I am not my hair meaning

I mentioned a while ago, how I wanted to pay homage to one of the music industry’s most outspoken feminist: India.Arie. I’m sure most everyone is familiar with her 2001 song “Video” where she does some positive body image work–stating that she sometimes doesn’t shave her legs, isn’t built like a supermodel but she is still beautiful and still a queen. She goes further to reassert that her beauty is not her only worth, but also her brains and thoughts, and she refuses to buy into materialistic American culture. It was one of my go to favorite girl power songs when I was younger (and still is!). If you don’t know it be sure to watch the video bellow:

However, I decided that because this song is so well known, and honestly an obvious pick for this blog (even though still awesome!) I wanted to highlight another one of her really powerful songs. “I Am Not My Hair” was released in 2006 on her third studio album; it was the only song from the album that charted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #97 (more on this later!) The lyrics of this song tell a similar narrative as”Video”–it calls out beauty expectations especially the expectations for women of color and promotes a positive dialogue about beauty and worth.

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 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 women that I am inside
Ninety-seven 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.
Umm I wouldn’t go that far. I know .. ha ha ha ha

Good hair means curls and waves
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
Its 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
Its what’s underneath and say HEY….

(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…

Now I don’t have any complaints about this song, and I don’t see any contradictions. This is a pretty big deal because I don’t think that has happened since I started writing this blog. One problem, however, comes back to ratings and the music video. It’s obvious that India.Arie is talented–however, her feminist narratives and refusal to conform to the music industry’s beauty ideal have kept her out of the mainstream music world. Additionally, the original version of this song was supposed to just be her, her acoustic guitar and maybe a bass, but her record told her she had to feature Akon so the record would sell. Furthermore, as you may have noticed, there are no animated gifs in this post, and that’s because they didn’t already exist for these reasons (and I’m technically challenged and couldn’t make one myself).

I believe, however, that this song should be heard at massive level because it has a message so relevant to our materialistic, racist, sexist culture. Fabulously successful and powerful women like news reporter Robin Roberts or olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglass, who have been criticized about their hair should be able to hear this song–we should all, no matter our race or gender or any other socially constructed category for that mater, be able to hear this song. This song is calling out inequalities in our system that should be addressed, and shouldn’t be limited from the mass media. India.Arie shouldn’t have to have the misogynistic rapper Akon featured on her song, if she doesn’t want him, she shouldn’t have to dance around sexily like Beyonce to receive air time, and so on and so forth.

Clearly, I have some strong feelings about this, and would (as always!) love to hear what you have to think. Below I have included two videos; the first is the official video featuring Akon, and the second is a live performance during BET’s Black Girls Rock! (which is not on YouTube so you have to click on the link!)

http://www.bet.com/video/blackgirlsrock/2012/performances/india-arie-s2.html

Why did India Arie write I am not my hair?

When was I Am Not My Hair released?

Who wrote India Arie songs?