[00:00.52]Wale Ft. Chrisette Michelle - Shades
[00:03.52]
[00:21.19](Wale - Verse 1:)
[00:22.19]Chip on my shoulda
[00:23.35]Big enough to feed Cambodia
[00:25.47]See I never fit into they quotas
[00:27.43]Sneakers wasn't fittin' and my knees needed lotion
[00:30.13]Long before I knew the significance of a comb
[00:32.64]I roam like foam with no vocal reception
[00:35.55]Immigrant parents had me feeling like a step-kid
[00:38.40]And black Americans never did accept me
[00:40.96]That's why I thrive so much winnin' respect, dig
[00:43.71]I never fit in with them light skins
[00:45.69]I thought the lighter they was, the better that they life is
[00:49.22]So I resented them and they resented me
[00:51.96]Cheated on light skin Dominique, we were 17
[00:54.59]I figure I hurt her she'd evidently hurt me
[00:57.24]And all women who have light features see
[01:00.01]I never let a light broad hurt me
[01:02.37]That's why I strike first and the first cut's deep
[01:04.09]
[01:04.59](Chorus: Chrissette Michele)
[01:05.09]From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha
[01:07.62]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[01:10.79]Boy you so beautiful
[01:11.95]Boy you so beautiful
[01:13.35]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[01:16.10]Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice
[01:25.52]Boy you so beautiful
[01:26.38]
[01:26.88](Wale - Verse 2:)
[01:27.38]Just another knotty head nigga
[01:29.52]Hoping Wes Snipes make my life a bit different
[01:32.54]In middle school I had the right to be timid
[01:34.90]I had beautiful words but girls never listened
[01:37.66]Listen, blacker the berry, sweeter the product
[01:40.43]Well I'm fruit punch concentrate and they water
[01:43.14]Walk into my room thinking how to make moves
[01:45.74]Ain't thinking like a student, but how Ice-T do it
[01:49.02]Light dudes had the girls looking there
[01:51.07]Aw yea it's not fair
[01:52.41]The ones with the good hurr
[01:54.14]Couldn't adapt to naps I wore caps
[01:56.58]They napped and slept on me
[01:57.99]Man I hate black, skin tone
[02:00.52]I wish I could take it back or rearrange my status
[02:03.51]Maybe if I was khaki
[02:04.62]Associating light skin with classy
[02:07.41]The minstrel show, showed a me that was not me
[02:09.15]
[02:09.65](Chorus: Chrissette Michele)
[02:10.15]From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha
[02:12.86]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[02:15.71]Boy you so beautiful
[02:16.95]Boy you so beautiful
[02:18.29]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[02:21.22]Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice
[02:30.44]Boy you so beautiful
[02:30.82]
[02:31.22](Wale - Verse 3:)
[02:31.72]They say black is beautiful
[02:33.17]But ask them beautiful light girls if it's black they attract to usually
[02:36.97]What if Barack's skin was all black?
[02:39.15]Truthfully would he be a candidate or just a black in community?
[02:42.40]We as black dudes tend to lack unity
[02:45.05]And them blacker girls ain't on the tube usually
[02:47.91]Right now at 23 I ain't mad at them reds no more
[02:51.20]But for long time I had gone cold blind
[02:53.59]Full of my own insecurity
[02:55.47]It was holding me
[02:56.35]Back to reds, I ain't know how to act
[02:58.63]They would get the cold shoulder
[03:00.20]And know it was an act, a defense mechanism
[03:03.01]What I thought that I lacked (confidence)
[03:03.44]
[03:03.84](Chorus: Chrissette Michele)
[03:04.24]From a light skin girl to a dark skin brotha
[03:06.95]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[03:09.55]Boy you so beautiful
[03:10.94]Boy you so beautiful
[03:12.41]Shade doesn't matter, heart makes the lover
[03:15.20]Honey brown, caramel, coffee brown, chocolate, toffee, pecan, licorice
[03:24.55]Boy you so beautiful
[03:30.55]