Kilo Kish - Hello, Lakisha

my name’s lakisha
named after my dad
his name’s lakostia
goes by coz
i go by kish
because its shorter
and to me
a lot less obvious

at home my momma
she calls me kisha
but at the school yard
there were a million
when i was young
i needed freedom
and to feel
i stood out in this world
(too many girls)
just. stand. out.
when i was sixteen
i wanted money
i put lakisha
on my resume
how funny
it was a joke
i found that no
one would call me back
because of it
(oh shit)

i’ll tell you the truth
like when i moved to new york
nobody knew name
i put my head down and worked
like 2 jobs at a time
learned to read between the lines
i’ll say i’m kish on my resume
this time!

i was meant to be named india
after my greatest grandmother
(that's her name)
but someone had a baby first
and the name was
given right to her
(what a shame)
i’d probably end up
a lot more conscious
i’d burn some incense
i’d pray to rocks and
its hard to say
who you would
be if you were named
after somebody else

but i feel guilty
stereotyping
would have me leave it
out of all and everything
some people like
to assume different
but in truth
i'm not a bit ashamed
(it's my name)

when i sign my signature
its with an “l”
and never with a “k”
you call me kilo
but lakisha
forever will be my name