I Am What I Am is the second album by English singer
Ruth Copeland. The album was released by
Invictus Records in 1971 and was produced and arranged by Ruth Copeland, though it is widely believed that the actual producer of the album was her then husband Jeffrey Bowen. As with her debut, Self Portrait, I Am What I Am contains contributions from
George Clinton and the musicians from
Parliament-Funkadelic, as well as local Detroit session players such as guitarist Ray Monette.
In 1996, Ruth Copeland's first two albums were licensed by HDH Inc. and reissued by
P-Vine Records individually. In 1997 these albums were reissued on one CD under the juxtaposed title Self Portrait/I Am What I Am (Deepbeats DEEPM 022). It was then issued under the title Gimme Shelter - The Invictus Sessions (Castle Music CMRCD 576). Both compilations omitted the track "Un Bel Di (One Fine Day)". The two (complete) albums, plus bonus single mixes of some of the songs, were released in a two-disc set by Edsel records in October 2009.