Artist: A Tribe Called Quest feat. Diamond D, Lord Jamar and Sadat X
Album:  The Low End Theory
Song:   Show Business
Typed by: OHHLA.com
                                      
   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.