A Tribe Called Quest Lyrics

Album: Low End Theory

Show Business Lyrics

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.