Diamond D, A Tribe Called Quest, Brand Nubian - Show Business lyrics

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
Checking 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 getting fronted on at shows
The business) people gotta stick their nose
(In the business)

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 speaking to your people
Ain't no-one your equal
Especially on the industry side
Don't let the gains just glide
Right through your fingers
You gotta know the deal
So Lord Jamar speak, because you're real

They're giving you the business and
Putting 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 making fruit juice
You ask for slack and wanna get
Cut loose from the label
Not able cause you signed at the table
For a pretty cash advance
Now they got a song and dance
That you didn't recoup
"More soup with your meal?"
Cause this is the real when
You get a record deal and I say

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 getting signed, they can't rhyme
And if that ain't bad, you got bootleggers
Going out like suckers, motherfuckers
Feel it's time that I let loose the lion
And if not that then I'll
Commence to head flying
Seems in '91 everybody want a rhyme
And then you go and sell
My tape for only $599?
Please nigga, I've worked too hard for this
No more will I take the
Booty end of the stick
Bogus brothers making albums when they
Know they can't hack it
Cause they lyrics is played
Like 8-Ball jackets
Now tell me I can't tear it up
Go get yourself some toilet paper
Cause 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)

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 riding 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

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 beefing ("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 willing 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 climbing
When it comes to rhyming 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