Industry
Cormega Lyrics

Listen to me good
Pay attention to my message

The artist is the most important person
Artists should be valued and respected

You are the feature
People listen to the artist's work, not the people who represent them

People listen to you, they don't listen to their preachers
Artists have the power to influence people's thoughts and actions

Exaggerated tales of hustlin' we quick to pass
We tend to believe exaggerated stories and judge others too quickly

judgment and fail our brothers
Our judgments and preconceived notions about others can be harmful

Instead of talkin' bout Lauren Hill talk about Lauren skill, truth be told there may never be a girl as ill
We should focus on the talent and skill of artists rather than their personal lives

Don't gossip bout Dame Dash, give props to Dame hand
We should give credit to those who have helped others achieve success

For the rise of Jay and for signing Kanye, man
Dame Dash deserves credit for playing a role in the success of artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West

Niggas is crazy that's why we ain't got shit
The lack of unity amongst artists is preventing them from achieving success

Rappers hate each other not the labels that got rich
Artists should be careful not to direct their anger towards each other when it is the record labels that are benefiting the most

Don't care about culture they only want profit
Record labels are only focused on making money and not on promoting cultural awareness

If your album sells slow bet you get dropped quick
Artists who do not make the record label enough money are at risk of being dropped from their contract

Q-Tip warned us the industries toxic
Q-Tip has spoken out against the harmful effects of the music industry

For reference check out B.D.P - "Sex and Violence"
The group B.D.P has a song titled 'Sex and Violence' which illustrates the toxic nature of the music industry

When Styles made "I Get High" it was playin' all day
Styles P's song 'I Get High' received a lot of airplay

When Styles made "I'm Black" it didn't get enough play
Styles P's song 'I'm Black' did not receive as much airplay

I guess they got a problem with anything positive
Music that promotes positivity often does not receive as much support from the music industry

Doesn't make sense if it doesn't bring dollars in
The music industry is primarily focused on making money above all else

Those that managed us
The people who manage and represent recording artists

Those that were our agents
The people who served as agents for recording artists

Those that were our accountants
The people who handled the finances of recording artists

Those that were the records executives
The people who served as executives at record labels

Those that were the owners of the record label
The people who owned and controlled the record label

You never got true accounting for nothing that you did
Recording artists rarely received proper accounting for their work

What's the difference between a label and pimpin'
The control exerted by record labels over recording artists is similar to that of a pimp

You sell yourself, they tell you how to spend it
Recording artists are required to promote themselves, but the record label dictates how they should present themselves

Ho ass niggas slow down, listen
Artists should be careful not to let their pursuit of success compromise their values and morals

Just prey your minds with no ambition
Artists should strive to create music with deeper meaning and purpose, instead of simple commercial entertainment

They keep you fly — images, promotion
Record labels focus on creating a carefully crafted image of their artists to sell records

They keep you high, so a nigga isn't focused
Record labels may encourage artists to engage in drug use or other vices to distract them from issues within the industry

You livin' in a moment, feeling yourself
Artists can get caught up in the moment and lose sight of their goals

They livin' in plus homes, what's really success?
Record label executives and owners benefit the most from the success of recording artists, so success can be relative

And what's swag?
The definition of 'swag' or style in the music industry can be ambiguous and superficial

I don't care how you dress or what you drive
An artist's appearance and material possessions are not as important as their artistic talent

I want rhymes that really impress
The quality of an artist's lyrics is what truly matters

You say it's all about money, do you even invest?
Artists should be aware of the importance of financial literacy and investment in their future

Any time in your rhymes, let me guess
Artists who claim to be able to freestyle without writing lyrics ahead of time are likely lying

'Cause you the shit — nah, you just dodo
Artists who let their ego inflate may not realize that they are not as great as they think they are

I lyrically abuse any rapper who choose to step to me
Cormega is confident in his ability to out-rap anyone who tries to compete with him

I will bring it right to you!
Cormega will not hesitate to engage in a lyrical battle with anyone

Who do you think you are?
Cormega challenges other rappers who overestimate their own skills and abilities

To them you are nothing but a piece of meat
Record label executives may view recording artists as commodities to be bought and sold for profit

And you are only as valuable as your last hit song
The value of a recording artist in the music industry is based on their ability to create hit songs

And when you make no more hit songs
Artists who can no longer create hit songs lose their value in the eyes of the record label

Nobody cares for you no more
Recording artists who are no longer profitable are often discarded by the music industry

Men lie, women lie
People are often dishonest

Numbers can be altered
Data can be manipulated to present a certain narrative

To look high, shareholders hate taking losses
The people who have invested in the record label want to see a return on their investment, and are not interested in receiving bad news about the label's financial performance

This is business, they don't care about your lyrics
The music industry is primarily focused on profit, and does not prioritize artistic quality or integrity

The better you sell, the better future for their children
The record label executives prioritize profits because it benefits not just themselves, but their families as well

Controversy sells so they support conflict
Record labels may encourage drama and conflict amongst their artists as a way to generate buzz and increase sales

Makes more progress means more profit
The music industry benefits financially from the success and progress of its artists

And artists get killed they say they so sorry
Record label executives only pretend to care when artists are killed, but do little to actually address the systemic issues that contribute to violence in the music industry

Meanwhile they tell you the date of his next project
Record labels may continue to profit off of an artist even after their death by releasing unreleased music and promoting posthumous projects

What a life, death made it more profit
The death of a popular artist can lead to increased sales and profits for the record label

Record companies get paid for your drama
Record labels may profit off of the personal drama of recording artists

And "Beef" DVD is on BET
BET, a popular television network, produces content that glorifies drama and beef amongst recording artists

So every artist who was on it was beefin' for free
Recording artists who participate in the 'Beef' DVD do so without being paid, but the record label still benefits from the publicity it generates

While the royalties are going to QD3
The producer, QD3, receives royalties from the sales of the 'Beef' DVD

He Quincy Jones though, what he know about beef?
Even though QD3 has a famous music-producer father, Quincy Jones, he may not be knowledgeable about the music industry's complex issues

No disrespect intended, I know he got peace
Cormega is not trying to be disrespectful towards QD3, but is critiquing the system as a whole

But it's deep how the rich get paid off our grief
Record label executives and owners can profit off of the pain and suffering of recording artists and their loved ones

And every one of our great artists they die — with nothing
Many legendary artists die without receiving proper compensation for their contributions to the music industry

And the record company executives were rich
The people who run the record labels are often wealthy and benefit greatly from the success of recording artists

Sending their kids to college
The wealth and success of record label executives allows them to provide a good education for their children

You're not stupid — you are brilliant
Artists are often intelligent and talented

But the question is: can you put your brilliance in a song?
The true test of an artist's talent is their ability to create great music

Can you put the conditions of the world in a song and inspire young people all over the world?
Artists have the power to use their platform to spread awareness and inspire change amongst their young listeners