You Gotta Be by Des’ree

Published 9 May 2022

This song is one of those classics that somehow combines a nostalgic sound with a timely message, and I will always return to it whenever I need some inspiration to keep going.

It’s such a powerful song, the memory I have of hearing it for the first time at around 7-years-old is still crystal clear. (Although, considering it was around 1995, it may have been a K-Mart and not a Walmart, that part is fuzzy 🤪)

I included a quote in the video from Des’ree after she was told by her label that she wasn’t ‘black’ enough for her music to sell: “I ain’t moving from my face, from my race, or from my history.” This song’s message is one of grit and dedication to being one’s authentic self, and I love knowing that Des’ree fought for that message in a very real way.

Be bad, and be bold, friends! -Timothy

Stuck In My Head Music 2016-2022