Boogie Down Productions - How Not to Get Jerked lyrics

"And now, a word from our sponsor"

Now technically speakin I ain't 'sposed
To be doin this
Like givin information to the ones
That are new to this
You wanna make a record and
Get into the business?
Here's a little plan from a six-year witness
First you gotta understand the music game
It's not about fame, it's about a rich name
And who you're down with
And who you clown with
But most of all, you got to have a gift
("it's like that")
Either music or the fresh lyrics
Or a vibe people like to buy your spirit
Everybody knows KRS-One is dope
To really see it, you gotta use a telescope
Hah! There's no hope when you're
Shoppin for a deal


Either sex appeal, or the hard street feel
But, if you don't have a
Lawyer you're a GONER
Don't even think about chillin in a sauna
You need a lawyer, and a good manager
Without this
The record companies won't be havin ya
So I'm grabbin ya now and showin ya how
Not to get jerked when you do hard work!
"It's like that y'all" 16X "Jump on it!" 4X
"One, two, three, WHOO!"

Yo, there's more to it
But let's get through it
Many MC's reached the top and then BLEW it
You say, "I knew it, that last jam was wack"
Either you're strung out on crack
Or you don't wanna be black anymore, or
You don't wanna rap anymore
Or, you do a wack tour, or
You get in trouble with the law
Or, your fans you ignore, or
You get punched in the jaw
Cause, you're not hardcore!
What makes a jam isn't luck or fate
It's writin the jams that the
People can relate to
Or else they'll HATE you
The public will mark you down as a fake crew
You don't need allathat
Just rap from the heart and
You'll have a good start
But a lot of MC's want girls
And wanna live on top of the world
In the jam they wanna flirt
Here's how not to get jerked
When you do hard work!

"It's like that y'all" 16X "Jump on it!" 4X

Now understand, rap is rebellious music
Therefore, only the rebel should use it
But pop artists abuse it
When the audience hears real rap, they boo it
See rap music is a culture
And everyone outside that culture
Is a vulture
The vulture makes money on the culture
Understand, I ain't tryin to insult ya
But, you're either usin rap like the devil
Or you're pushin rap to another level
So don't wait for your
Company's promotions staff
Promote yourself with your own cash!
But this might mean you can't buy gold
You might have to put that on hold
Cause if the artist falls, they diss him!
But, if the company falls
The artist falls with them!
This ain't about a tight skirt
Here's how not to get jerked
When you do hard work!

"Jump on it!" 8X "It's like that y'all" 16X