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 nigga
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