MUSIC FOR SALE

I grew up with my roots, but they got tangled,
They say I’m Black, but I don’t feel the angle,
Suburban life, where I stand on my own,
Not hood enough for them, so I’m stuck in this zone.

Laughed at ‘cause I talk with a different tone,
But I’m seen as a threat just for walking home,
Bad girls pass by, they don’t see the man,
‘Cause I don’t throw signs or flash a bama.

So where do I go when I don’t fit in?
When the mirror shows me only my skin,
I’ve danced in others’ shoes, walked miles alone,
But I’ll keep on searching 'til I find my own.


Tried salsa moves, let the rhythm in my feet,
Anime nights where the stories repeat,
Felt lost in worlds where I didn’t belong,
But even there, I still heard my own song.

They say I’m too soft, or I’m playing too tough,
Just trying to be real, but it’s never enough,
Between being "too Black" or “not Black enough,”
Trying to find me, it’s been way too rough.


So where do I go when I don’t fit in?
When the mirror shows me only my skin,
I’ve danced in others’ shoes, walked miles alone,
But I’ll keep on searching 'til I find my own.


I won’t run from the roots I can’t change,
I’ll carry my culture, though it feels strange,
Every beat in my chest, every word I say,
Is a story that no one can take away.


I’ll learn my past, find pride in my name,
See power in the place from where I came,
Not here to pretend, not here to act,
Just here to reclaim my story back.

Black doesn’t mean one way to be,
I’m finding my strength in my own history,
I’m more than the label they try to apply,
I’m me—don’t need permission to fly.


I used to feel shame for not fitting their mold,
Like my worth had to be bought or sold,
But now I see strength in the way I stand,
A blend of my culture, my voice, my plan.

I’m the kid they doubted, the man they fear,
But I walk my truth, make it loud and clear,
No need to be something they expect to see,
Proud of the path that’s defining me.


Now I’m digging deep into stories untold,
Learning from kings and legends of old,
My culture’s rich, a legacy deep,
Not just a stereotype they keep.

From jazz to soul, and battles we’ve won,
I’m the past, the future, all in one,
Finding my own way, breaking free,
Connected to the roots that run through me.


So I know now where I fit within,
It’s more than the shade they see in my skin,
I’ve walked those roads, but now I’ve grown,
Proud to be me—I’ve found my own.


No more fear, no more shame,
I am the fire that lights my name,
Standing strong, my voice, my tone,
In my culture, I’ve found my own.