Hard Back (Industry) Songtext
von Dizzee Rascal

Hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money′s calling, take my advice you'll be ballin′
You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money's calling, take my advice you'll be ballin′

First up, it′s important that you keep your shit original
Try and keep that copycat shit to a minimal
People want something that they never heard before
If it's been done, leave it, they don′t wanna hear no more

Secondly, here's another clever thing that you can do
Find yourself a good manager who′s really got a clue
'Cause there′s so many to choose from, they all look the part
But it's difficult to come across the ones that's really smart

And can stand firm and steady when the label′s talking shit
Will respect it, keeps it gangsta, but does everything legit
And dependable, you can trust to handle your biz
And can really make you sure of what the situation is


Next up, find a record label that ain′t full of pricks
One that lets you breathe artistically but makes you come with hits
Congratulations, now you've got your deal, you′re set to go
Lemme fill you in on just a couple things you need to know

You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money's calling, take my advice you′ll be ballin'
You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money′s calling, take my advice you'll be ballin'

Next up change your number, change your phone and change your chip
′Cause there′s gonna be a lot of people ringing talking shit
Whether bredrens wanting money 'cause now suddenly you′re rich
Or some dumb hating fassies tryin to take you for a bitch

Yeah I know it's minor and you can handle it, it′s nothing
But eventually you're really gonna wanna do something
And that′s counter-productive, beefin' over bullshit
You can never stop them dumb bredrens tryin' to pull shit

Plus you′re in the limelight, well-paid verbalist
Which leads me onto my next subject, journalists
These are the people that could put your name about
So be careful what you′re saying when you're talking out your mouth


An′ avoid bein' ignorant, tone down the thug-shit
Come to interviews buzzin′, tone down the drug shit
Keep your eye on the ball, mind on the job
And before you know you'll have the whole world on your knob

You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money′s calling, take my advice you'll be ballin'
You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money′s calling, take my advice you′ll be ballin'

Here′s something that I shoulda stressed early on
Don't go spending all your money ′til it's gone
′Cause the tax man's gonna want his paper when it's due
And there′s nobody above the tax man especially you

And another thing, buy your house before you buy your car
Don′t tell no-one where you are, even better if you're far
Everybody knows you′re gangsta and that Porsche looks great
But do you really want it sitting on that council estate?

Differently, watch where you choose to socialise
Keep an eye out for trouble, watch for devils in disguise
Please don't be fooled by no pretty females, play it safe
Never let ′em know your full details

I ain't saying be paro, I′m just sayin' be sure
You can never know if that bitch will be braggin' what she saw
And aside from making money, keep loving what you do
I ain′t saying nothing more because the rest is up to you

I got a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money′s calling, take my advice you'll be ballin′
You need a hard back, stern face, play your position and know your place
Only move when the money's calling, take my advice you′ll be ballin'

Yeah if you don′t know, just a lil' guideline there for all my raw man
From the roads tryna get into this music thing, yeah
Big shout to my bredren DJ Sentex
And Ty Cage, they got the new generals, yeah
Do it live or I try you, GK

It's all or nothing, international, worldwide
You don′t care or you don′t know, UK
30 Stank is the label, what
Run from this industry