Don T Touch My Hair

Back in September 2016 when Solange released A Seat at The Table the world was still recovering from the Lemonade her sister released months prior. Now with two unapologetically pro black albums on the market how does one not feel uplifted. Both albums speak on the things that black people go through but in different tones. They are both great in their own right but one song stood out to me the most, which is Solange’s Don’t Touch My Hair. In this essay in going to analyze the semiotics of the song by finding the message behind the message and by analyzing the representation of black culture in the song.
As a black girl who went through the natural hair journey - coined for the transition of wearing Eurocentric hair styles that required straightening
Solange explains it best with the lyrics “Don’t Touch My Hair | When it's the feelings I wear | Don't touch my crown | They say the vision I've found | Don't touch what's there | When it's the feelings I wear.” Hair is styled to go with an outfit, mood, or event. Sometimes your hair is just an expression of the times just like the afros of the 60s or the hip hop styles of the 80s and 90s. For black girls the hair is an extension of their pride and owning who they are whether its their natural hair or a weave. Solange depicts hair as a crown which means my hair is not up for discussion. I don’t want to hear your thoughts on it. In the black community hair is more than its physical state. It’s a way to connect with their culture, and a way to express their individual
Black hair has a long history of enslavement and controls, which frequently didn't apply to their white peers’ hair which was viewed as neat and professional. In present circumstances, black girls get themselves oppressed in the working environment because of their natural hair. Therefore, not just has black hair verifiably been a subject of strife, yet can also decide a women’s future professional