(Wale - Verse 1:) Chip on my shoulda Big enough to feed Cambodia See I never fit into they quotas Sneakers wasn't fittin' and my knees needed lotion Long before I knew the significance of a comb I roam like foam with no vocal reception Immigrant parents had me feeling like a step-kid And black Americans never did accept me That's why I thrive so much winnin' respect, dig I never fit in with them light skins I thought the lighter they was, the better that they life is So I resented them and they resented me Cheated on light skin Dominique, we were 17 I figure I hurt her she'd evidently hurt me And all women who have light features see I never let a light broad hurt me That's why I strike first and the first cut's deep
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
(Wale - Verse 2:) Just another knotty head ***** Hoping Wes Snipes make my life a bit different In middle school I had the right to be timid I had beautiful words but girls never listened Listen, blacker the berry, sweeter the product Well I'm fruit punch concentrate and they water Walk into my room thinking how to make moves Ain't thinking like a student, but how Ice-T do it Light dudes had the girls looking there Aw yea it's not fair The ones with the good hurr Couldn't adapt to naps I wore caps They napped and slept on me Man I hate black, skin tone I wish I could take it back or rearrange my status Maybe if I was khaki Associating light skin with classy The minstrel show, showed a me that was not me
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
(Wale - Verse 3:) They say black is beautiful But ask them beautiful light girls if it's black they attract to usually What if Barack's skin was all black? Truthfully would he be a candidate or just a black in community? We as black dudes tend to lack unity And them blacker girls ain't on the tube usually Right now at 23 I ain't mad at them reds no more But for long time I had gone cold blind Full of my own insecurity It was holding me Back to reds, I ain't know how to act They would get the cold shoulder And know it was an act, a defense mechanism What I thought that I lacked (confidence)
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
Wale Ft. Chrisette Michelle - Shades
(Wale - Verse 1:) Chip on my shoulda Big enough to feed Cambodia See I never fit into they quotas Sneakers wasn't fittin' and my knees needed lotion Long before I knew the significance of a comb I roam like foam with no vocal reception Immigrant parents had me feeling like a step-kid And black Americans never did accept me That's why I thrive so much winnin' respect, dig I never fit in with them light skins I thought the lighter they was, the better that they life is So I resented them and they resented me Cheated on light skin Dominique, we were 17 I figure I hurt her she'd evidently hurt me And all women who have light features see I never let a light broad hurt me That's why I strike first and the first cut's deep
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
(Wale - Verse 2:) Just another knotty head ***** Hoping Wes Snipes make my life a bit different In middle school I had the right to be timid I had beautiful words but girls never listened Listen, blacker the berry, sweeter the product Well I'm fruit punch concentrate and they water Walk into my room thinking how to make moves Ain't thinking like a student, but how Ice-T do it Light dudes had the girls looking there Aw yea it's not fair The ones with the good hurr Couldn't adapt to naps I wore caps They napped and slept on me Man I hate black, skin tone I wish I could take it back or rearrange my status Maybe if I was khaki Associating light skin with classy The minstrel show, showed a me that was not me
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
(Wale - Verse 3:) They say black is beautiful But ask them beautiful light girls if it's black they attract to usually What if Barack's skin was all black? Truthfully would he be a candidate or just a black in community? We as black dudes tend to lack unity And them blacker girls ain't on the tube usually Right now at 23 I ain't mad at them reds no more But for long time I had gone cold blind Full of my own insecurity It was holding me Back to reds, I ain't know how to act They would get the cold shoulder And know it was an act, a defense mechanism What I thought that I lacked (confidence)
(Chorus: Chrissette Michele) From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Boy you so beautiful Boy you so beautiful Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice Boy you so beautiful
