Released: March 31, 1998

Featuring: M.O.P.

Songwriter: DJ Premier Guru Lil’ Fame Billy Danze

Producer: DJ Premier Guru

*Gang Starr's "Who's Gonna Take the Weight?" plays in the background*

[Guru]
It's like, a friendship, and a business partnership
And, we have to always be concious of the difference
Between em; because y'know, some things can happen
That'll ruin one or the other, so
We alwa-we always stay concious of those things
Those obstacles that can, y'know trip us up
Because we ain't trying to go out like that

[Premier Scratching]
"friends" "business" (repeat 3X)

AhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHRAHHAHHH!!!
C'mon! Motherfucker! Yeah! ...
GangStarr! GangStarr! M.O.P
Ghetto people!

[Guru]
Son you're supposed to be my man, but you ain't wise enough to realize
This is B.I., see I wanna taste the whole cake
Some things in this industry, shit be so fake
Make no mistake, if you're my man you'd understand
About the plan, to stack hundreds of grands (That's right!)
And how to stand, on much more acres of land
And to expand from the days of goin hand to hand
So like I was CEO I do my thing son
And turn this underground rap thing to my kingdom
Release a fistful, of rhymes for the fiscal year
MC's are wishful fuckin with this here
They stuck with the tear, for fear they foresake a brother's love
It's clear -- I'd have to be the better man I'm thinkin
The 7th Letter Man ain't got no time for petty speakin (uhh)
So we go our seperate ways I see the fork in the road
I know I blessed you with a portion of gold
And some good fortune to hold, so KEEP THAT
While I keep it movin, just like truckloads
Of interstate cargo, taxin niggas like U.S. embargoes
You my man like I said so all the best
You shoulda known we do shit differently than all of the rest
Can't afford to let a link be, loose in the chain
It's time for us to get mad more, juice in the game
You're buggin son (that's right) that's word to Billy and Fame
So I'mma state again, that we play to win (Yeah!)
So I don't care what you say to her or say to him
The object son, is to excel and lead
And niggas be bluffin', fallin' for nothin but greed

[Chorus: M.O.P. and Guru]
[M.O.P.] If it's animosity
[Guru] Let me know
[M.O.P.] If you plottin to stop my dough
[Lil' Fame] Time to go!
[M.O.P.] GangStarr, M.O.P. nigga
[Billy Danze] Tryin to blow!
[M.O.P.] If you my man you could understand!
*repeat 2X*

[Lil' Fame]
I'm true to myself y'all, and I'm a down ass nigga!
So don't fool yourself, clown ass nigga!
I always been the type of cat that'll put it on ya
Since back in the days when Laze snatched me off the corner
And every since then, the whole game changed
Everybody's against, Lil' ass Fame
They wanna see me stretched out with my back smokin
Left for dead in the street with my back opened
So I don't keep friends I just roll with
Niggas I was RAISED WITH, went out in a BLAZE WITH
In the penile, to B-Ville, down to Grayson
And we stick together, in these last days kid
So I don't have what you call friends
Cause when it's on then they gone in the end!
But I'mma handle my business indeed
Cause niggas be bluffin', fallin' for nothin but greed!

[Chorus: M.O.P. and Guru]
[M.O.P.] If it's animosity
[Guru] Let me know
[M.O.P.] If you plottin to stop my dough
[Lil' Fame] Time to go!
[M.O.P.] GangStarr, M.O.P. nigga
[Billy Danze] Tryin to blow!
[M.O.P.] If you my man you could understand!
*repeat 2X*

[Billy Danze]
Hey yo what happened to the love soldier? It never crossed my mind
That you would doubt my love inside and test my pride
I divide, anything that I got
With my M.O.P. staff -- WE ALL THAT WE HAVE!
To the First Family loyalty, is no game
We them type of niggas that, money won't change
We all aim, for the big picture
But to me it don't mean shit if your dogs ain't witcha
I sacrifice my main arteries -- WHY NIGGA?!
Ain't nobody never loved me, like my niggas
See my business is my friendship and my friendship is my business
Can I get a witness?! (Preach on nigga!)
Hey yo we went through all out wars, half-assed tours
Travelled 'cross this land with heavy contraband
(See you my man!) And you ain't never got to
Second guess or question the love of William Danze (Sho' nuff!)
I am invaluable, to my niggas
As an old rusty ass thirty-two -- BETTER THAN NOTHIN!
Think of William when they start bustin, I hold you down
(When them body parts pop up cousin) I'll be around!

"friends" "business" (repeat 6X to fade)

Gang Starr

Gang Starr is the formidable hip-hop duo of MC Guru and producer DJ Premier.

The group was originally founded by two childhood friends, Big Shug and Guru, in Atlanta; coming up with the logo design and name of the group. Big Shug and Guru got separated when Shug got imprisoned and Guru moved to New York where he met Dj Premier.

While DJ Premier is from Texas and the monotone Guru is from Boston, they came together in Brooklyn, New York, and helped define the sound of East Coast hip-hop in the 1990s with their jazzy production on singles such as “Words I Manifest” and “Jazz Thing,” as well as their harder boom bap singles like “Just to Get a Rep” and “Take it Personal.”