I was seven years old

When I got my first pair

And I stepped outside

And I was like, Momma

This air bubble right here

It’s gonna make me fly

I hit that court

And when I jumped, I jumped

I swear I got so high

I touched the net, Mom I touched the net

This is the best day of my life

Air Maxes were next

That air bubble, that mesh

The box, the smell, the stuffing, the tread

In school

I was so cool

I knew that I couldn’t crease em

My friends couldn’t afford em

Four stripes on their Adidas

On the court I wasn’t the best

But my kicks were like the pros

Yo, I stick out my tongue so everyone could see that logo

Nike Air Flight, book bag was so dope

And then my friend Carlos’ brother got murdered for his fours, whoa

See he just wanted a jump shot

But they wanted his Starter coat, though

Didn’t wanna get caught

From Genesee Park to Othello

You’d get clowned for those Pro Wings, with the velcro

Those were not tight

I was trying to fly without leaving the ground

Cause I wanted to be like Mike, right

Wanted to be him

I wanted to be that guy

I wanted to touch the rim

I wanted to be cool

And I wanted to fit in

I wanted what he had, America, it begins

 

[Hook]

I want to fly

Can you take me far away

Give me a star to reach for

Tell me what it takes

And I’ll go so high

I’ll go so high

My feet won’t touch the ground

Just stitch my wings

And pull the strings

I bought these dreams

That all fall down

 

[Verse 2]

We want what we can’t have

Commodity makes us want it

So expensive, damn

I just got to flaunt it

Got to show em

So exclusive, this that new shit

A hundred dollars for a pair of shoes

I would never hoop in

Look at me, look at me

I’m a cool kid

I’m an individual, yeah

But I’m part of a movement

My movement told me be a consumer and I consumed it

They told me to just do it

I listened to what that swoosh said

Look at what that swoosh did

See it consumed my thoughts

“Are you stupid?

Don’t crease ’em! Just leave ’em in that box!”

Strangled by these laces, laces I can barely talk

That’s my air bubble and I’m lost, if it pops

We are what we wear

We wear what we are

But see I look inside the mirror and think Phil Knight tricked us all

Will I stand for change

Or stay in my box

These Nikes help me define me

But I’m trying to take mine

Off

 

[Hook]

 

[Verse 3]

They started out

With what I wear to school

That first day

Like these are what make you cool

And this pair, this would be my parachute

So much more than just a pair of shoes

Nah, this is what I am

What I wore, this is the source of my youth

This dream that they sold to you

For a hundred dollars and some change

Consumption is in the veins

And now I see it’s just another pair of shoes

 

http://rapgenius.com/Macklemore-and-ryan-lewis-wing-lyrics

The song is a single released by Seattle rapper Macklemore and his producer, Ryan Lewis.

 

“The song “Wings” is about the pursuit of identity through the means of consumerism. The attempt is to dissect our infatuation and attachment to logos, labels, brands and the fleeting happiness that is intrinsically linked to the almighty power of the purchase. The subject I use in the song is shoes, but its aim is to paint a broader picture of being a consumer and tracing the lineage back to my first memory of retail infused desire.”

http://macklemore.com/post/43688861186/wings-the-nba-all-star-game-selling-out

 

Photo Source:  http://www.nicekicks.com/2011/07/28/wings-1-on-1-with-macklemore/