Listen to me good
The artist is the most important person
You are the feature
People listen to you, they don't listen to their preachers
Exaggerated tales of hustin' we quick to pass judgment and fail our brothers
Instead of talkin' bout Lauren Hill talk about Lauren skill, truth be told there may never be a girl as ill
Don't gossip bout Dame Dash, give props to Dame hand
For the rise of Jay and for signing Kanye, man
Niggas is crazy that's why we ain't got shit
Rappers hate each other not the labels that got rich
Don't care about culture they only want profit
If your album sells slow bet you get dropped quick
Q-Tip warned us the industries toxic
For reference check out B.D.P - "Sex and Violence"
When Styles made "I Get High" it was playin' all day
When Styles made "I'm Black" it didn't get enough play
I guess they got a problem with anything positive
Doesn't make sense if it doesn't bring dollars in
Those that managed us
Those that were our agents
Those that were our accountants
Those that were the records executives
Those that were the owners of the record label
You never got true accounting for nothing that you did
What’s the difference between a label and pimpin'
You sell yourself, they tell you how to spend it
Ho ass niggas slow down, listen
Just prey your minds with no ambition
They keep you fly — images, promotion
They keep you high, so a nigga isnt’ focused
You livin’ in a moment, feeling yourself
They livin' in plus homes, what’s really success?
And what’s swag?
I don’t care how you dress or what you drive
I want rhymes that really impress
You say it’s all about money, do you even invest?
Any time in your rhymes, let me guess
You’re so nice you don’t write, it just comes to you
‘Cause you the shit — nah, you just dodo
I lyrically abuse any rapper who choose to step to me
I will bring it right to you!
Who do you think you are?
To them you are nothing but a piece of meat
And you are only as valuable as your last hit song
And when you make no more hit songs
Nobody cares for you no more
Men lie, women lie
Numbers can be altered
To look high, shareholders hate taking losses
This is business, they don’t care about your lyrics
The better you sell, the better future for their children
Controversy sells so they support conflict
Makes more progress means more profit
And artists get killed they say they so sorry
Meanwhile they tell you the date of his next project
What a life, death made it more profit
Record companies get paid for your drama
And “Beef” DVD is on BET
So every artist who was on it was beefin’ for free
While the royalties are going to QD3
He Quincy Jones though, what he know about beef?
No disrespect intended, I know he got peace
But it’s deep how the rich get paid off our grief
And every one of our great artists they die — with nothing
And the record company executives were rich, sending their kids to college
You’re not stupid — you are brilliant
But the question is: can you put your brilliance in a song?
Can you put the conditions of the world in a song and inspire young people all over the world?