My mother wants the best for me
I know she's so sincere
But somewhere in our history
Her wisdom bowed down to fear
She taught me only fall in love with
Beauty that was fair
My seeds will grow in ground
My roots could never bear
Fear sunk deep into my soul
And I'll face the fire
Turn my love to gold
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun
If I get blessed wit' a dark daughter
Bet that she'll never be afraid of water
Hair not pressed so nuthin' to mess up
Fro so fresh everybody wanna touch
No princess, no Cinderella
We gon' read about Assata Shakur and Coretta
Civil disobedience, peaceful protest
Before she gets slapped wit' alternative facts
Gotta fight back with the truth, we
Plant that seed in the youth, please
Pray that it grow deep roots
So they know what not to believe at school
See, might be the teacher might be the text
Might be the mean girls or the cool kids
Came home sad 'cause her lips so fat
And her hair so coarse and her skin so Black
Child ain't dang thang wrong wit' that
Matta fact Dad thinks you da bomb for that
All praise to the most high God for that
Put ya fist in the sky give the sun some dap
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun
White supremacy
Is the enemy
In the inner me
Even centuries
After slavery
Still we tend to think
Light skinned girls finer than ebony
Ain't no merit in talkin' proper
Hair ain't good 'cause it's straight and longer
Name ain't bad because it's complex
I bet Beyoncé got teased at recess
Can't you see how they stole our minds
Made us hate on our very own kind
Why we think after all their crimes
Everything's better if it's almost White?
Rock your puffs and talk yo slang
Be proud dat you got a unique name
Love your Black like it's the new thang
Treat yo'self like it's ya birthday
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun
I'll teach my child to love
I'll teach my child to love herself
I'll teach my child to love
Since we're kissed by the sun