The Art Of The Handshake Video (MV)

I used to wake up, bathroom, face wash, cartoons
My toots far too smart to start to
Talk to this awful swine where the score to
Settle with the world the only crime is that I bought you
Walk to the train it was covered from the floor to
Ceiling in graff and stickers and bad notes
So sick I can't afford til' life of the payroll
Lie rolled up made my eyes and my brain roll
Headphones wrapped like a vine around my Kangol
Walk like a bengal tiger when the train rolled
And the train rolled, and the train rolled, and the train rolled on
Then I was stopped some bodies and cops who got mad rude
I'm like there's not a whole lot you can do then
A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom!
Next up what-up you got the whole damn crew
So I grabbed them by the wrist and switched to a grip
Thumbs flipped and we clicked and we finished with a fist
Bump, this chump tried to get cute wih me and diss us
About my handshake I said "man what?"
There used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went, and they just went on
Used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went, and they just went, and they just went on

The handshake is thought to have developed
As a gesture to demonstrate that neither party
At an encounter is carrying a weapon or poses a threat
Over hundreds of years this simple act
Has developed into a sometimes complex ritual
And a way to convey status, mutual affiliations, or just plain respect

I used to wake on a Saturday play in the matinee
Game get faded on the train down to Adelaide
Headphones playing looking at the fresh painted walls
Rakim saying we're about to get paid in full
The mayor entered, capped in black sweater
Jacks get all up on a fella that act clever
Train tracks looking graffed with back-to-back letters
But we came to rap and that was back when a
Dj would supply the wax, stage had a liner mat
Place full of writers and orators or a giants' cap
Casing with minors at the crates of bar by the rack
Break any time and hit the stage and freestyle attack
Walk in like I'm possessed by the beatniks
Clean kicks full of more heart than a phoenix
Move right away 'til my crew's at the stage
Nothing new just this groove how we do night and day
Bring it back, no high-five shit is wack
We bringing that old sucka-side finger snap
Fist-poke stop 'em lock just don't stop the rock
With the way handshake body rock
There used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went, and they just went, and they just went on
Used to be a time like way before this song when
All the handshakes were like twenty seconds long
And they just went, and they just went, and they just went, and they just went on

Not all cultures consider a firm handshake as a sign of respect
In fact a grip that's too tight can often be considered as offensive
Scientists at the university of Manchester, taking into account twelve different variables
Developed a mathematical formula for the handshake to which people would be the most receptive

There used to be a time like way before this song when
The DJ could put the record right on,
Put the record right on, put the record right on,
Put the record right on, put the record right on
There used to be a time like way before this song when
The DJ could put put the record right on,
Put the record right on, put the record right on,
Put the record right on, put the record right on,
Keep on bringing it