pec-tations no 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 ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair, I am a soul that lives within
I am a soul that lives within
I wanna shave it close so I wanna rock locks
That'll take a bit away from this soul that I got
If I wanna wearing braided all down my back
I don't see nothing wrong with that