Songwriting has always been a kind of release for me. It has helped me to get out things, feelings, thoughts, concepts in ways that I can’t do by just speaking. It doesn’t come easily for me, however. There is a long process involved and sometimes I’m more successful at actually writing a complete song than others. I’m also honored to get to write songs for other people. I just finished a song for a sweet group of ladies in Florida, Real Rootz Naturals. This group supports and promotes living a lifestyle of being natural within the African American culture specifically as it relates to African American women. Historically black women have been encouraged to conform to modern European beauty standards of wearing their hair long and straight. However, a black woman’s natural hair is very curly and coarse. Consequently, in the past 10 years, there has been a movement among African American women to go back to being natural and embrace the full nature of their hair without the use of chemical altering. Groups such as Ral Rootz Naturals have offered a support system for women all around the globe for encouragement on their natural journey.
Real Rootz Naturals doesn’t just stop at hair though. They promote a holistic approach to being natural such as healthy eating, healthy habits, using healthy products, and also promoting a healthy spiritual lifestyle. They host events, meet-ups, produce video tutorials, and a lot more. Check them out here: http://www.meetup.com/RealRootzNaturals/.
In writing a theme song for them I drew from their principles of being natural and embracing who you were meant to be with no alterations. Here are the lyrics:
Verse 1
They didn’t make no mistakes on me I came into this world already caressed in my beauty All of my skin tones and my high cheek bones tell the history from which I’ve grown
Chorus
I tell it in all the afros I wear and all the braids I twist and all the locs I grow and every cornrow Lets my freedom ring shows my dignity holds the power it brings and this beauty shows my
Bridge
Real Rootz Pride, Real Rootz Love Real Rootz Naturals, Unapologetically Me
Verse 2
The sun and the moon rise and shine let them be your inspiration Put on your dignity and your pride with your self-realization
Check out the song here:
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