[Verse 1: Macklemore] 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: Group of children] 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: Macklemore] 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 sh** 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: Group of children] 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 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