Show Business

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 in 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 $5.99?
 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)
 Ayo, 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