--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Industry rule number four thousand and…" description: "\"Industry rule number four thousand and eighty, record company people are shady. So kids watch your back 'cause I think they smoke crack, I don't doubt ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/a-tribe-called-quest-21226_business_industry-rule-number-four-thousand-and-e_2762561.jpg" --- # Industry rule number four thousand and eighty, record… ![“Industry rule number four thousand and eighty, record company people are shady. So kids watch your back 'cause I think they smoke crack, I don't doubt it. Look at how they act.” quote by A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/a-tribe-called-quest-21226_business_industry-rule-number-four-thousand-and-e_2762561.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/a-tribe-called-quest-21226_business_industry-rule-number-four-thousand-and-e_2762561.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/a-tribe-called-quest-21226_business_industry-rule-number-four-thousand-and-e_2762561.jpg) > “Industry rule number four thousand and eighty, record company people are shady. So kids watch your back 'cause I think they smoke crack, I don't doubt it. Look at how they act.” [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critiques shady practices in the music industry and urges vigilance. **In simple terms:** Music industry can be deceptive. Key Takeaway Stay aware and protect yourself. Themes industry critique trust youth culture Mood cautious realistic Type critical informative When to use this quote - career planning - contract negotiations - artist mentorship Key Concepts music business sociology Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate a shady deal? - How can emerging artists safeguard their interests? A Different Perspective Not all industry players are corrupt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Eighty Record](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eighty-record-3180414/) [Industry Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry-rule-3180415/) [People Are Shady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-are-shady-228167/) [People Shady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-shady-1056372/) [Record company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-company/) [Shady Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shady-kids-3180413/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [What we've seen in government for so often is that people have been shady - about their roles, hiding things, not releasing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/what-we-ve-seen-in-government-for-so-often-is-that-people-have-been/) [Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/) > [I've never had a relationship with a record executive. I always went to the record company by someone that liked my playing. Then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ornette-coleman/i-ve-never-had-a-relationship-with-a-record-executive-i-always-went/) [Ornette Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ornette-coleman/) > [Who wanna be next? While you a dead superstar, the record company still cashin' checks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/master-p/who-wanna-be-next-while-you-a-dead-superstar-the-record-company-still/) [Master P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/master-p/) > [I'm not into 'The Voice.' It's an affair between a television network and a record company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-sayer/i-m-not-into-the-voice-it-s-an-affair-between-a-television-network/) [Leo Sayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-sayer/) > [I have just enough people paying attention that I have the freedom to be in charge. And I have a great record company -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmylou-harris/i-have-just-enough-people-paying-attention-that-i-have-the-freedom-to/) [Emmylou Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmylou-harris/) > [I have my own record company. I have to answer to God, basically. I'm not young, so I want to make the best possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gira/i-have-my-own-record-company-i-have-to-answer-to-god-basically-i-m/) [Michael Gira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gira/) > [All through the kind of late '80s and '90s, every A&R record company man was saying, 'Now what we want is another record like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-winwood/all-through-the-kind-of-late-80s-and-90s-every-a-r-record-company-man/) [Steve Winwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-winwood/) > [The whole music industry has completely and totally changed from how it was. It's very, very different. When we started, there were loads of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ann-sulley/the-whole-music-industry-has-completely-and-totally-changed-from-how/) [Susan Ann Sulley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ann-sulley/) > [A record company used to be a very good thing, but they ended up soul-destroyingly trapping people in the accounting department. And you couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lydon/a-record-company-used-to-be-a-very-good-thing-but-they-ended-up-soul/) [John Lydon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lydon/) > [I don't have to worry about what the average record company person thinks because I am the record company person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-trent-d-arby/i-don-t-have-to-worry-about-what-the-average-record-company-person/) [Terence Trent D'Arby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-trent-d-arby/) > [I have tons of tunes, maybe 30 tunes that I still think are great, and only because some jerk at a record company didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/i-have-tons-of-tunes-maybe-30-tunes-that-i-still-think-are-great-and/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [Bob was chosen by my record company to help with my vocals, and our relationship developed through the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-marley/bob-was-chosen-by-my-record-company-to-help-with-my-vocals-and-our/) [Rita Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-marley/) > [When you get to a point where you're not beholden to a record company, then it's up to you to say, 'OK, enough knob-turning.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-d/when-you-get-to-a-point-where-you-re-not-beholden-to-a-record-company/) [Mike D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-d/) > [My responsibility is to the artist first. There's something that artists intrinsically know about their music and their fanbase that neither the record company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nile-rodgers/my-responsibility-is-to-the-artist-first-there-s-something-that/) [Nile Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nile-rodgers/) > [Giving a record company an album is like giving a gangster your baby or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-miller/giving-a-record-company-an-album-is-like-giving-a-gangster-your-baby/) [Steve Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-miller/) ## More by A Tribe Called Quest > [I'm just a fly MC who's five foot three and very brave. On job remaining, no I'm chaining cause I misbehave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/i-m-just-a-fly-mc-who-s-five-foot-three-and-very-brave-on-job/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [By the way, my name's Malik, the five-foot freak. Let's say we get together by the end of the week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/by-the-way-my-name-s-malik-the-five-foot-freak-let-s-say-we-get/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Take you on the ave and you buy me links. Now I wanna pound the Putang until it stinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/take-you-on-the-ave-and-you-buy-me-links-now-i-wanna-pound-the-putang/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [I come correct in full effect have all my hoes in check and before I get the butt the jim must be erect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/i-come-correct-in-full-effect-have-all-my-hoes-in-check-and-before-i/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Off to better things like a hip-hop forum. Pass me the rock and I'll storm with the crew and ...Proper. What you say Hammer?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/off-to-better-things-like-a-hip-hop-forum-pass-me-the-rock-and-i-ll/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Chairman of the board, the chief of affections. You got mine's to swing in your direction. Hey, you're like a hip hop song, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/chairman-of-the-board-the-chief-of-affections-you-got-mine-s-to-swing/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Okay, if knowledge is the key then just show me the lock. Got the scrawny legs but I move just like Lou Brock, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/okay-if-knowledge-is-the-key-then-just-show-me-the-lock-got-the/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [When I travel to the Sun I roll with the squadron. RRRRRROAW RRRRRRROAW like a dungeon dragon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/when-i-travel-to-the-sun-i-roll-with-the-squadron-rrrrrroaw/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Yo, I took you out but sex was on my mind for the whole damn route. My mind was in a frenzy and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/yo-i-took-you-out-but-sex-was-on-my-mind-for-the-whole-damn-route-my/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [You got B.B.D. all on your bedroom wall but I'm above the rim and this is how I ball. A pretty little somethin' on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/you-got-b-b-d-all-on-your-bedroom-wall-but-i-m-above-the-rim-and-this/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Here we go yo, here we go yo. So what so what so what's the scenario.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/here-we-go-yo-here-we-go-yo-so-what-so-what-so-what-s-the-scenario/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [You'd be a fool to reply that Phife is not the man 'cause you know and I know that you know who I am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/you-d-be-a-fool-to-reply-that-phife-is-not-the-man-cause-you-know-and/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [I like to kiss ya where some brothas won't. I like to tell ya things some brothas don't. If only you could see through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/i-like-to-kiss-ya-where-some-brothas-won-t-i-like-to-tell-ya-things/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [I like 'em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican or Haitian. Name is Phife Dawg from the Zulu nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/i-like-em-brown-yellow-puerto-rican-or-haitian-name-is-phife-dawg/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) > [Hey Bonita, glad to meet ya. For the kind of stunning newness, I must have foreseen ya. Hey, being with you is a top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tribe-called-quest/hey-bonita-glad-to-meet-ya-for-the-kind-of-stunning-newness-i-must/) [A Tribe Called Quest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) [Explore all 29 A Tribe Called Quest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-tribe-called-quest/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. 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