Public Enemy — Politics of the Sneaker Pimps

[Produced by G-Wiz] [Intro] "Jesus is the best thing to happen to the game since the tennis shoe was invented." [Verse 1] On the outs I lace up, the world I face up To score on anybody, it's war on everybody The new guys come in bloodshot between the eyes As long as they sellin' that merchandise Air One, what goes in, don't come back The color might be green, but it's also black And red I know many heads that spent bloodshed Cursed in Converses, dead in Pro Ked's Now every Tom, Dick, Harry, or Joe Smith Skip the Spaulding's, Pony's, and K-Swiss High school and college coaches Gettin' dollas with kickbacks and scholarships, them slave ships [Chorus] Converses for the pro's, kids with Fila's Reebok, Nike's, New Balance, my Adidas And part of that clique, spendin' all the cheddar on kicks BS in the politics Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps [Verse 2] Hey, Dr. J, where you got those moves? Was it gettin' high in the school? Can it be the shoes? Truth is truth, I tear the fuckin' roof off the house Expose them foes with my mouth I see corporate hands up in foreign lands With the man behind the man gettin' paid behind the man I hold the rocket, stop the hand in my pocket Two hundred a pair, but I'm addicted to the gear They make me do things on the court to amaze ya I heard they made 'em for a buck eight in Asia They came a long way baby since Clyde Frazier had Puma's Pullin' mad consumers Them Fila's I'm feelin', but I can't touch the ceilin' Them New Balance hits a hundred-twenty million The last thing I need is Adidas terminatin' my contract For wearin' those old pair of wack Reebok low tops covered up by floppy socks Gave me a jump shot before I got jumped and shot Duckin' a word from my sponsor Trying to end my year like Kwanzaa [Chorus] Converses for the pro's, kids with Fila's Reebok, Nike's, New Balance, my Adidas And part of that clique, spendin' all the cheddar on kicks BS in the politics Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps Politics of them sneaker pimps [Verse 3] Been paid since the eighth grade Eleventh grader, huh, pop the champagne Twelfth grade, start the campaign Gettin' fame, sign my name in the dotted frame Nike got me pullin' Re's and G's Shit, I can get shot for these Please God, give me twenty more years in these knees To maintain without this game, I gotta do keys Now I don't wanna go there 'cause its fuckin' everywhere Factories wanna see me, kids wanna be me Behind the wheels and endorsement deals It's the politics and the tricks behind the kicks