Why Be Beige When You Can Live in Color?

Let’s get something straight—being extra ain’t just a personality trait. It’s a calling. It’s a vibe. It’s living life in full bloom while other folks sit in the corner trying to convince us to shrink, dim, and blend in. And for what? To make them comfortable? I hate to break it to you but many of us weren’t put on this earth to make you comfortable. We were not meant to be anyone’s background singer—we’re here to headline.

But somehow, the word extra became a bad word. “You’re so extra,” they say, like we supposed to take that as an insult. They act like showing up in full color is a problem. But what they really mean is, “Your light is too bright, and it’s exposing how dim mine is.” Ain’t got no flavor, no joy, no pizzazz. Just beige.

And let’s talk about beige people for a second. You know the ones. The ones who act like life is a funeral procession. Out here trying to drag us down into their dull little world. You ever notice that? Beige people are the first ones to tell you, “You’re doing too much.” Too much? Fam, you’re doing too little! Beige people act like joy got a quota and they already filled theirs for the decade.

Let that sink in.

See, extra people live in color—red, yellow, green, and some even in purple. Now, purple’s cute, real regal, but me? I’m an orange kind of man. Orange is that vibrant Caribbean sunset, that ripe Julie mango, that splash of brightness that reminds you the world is alive and full of possibility. Orange is energy. Orange says, Look at me. I’m here, and I’m not apologizing for it.

Beige people wear the same outfit every day, eat unseasoned food, and get uncomfortable when you clap on the offbeat at the family barbecue. Beige people send short, cold emails with no exclamation points. Beige people act like joy is a limited resource, and they’re hoarding it for a rainy day. Beige people think a “pop of color” is wearing navy blue.

But us extra folks? We’re it. We walk into the room, and you feel it. We talk with our hands, we tell stories with dramatic pauses and sound effects, and when we laugh, we laugh loud. Beige folks get scared when we start laughing too loud in a restaurant. They clutch their pearls like laughter got a body count.

We’re the spice. The gravy. The carnival dancers covered in feathers and glitter, the ones who turn a regular Thursday into a whole experience. We’re the ones who make life feel like something worth waking up for.

They say, “Why can’t you just tone it down?”
Tone it down? Baby, if I tone it down, the whole atmosphere gone shift. Wi-Fi might cut off. Plants might start wilting. Beyoncé might cancel the Cowboy Carter Tour. Y’all want that on your conscience? I didn’t think so. You’re welcome.

Because here’s the thing: without extra people, the world would be beige. Bland. Flavorless. A life without us would be like eating plain crackers for dinner. Imagine a world without Caribbean food—no jerk chicken, no oxtail, no curry goat bubbling on the stove. No reggae or soca, no wild dance moves at 10 a.m., no second encore because the party isn’t over until we say it’s over. A Beyoncé concert with no fan blowing in her hair.

A beige world is a world without color, without soul, without rhythm. It’s rice without the peas, carnival without the music, life without laughter. And let me tell you something—I refuse to live beige.

I refuse.

Because beige is easy. Beige is safe. Beige is sitting on the sidelines of your own life, clapping politely while someone else lives out loud. But you know what’s dangerous? What’s bold? Living in full color.

Red is passion. Yellow is joy. Green is growth. Orange is boldness. Purple is royalty. When you live in color, you’re saying to the world, “I am here. I am worthy. I will not shrink.”

And the people who tell you to tone it down? That’s about them, not you. Your light makes them nervous. Your color reminds them of all the ways they’ve dimmed their own. But don’t ever let their insecurity become your burden. That’s not your business.

Here’s the truth: We extra people aren’t just doing too much—we’re doing what’s necessary. We’re living as big as we can because life is short, and beige just won’t do. If you’ve ever lived in color, beige will never be enough again. Once you’ve tasted a life full of spice and rhythm, why would you ever go back to boiled chicken and steamed broccoli?

So, check it, no I will not dim my light. I will not shrink. I will not fold myself into a smaller version to make you feel bigger. I along with my tribe members were born to live in color, and many of us are just getting started.

Be extra. Be loud. Be bold. Be everything they told you not to be.

Because the world doesn’t need more beige. It needs you. In every shade, every hue, and every bit of your unapologetic glory.

And that’s facts.