Show Business Songtext
von A Tribe Called Quest

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 highly 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
(Oh, wow)

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 noses (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 ticket backstage to a show
Sedated and at that fact they elated
Time passes and your ass says "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 in 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 wants 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 the lyrics are played like 8-Ball jackets
Now tell me I can't tear it up
Go get yourself some toilet paper ′cause your lyrics are 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 in 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 any 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 mom 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, 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