I’m Black

Have you heard that new rap song?

Can you teach me how to woah?

Nevermind, I can’t say it because you might get offended.

But let me tell you something,

I don’t listen to rap like you assume I do.

I don’t know all the dances like you assume I do.

I don’t want you to hold in what you gotta say because you assume I won’t like it.

Because I’m black does not mean I will always pull the race card.

Because I’m a woman does not mean I can’t speak up for myself.

Because I’m young does not mean you can take advantage of my innocence.

I have daddy issues but that’s not because I’m black,

But because my father wasn’t ready to deal with four girls when he was broken.

I grew up on the West Side, and I’m scared of the cops because I’m a negro girl.

I’m scared that if I get pulled over, they will scan my skin and choose to act based off that.

I’m scared that the next time I go out on Cicero, that it will be my last.

I’m scared that my future kids will get cheated out the education system,

Or beaten to death by the police based off how society is growing to be.

There’s too many crimes in this country and race and equality is the main thing.

I’m tired of white people and my own black people looking down on me,

Judging every word or action that I say or do.

Black men choosing white women because they can’t deal with our attitudes,

But don’t all women have attitudes?

Rhetorical question.

White people thinkin’ they can say nigga because they have black friends and such,

But you don’t have the permission to call me that because I hear the double meaning.

Don’t try to copy the way I speak, because that is down right rude and disrespectful to me.

Don’t twist my words and say that I’m puttin’ all of y’all in one category because I’m not.

I know the difference between who’s educated and who’s not.

We all bleed red, I don’t bleed black, we all are on this Earth together.

You will respect me in my house- correction- you will respect me in our house.

Hearing each comment you made about me, I applied on a new skin.

I sat in the bathroom stall and skipped class to put on this lighter creme.

But it’s starting to make me scratch

And it’s getting heavy and uncomfortable for me to wear your creme.

I had to peel it off but it burned and I couldn’t handle the pain.

Now I don’t care if it burns because the weight of it was worse-

I peeled off the hate comments off my face, my chest, my legs, my shoulders.

I will not be the lazy black child that the media has set out for me.

I will not be the mule to take on the load of any man in this universe.

I will not be treated wrong by racists or feel like I don’t belong by my fellow black people.

I will not hide how I feel to protect your feelings because doesn’t how I feel matter to?

Rhetorical question.

I will not use my body, this temple, to please those who don’t care about me.

I will not hide my tears in front of anyone when your words have given me scars,

Because hiding my tears is like hiding your hate for people like me.

I will not have my future kids be raised in fear,

Because as a child, you shouldn’t fear the cops or your own peers shooting up a school.

I will be the hope in my children’s eyes and the builder of our home.

I am a miracle from God and my life must have purpose, right?

Yes, I am!

I will be the voice of those who can’t speak and I hear them in my head always.

I am the challenger of your audacity to talk to me like you know or own me.

Even though I experienced racism at 7, I will still talk to you guys with respect,

Because you give me an education, jobs, money, and you run the country.

I love listening to R&B more than I do hip hop.

I like to try to do dances and if I’m good then I’m good.

I get offended when you talk about my skin color like it’s a mythical thing,

Or talk about how the way I speak you make fun if I don’t pronounce it like you.

But that doesn’t bother me all the way any more because I’m proud in my blackness.

I am shy, although I’m loud, I am a woman, and I am black.