Ngoma

SNEAKAZ

hate to break it down to you this way
but no
basketball is not revolution
we need to end all confusion
and disillusion and find a solution
cause the sign in the nike sweatshop in jakarta
say "just do it"
while Cise and Cedisa earn
one dollar eighty five cents a day
as you play
less than the cost of a nike shoelace
forced labor in your face
dunk this swish swish
give me a star on which to wish
wish away this poverty
exploitation is all i see
eleven dollars ten cents for a six day week
as we speak
just trying to keep your family fed
might earn you a sneaker upside your head
if you're slow
nike trips up on workers rights
forced labor with only five hours of sleep at night
and don't even think strike
or you'll lose your job
maybe even your life
the nike commercial says
we let out fears stand in the way of hope
we sit silently when we want to scream - why
why? because labor activist have much to fear
torchered,raped or dissappeared
might be your plight if you fight for human rights
like Marcinah from east java
dead bloated body floating in the djeli river
and don't even think the government will stand up and deliver
you from confusion
there's no hope from such collusion
nike pays brothers well not to show and tell
meanwhile here under the stars and bars
nike's ceo named knight
bankroll higher than a kite
porfolio four point five billion
yachts and planes and company trillions
still a pair of nikes cost three months salary
for worker begging on their knees in vietnamese
yeah i hear u wondering
what the hell's that got to do with me and you
chillin watchin' the tube under the blood splattered banner red white and blue
well michael jordan earns 40 million dollars a year
just to let nike use his name
twice as much as shootin' hoops
which incidentally was his only claim to fame
quietly playing ball cause he's got no balls
but nike pays brotha's well
not to show and tell
besides he's busy space jammin w/bugs bunny
playing golf making all that money
and as for spike
he's gotta have it
a fourty thousand dollar pair of seasons tickets to the knicks
plus a few million duckets for commercials
so much for rehearsals
hey spike take a leaflet
read about the workers plight
"i aint got time, i'm trying to get a taxi for my wife
while a 12 year old takes 9 to the dome
murdered for his sneakers while trying to get home
one more brother laid to rest
a bullet in his head and chest
another brother candidate for the penitentiary gate
creating jobs for red neck prison guards in the joint
you get my point
so you can register and vote as fast as you can
but the robber barons laid a master plan
candidates call them on the phone
grand boule and skull and bone
those with 33 degrees
keeping people on their knees
with old world money and new world disorder
they think they can do anything they please
watch out for these secret societies
sneakaz-just do it

   
Poem posted in this space: October 30, 2011

To contact Ngoma send an email to Ngomazworld@aol.com