Politics of the Sneaker Pimps Songtext
von Public Enemy

"Jesus is the best thing to happen
To the game since the tennis shoe was invented"

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' dollars with kickbacks and scholarships, them slave ships


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

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
200 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

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

Been paid since the eighth grade
11th grader, huh, pop the champagne
12th 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 20 more years in these knees
To maintain without this game, I gotta do keys
Now I don′t wanna go there ′cause it's 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