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) 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, but 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 cuz 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 Cuz they lyrics is played like 8-Ball jackets Now tell me I can't tear it up Go get yourself some toilet paper cuz 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) 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

Yes, I'm lonely, hope you don't catch it? Don't wanna be down where I last behaved I broke his heart now I cannot patch it This time it's grave I kept track of all the love that I gave him And on paper, well, it looked pretty good He left a note that said he couldn't stay here As if I could I guess my love's got no business No business calling his name I guess my love's got no business No business, nobody blame One of these days I thought we'd get it together After all, that boy was made for me But all he left me was a mouth full of feathers Little bird got free He always said my love was one-sided I tried to keep up with supply and demand There was one way that pie was divided It was a big piece plan I guess my love's got no business No business calling his name I guess my love's got no business No business, nobody to blame Now I'm getting desperate, baby getting illegal I got the law doggies on my trail The hawk's out and I could use and eagle To go my bail You say you're itching baby, so go ahead and scratch it But if it jumps off, don't you look at me You swore to God that I couldn't catch it But this dog got fleas I guess my love's got no business No business calling his name I guess my love's got no business No business, nobody to blame I guess my love's got no business No business calling his name I guess my love's got no business No business, nobody to blame I guess my love's got no business No business calling his name I guess my love's got no business No business, nobody to blame

Silver bells, silver bells It's Christmas time in the city Ring-a-ling (ring-a-ling) Hear them ring (ting-a-ling) Soon it will be Christmas day City sidewalks, busy sidewalks Dressed in holiday style In the air there's a feeling of Christmas Children laughing, people passing Meeting smile after smile And on every street corner you hear Silver bells (silver bells) Silver bells (silver bells) It's Christmas time in the city Ring-a-ling (ring-a-ling) Hear them ring (hear them ring) Soon it will be Christmas day Strings of streetlights Even stop lights Blink a bright red and green As the shoppers Rush home with their treasures Hear the snow crunsh See the kids rush This is Santa's big day And above all this bustle you hear (Silver bells) the corner Santa Claus (Silver bells) it's busy now because It's Christmas time in the city Ring-a-ling (it fills the winter air) Hear them ring (you hear it everywhere) Soon it will be Christmas day City sidewalks (silver bells) busy sidewalks Dressed in holiday style (silver bells) In the air (It's Christmas time in the city) There's a feeling of Christmas Children laughing (ring-a-ling) People passing Meeting smile after smile (Hear them ring) Very soon it will be Christmas day

Won't you come along with me To the Mississippi We'll take the boat to the land of dreams Steam down the river down to New Orleans The band's there to meet us And old friends to greet us Where all the people always meet Heaven on earth they call it Basin Street Basin Street is the street Where the elite always meet In New Orleans the land of dreams You'll never know how nice it seems or just how much it really means Glad to be oh yessiree Where welcome's free are dear to me Where I can lose My Basin Street blues Glad to be oh yessiree Where welcome's free are dear to me Where I can lose My Basin Street blues Ain't you glad you came with me Way down to the Mississippi We took the boat to the land of dreams Steam down the river to New Orleans