Show Business

Verse 1

[Q-Tip]

Let me tell you 'bout the snakes, the fakes, the lies

The highs at all of these industry shing-dings

Where you see the pretty girls

In the high animated world

Checkin' for a rapper with all the dough

If you take a shit they want to know

And if you're gonna fall, they won't be around, y'all

So you still wanna do the show business?

And you think that you got what it takes?

I mean you really gotta rap and be all that

And prepare yourself for the breaks

Check it out!

Do you wanna be in the business? (The Business)

The ups and downs with the hoes (The Business)

Always gettin' fronted on at shows (The Business)

People gotta stick their nose (In the Business)

Verse 2

[Q-Tip]

Yo, I gotta speak on the cesspool

It's the rap industry and it ain't that cool

Only if you're on stage or if you're speakin' to your people

Ain't no-one your equal

Especially on the industry side

Don't let the games just glide

Right through your fingers, you gotta know the deal

So Lord Jamar speak, because you're real...

[Lord Jamar]

They're givin' you the business and puttin' on a show

You're a million dollar man that ain't got no dough

But you got a ho tickets backstage to a show

Sedated and at that fact they elated

Time pass and your ass say "Where's my loot?"

The reply is a kick in the ass from a leg and a boot

All you wanna do is taste the fruit

But in the back they're makin' fruit juice

You ask for slack and wanna get cut loose from the label

Not able cos you signed at the table

For a pretty cash advance, now they got a song and dance

That you didn't recoup, more soup wit' ya meal?

Cos this is the real when you get a record deal

And I say...

[Phife]

Aw....shucks, look what the cat hauled in

It's Phife Dawg from A Tribe Called Quest, let me begin

Like Chuck D, I got so much trouble on my mind

'bout these no-talent artists gettin' signed, they can't rhyme

And if that ain't bad, you got bootleggers

Goin' out like suckers, motherfuckers

Feel it's time that I let loose the lion

And if not that then I'll commence to head flyin'

Seems in '91 everybody want a rhyme

And then you go and sell my tape for only $5.99?

Please nigga, I've worked too hard for this

No more will I take the booty end of the stick

Bogus brothers makin' albums when they know they can't hack it

Cos they lyrics is played like 8-Ball jackets

Now tell me I can't tear it up

Go get yourself some toilet paper cos your lyrics is butt

Do you wanna be in the business? (The Business)

People can't walk a straight line in (The Business)

Some of these brothers can't rhyme in (The Business)

A-yo, I'm tryna get mine (The Business)

Verse 3

[Sadat X]

The party scene is cool, but then again it's all the same

You see the same faces, but at different places

When you're up and ridin' high everything is palsy-palsy

Get a million pounds and all the skins give you hugs

Well that's cool, I can dig it, it really ain't my bag

Prefer to max on the side and let my pants sag

"Oh, he's a cutie", yeah, real cute

But I wasn't that cute when I didn't have no loot

Although I hit a pound of herbs I'm still nice with the verbs

So fuck what you heard

The born cipher, cipher master makes me think much faster

But critics still continue to plaster

My name and discredit my fame

All that shit is game

And I don't really give a damn

Eat from the tree of life and throw away the verbal ham

[Diamond D]

Well, excuse me, I gotta add my two cents in

Don't be alarmed, the rhyme was condensed in

A matter of minutes so it must be told

All that glitters' not gold

Everybody wants a deal, help me make a demo

See my name in bright lights, ride around in a limo

My moms keeps beefin' ("Boy, get a job")

But I wanna make jams, damn, I know I'll slam

Huh, well it's not that easy

You gotta get a label that's willin' and able

To market and promote, and you better hope

(For what?) That the product is dope

Take it from Diamond, it's like mountain climbin'

When it comes to rhymin' you gotta put your time in

Get a good lawyer so problems won't pile

You don't wanna make a pitch that's wild.