Wednesday, May 31, 2006

The Good Doctor


Dr. Gerald W. Deas is a renown medical doctor and philanthropist that was the first black recipient of the New York State Medical Society Award. A well respected physician and educator, Dr. Deas hosted television shows promoting Dentistry as a positive career for today's youth.

What you may not know about Dr. Deas is he also is a social activist that went head-to-head with RUN DMC. Dr. Deas released his own single, Felon Sneakers'(1985), in response to the look that RUN DMC represented by wearing their sneakers with no laces. The good Doctor saw this as the image of the 'stick up' kid.

RUN DMC saved the Adidas SuperStar and made Adidas alot of money; thus, Adidas signed the group to a million dollar deal in 1986.


Felon Sneakers' - a poem by Dr Gerald Deas (1985)
(Emphasis from the original. Reproduced by permission of the author)

PEACE BLACK BROTHER.
THE RACE OF LIFE IS HARD AND LONG
AND YOUR SNEAKERS HAVE TO BE TIGHT
LIFE'S ROAD IS BUMPY AND HARD
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WIN THIS FIGHT

THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT
YOUR FELON SNEAKERS CAN FILL THE BILL
BECAUSE THOSE SNEAKERS ARE USUALLY WORN
BY BLACK BROTHERS WHO HAVE LOST THEIR WILL

WHEN OUR UNFORTUNATE BLACK BROTHERS GO TO JAIL
THE LAW MAN TIES UP THEIR FEET
HE MAKES THEM WEAR FELON SNEAKERS
WITH LACES THAT CANNOT MEET

THOSE FELON SNEAKERS SLIP UP AND DOWN,
WHEN THE BLACK BROTHERS TRY TO RUN.
NOBODY HAS TO WORRY ABOUT THEM.
NOT EVEN THE LAW MAN WITH THE GUN.

NOW TO ALL MY YOUNG BLACK BROTHERS,
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO WIN THE RACE,
TIGHTEN UP ON YOUR LACES,
SO, YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH THE PACE.

SO TIGHTEN UP ON YOUR SNEAKERS
PUT A GOAL RIGHT IN YOUR MIND,
PUT YOUR NOSE TO THAT GRINDSTONE,
AND SUCCESS IN LIFE, YOU WILL FIND.



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